US CONGRESSWOMAN Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has reflected on her time spent in Scotland for COP26 after heading back to Washington – and spoke a little more about her meeting with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
After Ocasio-Cortez asked her millions of Instagram followers where she could get Irn-Bru during her jam-packed Glasgow visit with the congressional delegation, the FM came to her aide.
Sturgeon met the group of 20 American representatives, led by Nancy Pelosi, at the climate summit to discuss environmental action and the “strong ties of friendship” between the US and Scotland.
At the end of the meeting the First Minister presented Ocasio-Cortez with a can of Irn-Bru, and the pair had their photographs taken together.
The Congresswoman then took to social media to praise the “Scottish hospitality” she experienced during the summit.
Ocasio-Cortez, who wore a lapel badge featuring the US and Scotland flags overlapping during COP, later reflected on her time at the UN talks, sharing a picture of her applauding Sturgeon.
“We met with the First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon AND SHE BROUGHT ME A CAN OF IRN BRU,” she told Instagram followers.
“Irn Bru is one of the most popular soft drinks in Scotland. More popular than Coca Cola!” she explained. “I wanted to try it but the reason it was tricky to get a hold of was because the [congressional delegation’s] logistics and movements were so tight you can’t really sneak away to a shop or general concessions.”
She went on: “Also a head of state bringing a soda cause she heard I was looking for it … talk about Scottish hospitality!”
The Queen is Scotland’s official head of state. In the 2014 independence referendum it was proposed that the Queen would continue to be Scotland’s head of state if a Yes vote occurred.
Other independence supporters believe that Scotland should have an elected head of state – Denis Canavan, the chair of the Yes Scotland campaign in 2014, was among those to favour that option.
READ MORE: COP26: Nicola Sturgeon hailed as the 'true leader' at climate summit
After heading back to the United States Ocasio-Cortez said a meeting had fallen through on her final day in Scotland, meaning she was able to visit Edinburgh Castle and buy a Harris Tweed jacket for her dog Deco.
She was also able to pay her respects at the memorial garden in Scotland’s capital city to mark Remembrance Day.
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