Swinney was ‘representing Scotland’ at state banquet for Trump, says minister

A senior member of the Scottish Cabinet has defended John Swinney’s attendance at a state banquet held to honour US President Donald Trump.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance insisted people would expect the First Minister to “be representing Scotland at an international level”.

Her comments came in the wake of a social media post from SNP MP Chris Law – which has now been deleted – which said those attending the banquet on Wednesday would be “conceding that it’s acceptable to support genocide in Gaza”.

That came after a group of three independent experts commissioned by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council concluded Israel is committing genocide in the Palestinian territory.

Ms Constance said she does not know why SNP colleague Mr Law had posted such a comment, saying her focus this week had been on steering “historic” reforms to Scotland’s justice system through Holyrood.

“With the greatest respect I have not been glued to social media,” she told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Thursday.

“The Scottish Government’s position on the suffering, the genocide in Gaza is very, very clear and we are playing our part to step up, call for justice, call for an end to that suffering and doing practical endeavours.”

She added it was “only this week we are seeing those that have been hurt and injured coming to Scotland” – with two children injured in the conflict travelling to the country for treatment, along with their families.

Ms Constance added: “People in Scotland also expect our First Minister to be representing Scotland at an international level, that is in the interests of all us.”