Justice Secretary Angela Constance has defended First Minister John Swinney's attendance at a state banquet honouring US President Donald Trump. She insisted that people would expect Swinney to "be representing Scotland at an international level".
The defence came after criticism from within the Scottish National Party's own ranks. SNP MP Chris Law had posted on social media that those attending Wednesday's banquet would be "conceding that it's acceptable to support genocide in Gaza" - though he later deleted the post.
Constance said she was unaware why her SNP colleague Law had made such comments. She told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme that her focus this week had been on steering justice system reforms through the Scottish Parliament.
UN experts conclude genocide
Law's criticism followed a conclusion by three independent experts commissioned by the United Nations' Human Rights Council that Israel is committing genocide in the Palestinian territory. The UN findings provided context for the SNP MP's concerns about the state banquet.
Constance acknowledged she had not been following social media closely. "With the greatest respect I have not been glued to social media," she said on Thursday morning.
Scottish Government's Gaza position
The Justice Secretary emphasised that Scotland's stance on the conflict remains clear. "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 said.
Scotland is providing practical assistance to those affected by the conflict. Constance highlighted that "only this week we are seeing those that have been hurt and injured coming to Scotland" - with two children injured in Gaza travelling to Scotland for medical treatment alongside their families.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
