MICHAEL Gove has been blasted for turning to a Proclaimers' hit to say how he felt at Scotland's defeat in the European football championship last night.

The Cabinet Office minister, who is originally from Aberdeen, quoted from the Fife musical duo's Sunshine on Leith as he expressed his sadness after the national team were beaten 3-1 by Croatia and crashed out of the competition.

He was responding to Scottish Tory chief Douglas Ross, who had written that he was "gutted" by the result.

The Tory MP and MSP wrote on Twitter after the game at Hampden: "Gutted. Some great individual performances through the group stages but it wasn’t to be.  

"Let’s not leave it another 23 years before we experience this again - these tournaments need the Tartan Army!"

Responding to Ross, Gove wrote on Twitter: "My heart was broken, my heart was broken, sorrow, sorrow, sorrow, sorrow."

But his tweet enraged Scottish fans given the two men behind the Proclaimers twins Craig and Charlie Reid are passionate supporters of independence and fierce critics of the Tories.

Several pointed to Brexit, which Scots voted against, and one nation policies pursued by the Tories to stamp out differences between the four nations in the UK.

One supporter remarked on Twitter: "Oh were Scotland playing? Thought there was only one nation?"

Another hit out: "To be fair this isn’t the cruellest way that Scotland has been forcibly jettisoned out of Europe recently, is it Michael. Any songs you’d like to share with us about that?"

A further supporter commented: "Go on Gove – cheer the Scottish nation up and give us a referendum."

Another added: "The Proclaimers would be embarrassed to be associated with ya."

One wrote: "I'm pretty sure the Proclaimers will detest this insincere tweet."

Greg Freeman responded: "The Proclaimers are staunch Scottish nationalists, Mikey, if you're going to start quoting them ..."

The Proclaimers' 1987 hit, Letter from America, rails against Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher's economic policies which led to the closures of major car and vehicle factories at Linwood and Bathgate and the deindustrialisation of large parts of Scotland.

The lyrics draw a parallel with the Tory policies of the day to the Highland Clearances in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries which forced many Scots to leave the country and start new lives in America.

They say: 
"Bathgate no more, Linwood no more
Methil no more, Irvine no more
Bathgate no more, Linwood no more
Methil no more, Irvine no more."

Hibs fans too, such as the SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford, are likely to be irritated at Gove turning to the Proclaimers' Sunshine on Leith, which they have claimed as their anthem. The team is based in Easter Road, in Leith, Edinburgh.

It is the second time this month Gove has come under fire over Scotland's entry in the Euros.

He was dubbed “clueless” after trying to schedule a key meeting with the Scottish Government at the same time as the nation’s historic Euros opener on June 14.

The men’s national team ended their 23-year exile from major tournament football when they kick-offed against the Czech Republic at 2pm on that day.

But that fact seemed to slip Gove’s mind, after he invited devolved administrations to a four-nations conference call at the same time.

Scottish Government officials were taken aback when the Cabinet Office suggested mid-afternoon for the regular meeting. 

A Holyrood source told the Record: "Gove seems utterly clueless. He either doesn't know about the Scotland game, or doesn't care.

"Nicola will be on the call whenever it takes place.

"But the fact the Tories have been trying to arrange a so-called four nations call to clash with one of Scotland's biggest sporting events in decades is ironic. It shows Scotland isn't even on their radar.”

It is understood the Scottish Government did not cite the game as a reason to move the meeting, though there was surprise it was not considered.

The 30-minute meeting was rescheduled for 1.15pm ahead of the match, which Scotland lost 2-0.