IT seems the UK Government doesn't quite feel it has sufficiently trashed its reputation among Scots.
Instead of showing any hint of remorse over the shameful disrespect for Scotland's voice over Brexit, they left First Minister Nicola Sturgeon having to set the record straight on their spin.
READ MORE: Here's why The National wasn't given a chance to scrutinise May's deputy
Earlier, Theresa May's deputy, David Lidington, claimed that Nicola Sturgeon's Scottish Government had rejected talks on the Brexit deal. Lidington is in Scotland today and asked for a meeting.
Theresa May’s deputy David Lidington claims @NicolaSturgeon's Scottish Government rejected talks on the #BrexitDeal today.
— Connor Gillies (@ConnorGillies) November 16, 2018
The Tory MP, living in a bubble, doesn't seem to have thought his attack through – and Sturgeon hit back.
The First Minister tweeted: "This is outrageous. My office got a call around 6pm last night to offer a meeting this morning – purpose not clear. I wasn't prepared to cancel my constituency commitments at such short notice for @scotgov to yet again have to hear empty platitudes rather than be listened to."
This is outrageous. My office got a call around 6pm last night to offer a meeting this morning - purpose not clear. I wasn’t prepared to cancel my constituency commitments at such short notice for @scotgov to yet again have to hear empty platitudes rather than be listened to. https://t.co/8QGwEKp5Mz
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) November 16, 2018
The Tories probably don't even see what was so ridiculous about their complaint.
Scotland's parliament votes to reject consent for a proposed Brexit deal? The UK Government rides roughshod over devolution and years of precedent to ignore that.
READ MORE: Why the time has come for Nicola Sturgeon to act on independence
The First Minister requests a call with the Prime Minister before a crucial Cabinet meeting on Brexit to ensure Scotland's voice is heard? Sorry, UK Government can't do that.
Let Scottish ministers read the draft withdrawal agreement? Afraid not. Gibraltar can – but Scotland has to wait.
Scotland wants to stay in the single market? Sure, Northern Ireland can, but you can't.
And then they call the First Minister at 6pm, telling her to drop everything in order to be reminded of Theresa May's vague Brexit pronouncements and be ignored further? Though they didn't even make the purpose clear in the call.
Instead, Sturgeon decided to continue with the commitments she had made to her consistuency – the Tories always telling her to get on with the day job, after all.
Yet, rather than accept that she had business to attend to, the Tories went out saying she had rejected talks without any hint of making clear why.
The Brexit chaos is making the contempt for Scotland that runs through the UK Government impossible to miss.
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