David Cameron pledges that a Scottish Secretary would have a seat in any Cabinet he forms

There has previously been some speculation that if the Conservatives win the general election and David Cameron becomes Prime Minister, he might combine the Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Offices into a single "Department for the Nations" or such like, with one minister sitting in the Cabinet.

But today, the Conservative leader was challenged on this very matter in an interview with Scotland's Radio Clyde 2 and said in terms that there would be a Scottish Secretary in any Cabinet he forms.

Here's what he said:

“There will certainly be a Scottish Secretary in my Cabinet.  I think it’s very, very important that Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland and the UK feels fully represented in the UK Government.  I’m passionate about this, to me the UK is like a family and we are better off with England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland together in that family and I don’t ever want us to fall out.  And what do families fall out over?  They fall out over things like money and they fall out over things like jobs and therefore I think it’s very important Scotland is sitting at the highest table in the land”.

All of which I interpret to mean that a Wales Secretary and Northern Ireland Secretary could expect to be afforded the same status in a Cameron Government. Doubtless he will be asked to make the same commitment when interviewed by the Welsh and Northern Irish media during the course of the campaign.

Jonathan Isaby