Backlash over criticism of ‘attention-seeker’ Sturgeon

Liz Truss has weakened the Union by deriding Nicola Sturgeon as an attention seeker who should be ignored, according to one of the most senior figures in the Labour government that brought about the Scottish parliament.

The foreign secretary came under fire from across the political spectrum after she criticised Scotland’s first minister, saying it was best to ignore her, before ruling out a second independence referendum.

Alastair Campbell, who was Tony Blair’s press secretary and official spokesman during the 1997 Scottish devolution referendum, called Truss’s comments “mindblowingly stupid as well as deeply offensive”.

He said if Truss beat Rishi Sunak to become the next prime minister she would inherit “a Union already under threat and I suspect she has weakened it further”.

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