I THINK is is safe to say I’ve had a baptism of fire since arriving in the House of Commons. I was appointed SNP Shadow Foreign Secretary and, while that would be a big enough role to get my head around at the best of times, I was thrust into the Iran crisis and the scrutiny, such as it was, that the House of Commons subjected the UK Government to.

First there was the pantomime of the debate on the Queen’s Speech, the lacklustre government programme that essentially said that the UK would leave the EU and, er, a few other things. I took the chance to set out my own approach to how I’ll deal with things at Westminster and with the UK Government.

I’m a Nat, I want to see Scotland an independent state of the EU. I bring an unashamedly European style to my politics. I believe that we get more done when we focus on where we agree, not on where we differ. I believe that we get more done when we strive for consensus, even if, perhaps, it cannot be found. When he visited the European Parliament, German federal president Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that the European Union is based on the revolutionary idea that our opponent might have a point. It is also smart politics to pick your battles.

READ MORE: It’s clear the British nationalists are running out of ideas

Where there is alignment of our view on Scotland’s best interests with the policies of the UK Government, I will not be shy in agreeing, and I think that was an important message – Scotland is a constructive partner, especially on foreign affairs, even as we work towards our independence.

But I was sure to put in some needle as well after the balm. I trashed the whole basis of the debate. I and the SNP are not committed to Britain in the world, nor should anyone reasonably expect us to be. We wish it well because we’re good neighbours and good friends, but it is not our project. We are committed to an independent Scotland in Europe.

The National: Dominic Raab, out 'hapless' Foreign SecretaryDominic Raab, out 'hapless' Foreign Secretary

It is also in the interests of democracy within these islands to release the Russia report. The document exists. Grave concerns have been raised about external interference in the UK’s democracy. A document exists that has not been published for dubious reasons. It should be published now so that we can all see where things are. Surely if the UK wants to pretend it is a beacon of best practice to the world, credibility begins at home. I hae ma doots.

And then we went on to Iran, an incredibly complex and fast-moving set of events, as I’ve written before in this column. As I’ve said, where I agree with the UK Government policy and Scottish interests align with the UK then I’ll agree. It is in Scotland’s, the UK’s and indeed everybody’s interests to boost nuclear non-proliferation in Iran, and I think the UK has done well in working with France and Germany as part of Europe’s big three to broker an agreement that was, with all its challenges, the best thing on the table in holding Iran to account over its nuclear commitments. I said so to the Foreign Secretary in the debate, I’ll not pretend differences exist where there are none.

READ MORE: Unionists denying our indyref2 mandate may be doing us a favour

Until the next day, when the Prime Minister, in a breakfast TV interview, trashed the basis of the agreement, saying instead that “we should go for the Trump deal, he’s a negotiator of some renown, we should go for that” whatever “that” is, given there is no other agreement.

The National: Boris Johnson is more interested in doing a deal with Trump than anything else, although no deal yet existsBoris Johnson is more interested in doing a deal with Trump than anything else, although no deal yet exists

So the hapless Foreign Secretary was called to the House of Commons not even 24 hours after his last statement on Iran to give another. I made the point that he appears to be getting more constructive engagement from the SNP than his own Prime Minister, and how seriously did he think Tehran takes us all right now? Speaking to a few of the Tories afterwards, the point landed. The SNP will support UK policy when we think it is the right thing to do, but how can we support a shambles being made on the hoof and undermined by a reckless overpromoted demagogue in Downing Street?

READ MORE: Kevin McKenna: Boris Johnson is bong-kers

Scotland can do so much better than this, and it is the coming fault-line of our post-Brexit but still talking about Brexit world. We are seeing on a daily basis arguments about two futures: one, a Scottish European, constructive, pragmatic, structured long-term engagement with our closest friends and allies; and, two, being locked in, powerless, by a diminished and backward-looking UK still struggling to come to terms with its place in the world but for the moment deluding itself it can still pull off imperial swagger.

The refusal by the current occupant of Downing Street that Scotland does not have a right to choose our future is utterly unsustainable. The smarter Tories know it. The 2016 referendum and events since have trashed the basis of the 2014 result – it is beyond argument there has been a change in circumstances. Imagine the Brexiteers’ reaction if somebody in Brussels had refused the UK a Brexit referendum. Fair’s fair. The Tory position will not hold, and Scotland’s voice will be heard.