The Aporia · Tories hit out at Ed Miliband as he refuses to take action on John Swinney's overseas trips

Tories hit out at Ed Miliband as he refuses to take action on John Swinney's overseas trips

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Blackley, M. (2026, October 28). Tories hit out at Ed Miliband as he refuses to take action on John Swinney's overseas trips. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16246955/Tories-hit-Ed-Miliband-refuses-action-John-Swinneys-overseas-trips.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

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Quick Summary

Tory MP John Cooper criticized Ed Miliband for not taking action against First Minister John Swinney's overseas trips, particularly a trade mission to India and a visit to Dublin where discussions about the break-up of Britain took place. Cooper accused Swinney of wasting taxpayer money on these visits, especially since international trade is reserved to Westminster. During Parliament, Miliband responded by saying that Swinney can continue his visits, which prompted Cooper to demand further talks with Miliband regarding the issue.

Written by AI on 2026-10-28, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

On October 28, 2026, Ed Miliband faced criticism from Tory MP John Cooper for refusing to stop First Minister John Swinney’s overseas trips. Specifically, Swinney had recently traveled to Dublin and India on taxpayer-funded missions. The trip to Dublin involved discussions with Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald about the break-up of Britain, raising concerns over devolution and the misuse of public funds. Despite international trade being reserved for Westminster, Swinney’s trip to India followed a UK government export promotion visit, leading to accusations that his mission was merely a publicity stunt. Cooper questioned why British taxpayers were funding such activities, suggesting Miliband's stance allows Swinney to disregard devolution rules.

Written for “Tories Criticize Ed Miliband” on 2026-10-28, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted verbatim and was checked against the article text before being stored, so you can find it in the original.

Tory MP John Cooper pressed Mr Miliband on the issue by highlighting that the Foreign Office facilitated the trip to Dublin where the break-up of Britain was discussed. He asked: 'Why are British taxpayers paying for this nonsense?'

right criticizes use of taxpayer money and questions legitimacy of devolved powers

Reading Leans strongly right (beta estimate) Confidence high 1 quote(s) discarded as not found in the article

Leaning: leans strongly right for article 113019 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-10-28

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Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

17%

3 of 18 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

Leans strongly right

of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate

Publisher signals

68/100

Daily Mail's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Daily Mail · 8068 article(s) · 19 correction(s) detected

Running correction rate · 19 correction(s)

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Clarifications and corrections

Who wrote this

Michael Blackley

26 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 He said: ‘The Foreign Secretary’s devil-may-care attitude is deeply worrying.

2026-10-28 · assertive framing · Tories hit out at Ed Miliband as he refuses to take action on John Swinney's overseas trips

🔮 Jenny Gilruth categorically ruled out freezing the levels of devolved benefit payments when she sets her Budget in December, despite projections showing the welfare bill will soar next year. She also refused to say whether she will seek to increase taxes when she sets out her spending plans.

2026-10-28 · assertive framing · Jenny Gilruth takes freezing benefit payment rates off the table, despite soaring costs

🔮 A flagship SNP election commitment to hand every new primary pupil a free schoolbag will cost £1.35million a year, it has been revealed.

2026-10-26 · assertive framing · Made in China and paid for by taxpayers: SNP's schoolbag giveaway plan to cost £1.35million a year!

🔮 But a note he wrote ‘for the record’ summarising an eight-minute call he received from Mr Trump on his personal mobile on May 1 indicates he singled out the King for praise in helping him change his mind during his State visit to the US in April.

2026-10-26 · assertive framing · Donald Trump told John Swinney that King Charles helped change his mind on scrapping whisky tariffs, First Minister's OWN notes reveal

🔮 She will now sit as an independent MSP, claiming she can still achieve her goals of holding the Scottish Government to account and representing her constituents.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Reform leader accuses MSP who quit party of 'squatting' at Holyrood

🔮 During the debate, Richard Thomson, the former MP who lost the Aberdeen South by-election which had been billed by the Tories as a referendum on oil and gas, said: ‘I’m not going to say we should have won it, but what I am going to say is that our chances of winning it would have been greatly improved had it been for the absence of two words in particular which the Tory campaign hung around our neck like an albatross, and those words were “presumption against”.

2026-10-16 · assertive framing · John Swinney under pressure to back new North Sea drilling after SNP votes to scrap Sturgeon policy

🔮 John Swinney has said he does not have confidence that the UK is safe from potential Russian threats – but denied independence would make Scotland even less secure.

2026-10-14 · assertive framing · John Swinney has no confidence in UK defence... but refuses to believe an independent Scotland would be even less secure

🔮 Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservative culture spokesman, said: ‘If John Swinney has even an ounce of respect for taxpayers’ money, he will tell his colleague to ditch her plans to squander money on hiring someone for this role.

2026-10-12 · assertive framing · John Swinney urged to give minister's plans for £11k artist the brush off

🔮 Oil company Equinor warned it could decide against future investment in the UK if the Jackdaw and Rosebank North Sea fields are not approved Mr Lumsden said: ‘We stood on our principles, had the strength of our convictions and we won 50 per cent of the vote. ‘

2026-10-07 · assertive framing · Tory MP claims Europe's former oil capital is being 'sabotaged' by the choices of Labour and SNP governments

🔮 Kemi Badenoch will order a review of devolution which will consider withdrawing powers from the Scottish Parliament if she wins the next general election.

2026-10-07 · assertive framing · Kemi Badenoch could strip Holyrood of powers in Tory devolution shake-up if she wins the next general election

Also by Michael Blackley

Jenny Gilruth takes freezing benefit payment rates off the table, despite soaring costs

2026-10-28 · Daily Mail

Donald Trump told John Swinney that King Charles helped change his mind on scrapping whisky tariffs, First Minister's OWN notes reveal

2026-10-26 · Daily Mail

Made in China and paid for by taxpayers: SNP's schoolbag giveaway plan to cost £1.35million a year!

2026-10-26 · Daily Mail

Reform leader accuses MSP who quit party of 'squatting' at Holyrood

2026-10-20 · Daily Mail

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 26 articles by Michael Blackley →

Topics

Britain Dublin India Scotland Scottish

Subjects

Miliband PERSON · 5× Swinney PERSON · 5× Scotland GPE · 4× Britain GPE · 3× Dublin GPE · 3× India GPE · 3× Scottish NORP · 3× British NORP · 2× John Swinney PERSON · 2× Westminster ORG · 2×

Narrative

Mr Cooper has previously criticised the Labour Government for facilitating the Dublin visit but failing to ‘have eyes on Mr Swinney’ during a trip for talks with the head of a foreign government, given that international affairs are reserved to Westminster.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-28

🔮 He said: ‘The Foreign Secretary’s devil-may-care attitude is deeply worrying.

2026-10-28 · Daily Mail

Tories hit out at Ed Miliband as he refuses to take action on John Swinney's overseas trips · assertive framing

Claims (18 extracted, 3 hedged)

Ed Miliband has refused to take any action to stop John Swinney’s overseas trips, leading to claims he is giving him the green light to ride roughshod over devolution. uncertain

he → refuse → devolution

The Foreign Secretary said that the First Minister ‘can have his visits’ when he faced calls to end support for the trips. asserted

he → say → trips

It follows concerns about the use of taxpayers’ money on Mr Swinney’s visit to Dublin last year where he met Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald for talks on issues including the break-up of Britain. asserted

he → follow → Britain

The First Minister has also recently returned from a trade mission to India – one week after the UK Government held its own trip to promote Scottish exports including salmon and whisky. asserted

Government → return → salmon

As international trade is reserved to Westminster, it led to claims that Mr Swinney’s trip was nothing more than a ‘photo op’. uncertain

trip → reserve → op

Tory MP John Cooper pressed Mr Miliband on the issue by highlighting that the Foreign Office facilitated the trip to Dublin where the break-up of Britain was discussed. asserted

up → press → Britain

He asked: ‘Why are British taxpayers paying for this nonsense?’ asserted

taxpayers → ask → nonsense

Ed Milliband has been accused of allowing John Swinney to waste taxpayer's money on trips overseas Mr asserted

Swinney → accuse → trips

Swinney visited India despite the UK government having already sent a trade envoy promoting Scottish whisky and other exports Mr Miliband replied: ‘Our belief in the United Kingdom and keeping our United Kingdom together is absolute and clear. asserted

belief → visit → Kingdom

The First Minister of Scotland can have his visits.’ asserted

Minister → have → visits

Following the exchange, Mr Cooper, MP for Dumfries and Galloway, has written to Mr Miliband to demand further talks on the issue. asserted

Cooper → follow → issue

He said: ‘The Foreign Secretary’s devil-may-care attitude is deeply worrying. uncertain

attitude → say → ?

‘It’s outrageous that Mr Miliband is giving a green light to the First Minister to ride roughshod over the devolution settlement. asserted

Miliband → ’ → settlement

‘The SNP are at their worst when they blunder on to the world stage and now Mr Miliband has apparently opened the stage door to more. asserted

Miliband → blunder → more

This devolve-and-forget from Labour sees British taxpayers’ money squandered on plotting to break up Britain. asserted

money → forget → Britain

affairs → criticise → Westminster

During the India trip, Mr Swinney said that bolstering trade and investment relationships ‘offers a golden opportunity for a wide range of Scottish businesses and for Scotland’s economy’. asserted

bolstering → say → economy

He came under fire in June for charging taxpayers nearly £45,000 for business class flights for him and two aides when he travelled to the United States to attend Scotland’s opening World Cup fixture. asserted

he → come → fixture