Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has pledged to make the Scotland Office a "window to the world" if Keir Starmer is elected Prime Minister.
Under the current government relations between the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland and the devolved government at Holyrood have often been strained, with a row last year about the latter's overseas activities.
Devolved governments are free to have diplomatic relations internationally, but are not supposed to discuss reserved matters such as foreign policy.
Mr Sarwar is pledging that, under a Labour government, the Scotland Office will take a far bigger role in selling the country around the world.
Speaking ahead of a campaign stop with candidate Blair McDougall, who led the Better Together campaign in the 2014 independence referendum, he said the office under the control of shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray would be “Scotland’s window onto the world”, using UK embassies to tout Scottish produce and boost exports.
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Mr Sarwar said: "It’s no coincidence that the UK’s biggest food and drink exports both come from Scotland.
“Brand Scotland – our amazing food and drink, creative industries, and tourism and hospitality – has an immense soft power abroad, while creating jobs at home.
“But the chaotic Tory Government currently squatting in Westminster has failed to capitalise on our homegrown success.
“A Labour government with Scottish Labour MPs at the cabinet table will build on the reputation of smoked salmon and whisky to promote other high-quality products abroad.
“We will use our international links to sell our products to the world while opening the door for customers who want to visit, and ensuring that when tourists do spend money, it ends up in Scottish producers’ pockets.
“A Labour-run Scotland Office under Ian Murray will be Scotland’s window onto the world.
“Voting Scottish Labour means booting out this rotten Tory Government, maximising Scotland’s influence with Scottish Labour MPs in government and delivering the change that Scotland needs.”
In 2023 Scotland Office minister Lord Offord of Garvel accused the Scottish Government of breaching the law in regard to its foreign activities by discussing independence.
Foreign secretary James Cleverly then said in April that all meetings between SNP ministers and overseas governments must be organised through the UK Government and attended by its own officials.
The Foreign Secretary wrote to the UK’s heads of missions saying: “I recently met with the Secretary of State for Scotland (Alister Jack) and share his concerns at Scottish Government ministers continuing to use overseas visits to promote Scottish separatism and undermine UK Government policy positions.
“Since my meeting with (Scottish External Affairs Secretary) Angus Robertson in November, such instances are still taking place. I would therefore like you to take a strengthened approach to Scottish Government ministerial visits to ensure devolution settlements are respected overseas.”
The SNP accused the Foreign Office of "desperate attempts to control and manipulate valuable discussions overseas".
Mr Robertson insisted the guidance “seeks to address a problem that does not exist” and claimed its real intention was to “censor” SNP ministers.
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