First Minister accused of snubbing devolved nations
ALEX Salmond has been accused of snubbing a joint UK ministerial committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in London after the SNP leader turned down an invitation to attend the summit.
A UK government source said Mr Salmond was “posturing” by speaking at two meetings in England last week to promote independence, while turning down the chance to take part in talks with Mr Clegg and the representatives of the other UK devolved administrations.
The First Ministers of Northern Ireland and Wales are among those attending the talks with Mr Clegg to discuss energy policy and attracting investment.
A spokesman for Mr Salmond said the First Minister was instead due to take part in talks in Glasgow with potential investors in Scotland’s economy, but that senior figures from the Scottish Government – energy minister Fergus Ewing and cabinet secretary for parliamentary business and government strategy Bruce Crawford – would be attending.
A UK government source said: “Snubbing other UK administrations shows he’s disinterested in governing.” A spokesman for Mr Salmond said: “The First Minister will be holding meetings in Glasgow, including discussions with investors in Scotland.”
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Comments
There are 17 comments to this article
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flyinngscott
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 06:42 PMWith #12,13 &14 having difficulty in reading beyond the hootsmans usual scary headline, probably through having very short attention span's (esp. buffy), the unionist strategy is one of nothing but fear, spread through dis-information. They have absolutely nothing positive to put forwards to bolster the arguement for retaining our subservient position in the union. 2 more years of this tripe from condemlab, and their apologists should see us free.
Michael
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 06:22 PM@15 Ron Greer. Aye sure, you've thought that one through, Ron...NOT. I'm guessing you're either an incomer from south of the wall or just a heckler who doesn't even live in Scotland. This place is already a 1000 times better since the SNP took government. For all of you that vote No in 2014, just remember that means you are voting Yes to Trident, Yes to forcing terminally ill to seek employment or risk losing their benefits, Yes to Scots oil funding big projects like the M25 and Channel Tunnel while Glaswegian life expectancy is 58yrs (lowest in EU, even Poland is better), Yes to people in Scotland dying of fuel poverty when Scotland is by far the most resource rich part of EU, Yes to Scots paying 12% of all UK tax revenue when we only get 9% public spending in return, Yes to decades of Scots being 35-45% of all British front-line deaths in every war even though we are only 8% of UK population... I could go on like this all night! Only those blinded by unionist or sectarian hatred could vote against a break from all these injustices.
Ron Greer
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 05:20 PM1 Wrong again---vote separation in the Yes referendum. That way we can prove that Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland, now that they would have the same status as Scotland, have been narrow-minded poverty stricken separatists all along and that Engelbritland, home of the Engbrits is the only broadminded internationalist country in the world.
samcoldstream
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11:37 AMGallus Alex is far too busy dismantling the UK State to attend inter-governmental meetings.
Buford Van Stomm
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11:36 AMEWck is far too busy offering his opinion on the worlds bowls championships.
Biscuit McVittie
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 10:54 AMSalmond is far too important to attend such a meeting.
douglas-home rule
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:54 AMIf Salmond was "snubbing" this meeting by sending others while he was busy then surely Cameron was also "snubbing the same meeting??
Jo'Burg Jock
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:35 AM"#2 HorridHenrietta --------- Here it is -------- from Hansard Parliamentary Debates ---------- ________________________________________________________ 25 Jan 2012 : Column 377 ________________________________________________________ Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex) (Con): ----- ""The taxes forecast to be raised from the industry in 2011-12 include some £6 billion in income tax, national insurance contributions and corporation tax paid by the supply chain companies, with an additional £11 billion from taxes on production itself. That amounts to 25% of all the corporation tax received by the Exchequer. The production of indigenous oil and gas improved the balance of payments by £35 billion in 2011, thus halving the trade deficit, and the supply chain added another £5 billion to £6 billion with exports of oilfield goods and services. Incidentally, that is an aspect of the industry that is doing extremely well here and overseas, and it is flying the flag for Britain effectively.""
Danielrober2
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:30 AM# 7 Alicia Murray ........................ So Alec.S has been promoted by the separatists to been a gift from g=d. Right.
Family guy
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 08:54 AMWhy on Earth would Salmond waste his time with Clegg? Clegg as no authority, weight or position and he is a Lib Dem, therefore is nothing in Scotland.
Alicia Murray
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 08:20 AMIf there is a god thank you for sending us a good man like Salmon unlike the people in London who are employed through companies to pay less tax. Corrupt politicians, journalists, TV media, policemen and yet they lecture and hector the poor and disabled.
Tennis C. Williams
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 06:44 AM#2 HorridHenrietta - As a Unionist, I would consider it fair play if you could please withold such information till AFTER the referendum, rather than attempting to influence the way undecided members of the electorate vote.
Huntly Loon
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:48 AMMr Clegg has organised an inter-governmental joint ministerial discussion on energy policy. And the Scottish Government is accused of a snub because they are sending the .....Energy Minister.
Newferryman
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:30 AMOh and by the way Hootsman. How about naming this so called government source.
Newferryman
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:26 AMThis is again more spin from the Hootsman. So while the other leaders are sitting around the table wondering how to get investment, AS is rolling up his sleeves and getting stuck in.
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