Ian Swanson: Leaders know value of Scots observation post

Published on Thursday 25 June 2009 10:08

SCOTTISHSecretary Jim Murphy was all smiles and laughter when he emerged from a meeting with Alex Salmond and his cabinet at St Andrew's House.

He joked with Finance Minister John Swinney as they dismissed advance predictions the occasion would be confrontational. Both men assured the waiting media that they had all got on fine and were eager to work together in the Scottish interest.

There were disagreements at the meeting, of course – not least over the SNP's call for immediate transfer of the extra powers the Calman commission suggested for the Scottish Parliament.

But both sides described the talks – the first of their kind – as useful and constructive.

When Mr Murphy was appointed as the UK Government's man in Scotland last autumn, many expected an aggressive campaign to harry Mr Salmond and his colleagues at every step.

The Scottish Secretary does not hesitate to attack when he thinks it is appropriate, but his general approach in dealing with the SNP government has been to talk consensus and promise co-operation.

"Working together in the interests of Scotland" has become his mantra for almost every occasion.

And he has proved himself an effective operator, seizing the initiative when he can – by calling summits over the economic situation or funding for the new Forth Road Bridge and even issuing an invitation to the Pope to visit Scotland next year.

His active involvement in issues of genuine public concern gives him more credibility when he then accuses the SNP of an "ideological obsession" with independence.

He was also quick to lambast Mr Salmond over his enthusiasm for Scotland to join the so-called "arc of prosperity" – Norway, Ireland and Iceland – which Mr Murphy dubbed the "arc of insolvency".

But the apparently friendly relations on display outside St Andrew's House suggest the Scottish Secretary is managing to maintain a sensible balance between political attack and practical co- operation.

The post of Scottish Secretary was forecast to disappear once devolution had shifted most of the responsibility for affairs north of the Border to the Scottish Parliament – but now the job is more important than ever.

At first, there were tensions between Donald Dewar, who had just moved from being Scottish Secretary to become First Minister, and his successor John Reid. The two men were even said to have come close to fisticuffs at the Labour conference in Bournemouth.

Helen Liddell, who took over from Dr Reid, had a better relationship with the next First Minister, Henry McLeish. But the role itself was called into question after her diary was published showing a three-day week which included three lunches, two dinners, three receptions and time for a French lesson.

After that, the post became a part-time one for Scots already doing another Cabinet job – Alistair Darling and Douglas Alexander each combined it with Transport before Des Browne took it on along with Defence.

This last arrangement, however, proved a mistake, allowing opposition parties to argue that, with British forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, defence should be taking up his full attention. Mr Browne, perhaps unwisely, replied that he looked after Scotland in his spare time.

But with the appointment of Mr Murphy – who had seen the role close up as parliamentary aide to Ms Liddell – the post became full-time again.

The existence of the Scotland Office is still called into question – figures released this week revealed its administration costs have doubled to 7.2 million since devolution.

But there seems little prospect now of the Scottish Secretary's post being merged into a Ministry of the Regions role, as suggested in the past.

As long as the SNP is in power in Scotland, Labour needs a UK minister watching over Holyrood. And the post could prove even more important for the Tories if they win the general election.

David Cameron has pledged he would maintain a "stand-alone" Scottish Secretary. He knows that even if he does become Prime Minister he will have only a handful of Scottish MPs at the most, which puts an immediate question mark over the party's mandate north of the Border.

The SNP would want to be seen to be dealing reasonably with a newly-elected UK Government – but Mr Salmond and his colleagues would not let the Tories forget their lack of a Scottish base.

David Mundell, who would almost certainly become the Tories' Scottish Secretary, would have to adopt the same "working together" slogan as Mr Murphy – but make it even more convincing.