RISING tensions between the UK and Scottish governments are exposed as a new Brexit letter is released.

In the official correspondence, Scotland's Constitution Secretary Michael Russell tells Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, that he's "past trying" to get him to improve the way he deals with devolved governments.

And he calls Westminster's claim that Holyrood is undermining Brexit deal efforts "risible" telling him the Tories must "own" the "many and manifest problems" he says are in the UK Government's negotiating strategy.

The letter, sent yesterday but released to the public today, is the latest in a series of increasingly tense missives between the pair in their official roles.

Referring to a reply sent by Gove in November — in which the senior cabinet minister complained that UK Government ministers and officials had not been "invited to any operational readiness meetings of the Scottish Government" but had offered talks with Holyrood — Russell's letter states: "You expressed disappointment in my description of the manner in which the UK Government has engaged with the Scottish Government, but I am surprised that you expected any other view given the way in which successive UK Governments — and particularly the Government of which you are a member — have chosen to treat the devolved governments. 

"Merely listing the number of meetings that have taken place is a wholly inadequate means of assessing both the quality and the effectiveness of the engagement. I have pointed that out to you before, as have many of my colleagues in the other devolved governments, but the message does not seem to have got through.

"Clearly I won’t change your position on all that and I am past trying."

In September it was claimed that Scottish Government officials had moved to undermine Brexit talks by telling their EU counterparts that Westminster must soften its position on fishing rights — something that sparked an angry response from Edinburgh.

In his letter, Russell tells Gove: "I do want to place on record that your accusation regarding the Scottish Government’s undermining of  the UK negotiations process is risible. 

"You, and your colleagues, are solely responsible for the many and manifest problems in the strategy you have adopted, and must own them.  

"We have made our position clear in public on numerous occasions (as of course the Welsh and Northern Irish governments have also done) so our views will be well-known to the European Union, but we have never ever attempted to negotiate. To assert otherwise is simply untrue."

The letter concludes: "The reality is we have always stood up for Scotland’s interests in the face of your reckless Brexit strategy that is causing so much needless harm.

"Be in no doubt that the Scottish Government will always protect and promote what we believe are the fundamental interests of the people whom we seek to serve."