The Scottish Secretary has publicly accused Scotland's First Minister of failing to be 'fully candid' about discussions regarding plans to house asylum seekers at a barracks in Inverness.
A Contested Timeline of Communication
The controversy centres on the UK Government's now-paused proposal to accommodate 300 asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks in the Highland city. The Scottish Government has maintained that there was no proper consultation before the decision was announced.
Following significant concern from both the local council and the Scottish Government, the plans were officially postponed on Friday, 30 November 2025.
Appearing on the BBC's Sunday Show, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander directly challenged the Scottish Government's narrative. He stated that Highland Council, the Scottish Government, the local police service, and the local NHS were all informed prior to any public announcement.
Alexander asserted, 'John Swinney is in the same position as some of his ministers of perhaps not wanting to be fully candid about the fact that they were informed. I can actually show you the correspondence that we received from Scottish ministers.'
Conflicting Accounts from Edinburgh and London
However, the accounts from Edinburgh tell a different story. First Minister John Swinney told the Press Association on Saturday that the plans had been drawn up 'on the back of an envelope'.
He clarified that the core issue was not mere notification, but a profound lack of 'detailed engagement' in developing the proposals before they were set to be implemented.
Supporting this view, Scotland's Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, claimed she was only notified as the plans were being announced. Highland Council confirmed it was told just one day before the public revelation.
In the wake of the postponement, the Scottish Secretary refused to provide a new timeline for housing the asylum seekers, emphasising that the process 'needs to be done in a reasonable and appropriate way'.
Fallout and Future Engagement
In an official statement, Shirley-Anne Somerville described the Home Office's postponement as a 'welcome admission of the reality, that their management of the situation has been chaotic from start to finish'.
She confirmed that while the Scottish Government was aware the UK Government was contemplating the use of Cameron Barracks, they only learned of the formal decision to proceed through media reports.
'We are still awaiting satisfactory answers,' she said, adding that she has written to the UK Government to reiterate the urgency for local agencies to receive information to plan support services.
Despite the friction, the Scottish Government affirmed it 'stands ready to work constructively with the UK Government to provide safety and sanctuary for people seeking asylum', provided it comes with the appropriate financial assistance for local authorities.
