Salmond rebuked for abusing position in US talk on independence

Published on Tuesday 24 February 2009 21:48

THE First Minister came under fire yesterday for using his visit to the United States to promote independence.

Opponents claim Alex Salmond ignored diplomatic protocol and exceeded his position as First Minister to push his agenda.

He was criticised for his lecture at Georgetown University, Washington, where he spoke on independence.

Annabel Goldie, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, wrote to Mr Salmond, accusing him of abusing his position and reminding him he was the leader of a minority administration.

She said he could not represent Scotland, but only his party, in making his calls for independence.

She wrote: "In giving a lecture on independence, you have again abused your position as First Minister. There is no majority for independence in Scotland. Indeed, opinion polls consistently show that separation from the rest of the UK is a minority aspiration."

But a source close to Mr Salmond rubbished Ms Goldie's criticisms. "We won't know if there is a majority view for independence or not until we have a referendum," he said.

"It is Ms Goldie and the other unionist parties who are afraid to test their position with the people of Scotland."

He added that previous first ministers had talked about their views on devolution on visits to the US, so Mr Salmond was entitled to discuss independence.

Meanwhile, there were question marks over what impression the First Minister had made in the US, with a marked lack of media coverage. He was interviewed by Fox TV and Bloomberg, but newspapers were less responsive.

Mr Salmond appeared in the Washington Times, a right-wing newspaper, in a tie-in piece to an article over an alleged row concerning President Barack Obama's choice for ambassador to Britain.

The controversy came as Mr Salmond announced Senate Friends of Scotland Caucus, chaired by Virginia Democrat Jim Webb and involving 30 senators, about a third of the total. The new caucus will work alongside one set up in the House of Representatives in 2006 to strengthen links between the US and Scotland.

It was set up partly to reflect the efforts made in promoting Homecoming year, when "affinity Scots" and people of Scots heritage are being encouraged to visit Scotland.

Mr Webb said: "I am proud to be among more than 30 million Americans who share a Scottish or Scots-Irish ancestry. I am even more proud of the impact this heritage has had on the evolution of American-style populist democracy and in the shaping of our military and musical traditions."

Meanwhile, Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, yesterday confirmed he would be visiting the US in March and would be the first European leader to meet Mr Obama in Washington since the president was sworn in.

The trip will also include meetings with politicians from both houses in Congress.