Brown's Balmoral trip skips Highland Games

Published on Sunday 2 September 2007 00:06

GORDON Brown was at Balmoral this weekend with the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, with the future of the Union between England and Scotland expected to feature in the conversation over tea and scones.

But unlike his predecessor Tony Blair, the new Prime Minister decided not to attend yesterday's world-famous Braemar Gathering and Highland Games.

Insiders expected issues such as the future of the United Kingdom to feature in the primarily social discussions.

SNP First Minister Alex Salmond will also visit Balmoral to meet the Queen later this month. And next month he will visit Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate to meet Prince Charles.

An SNP spokesman declined to discuss the agenda for Salmond's meeting with the Queen, saying it was right that his discussions with the monarch should remain confidential.

No 10 took a similar line over Brown's visit. Officials refused to say why he had not attended the gathering, but added that the decision was made some weeks ago. Whitehall sources admitted it would be "inconceivable" if the issue of the UK failed to feature during the weekend.