'Ambassador' row casts shadow on Tartan Day celebrations in the US

WHEN it was created, the post of Scotland’s US ‘Ambassador’ was heralded as a sign of how devolution could help put Scotland on the international map.

Four years on, however, those claims have been undermined by a government turf war involving the First Minister, some of Scotland’s most senior civil servants, and Whitehall.

The affair began last November when ‘Ambassador’ Susan Stewart, who has worked in Washington as the Scottish Executive’s official representative since 2001, was ordered home by civil service chiefs, despite her wanting to carry on.

In the US, some members of the Scottish-American community publicly claim she was forced out by UK government officials who they say were irritated by her attempts to put Scotland further on to the international stage.

Back home, close allies of Jack McConnell have attacked the First Minister for deciding not to intervene to "save" Stewart, despite her closeness to him dating from a period as his chief press officer when he was education minister.

Stewart is also the partner of Jeanne Freeman, a special adviser to the First Minister and one of his most trusted aides.

Sources claim McConnell decided not to step into the row over Stewart because he was worried about appearing to come to the aid of one of his "cronies", especially in the wake of the Kirsty Wark ‘Villagate’ affair.

As a result, McConnell now stands openly accused by organisers of the forthcoming Tartan Week celebrations of "failing to lift a finger" to help their cause. Last night, they warned the affair would overshadow the entire event - with McConnell already under fire for deciding to snub the annual festivities in New York and elsewhere.

Alison Duncan, chairwoman of the Washington-based National Tartan Day committee, said: "Susan has been extremely successful and positive and has won the support of many people over here.

"The Scottish-American community will be totally appalled just when we were feeling enthusiastic that Scotland is moving forward. We had someone who understands and is committed to Scotland. Now all of a sudden, this has taken the wind from our sails. It is a bitter blow. It is a national shame."

Duncan, who as well as being Tartan Day organiser is an SNP activist, insists her anger over the affair is not motivated by politics but by genuine frustration at the government’s treatment of Stewart.

In particular, Duncan accuses McConnell of washing his hands of the affair.

She said: "She is too effective a voice for Scotland. Jack McConnell did not lift a finger to help. He has no power. He was following orders."

Those claims were also made last night by well-placed Executive sources, who claim McConnell was never fully supportive of the post.

"Jack has never really embraced the idea of us being in the States because it was Henry McLeish’s idea," one insider said. "If Jack wanted to intervene he could have done."

The source added: "Jack has taken a decision not to intervene because he does not want to be accused of interfering on behalf of people who he has had some kind of personal relationship with. It didn’t help that this was at the time of the Kirsty Wark row." Another accused McConnell of being too worried about the next day’s newspaper headlines, claiming: "Jack’s instincts are always short-term."

McConnell is believed to have had several rows with colleagues over the Stewart position, including with Freeman.

One well-placed source said: "Jeanne was furious that Jack hadn’t ensured that Susan was kept on in America."

Another source claims that Freeman also had a "stand-up row" with the Scottish Executive’s chief civil servant John Elvidge, who refused to overrule the decision to order Stewart home.

Critics say the affair shows up the refusal of the British government to give Scotland a fair deal on the world stage.

"If the average Scot knew how badly the Foreign Office and others represent Scotland abroad then voters would be haemorrhaging to the SNP tomorrow," said one well-placed Scottish Executive source.

Supporters of Stewart claim she has a string of achievements in the USA to her name. As well as helping to coordinate Tartan Day, these include organising the first official visit of a US Congressman to the Scottish Parliament this week. She also ensured a number of Marshall scholars - high-flying American students who study in the UK - came to Scottish universities.

Stewart was initially sent to Washington on a two-year posting, which was later increased to four years with a view to further extensions. It is understood she was told last year that she would be staying on until 2006 at the very least.

But a few months later she was informed she would be brought home this October. A lower-grade civil service assistant will stay on and Stewart will be replaced but no decision has been taken on who will get the posting.

Jill Scharff, a professor at Georgetown University who has developed links for Aberdeen University in America, said of Stewart: "She is committed, talented and an excellent communicator and a good person.

"The only other person who is as effective an ambassador for Scotland is Sean Connery. It will be extremely difficult to replace her."

Sinclair Dunlop, a company director and member of the St Andrew’s Society of New York, added: "The significant improvement in Washington’s awareness of Scotland’s international strengths can be directly attributed to the hard work of Susan. The news of Susan’s departure is a grave disappointment to those of us in the States working to promote Scotland’s interests."

However, Stewart does have her detractors, some of whom claim she was a "disaster" in the job, and had harmed Scotland’s relations with the US.

Sources describe her approach to British Embassy staff in Washington as "robust" and say she had a series of "running battles" with some colleagues. She is also understood to have had a difficult relationship with former US ambassador Sir Christopher Meyer.

A spokesman for the Scottish Executive said: "Susan has been in the post for four years. That is the standard length for a post of this nature. There is nothing unusual in the way that this has been handled."

He added: "Tartan Week is about more than just one person and I am sure Susan would agree with that. There will be a replacement for Susan so the Scottish Executive’s commitment to the US is going to continue and it will continue long after Susan has moved on."

A spokesman for McConnell said: "This is a matter for the civil service and because it is a matter for the civil service then the First Minister doesn’t get involved. It would have been wrong for him to intervene in this case, so the accusation that he didn’t lift a finger to help is untrue."

Henry McLeish said the row strengthened the case for Scotland to have a department of external affairs, with a minister at cabinet level in the Executive.

He added: "The appointment in Washington was an important one. It was not just symbolic, and we should not send a message to the US or anyone else that we are not taking Scotland’s role in the world seriously.

"We should be expanding our representation in Washington, not reducing it."