Scottish Secretary to sit in on SNP Cabinet

Published on Wednesday 22 April 2009 21:58

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond is to set a date for one of his main political opponents to attend a Scottish Cabinet meeting.

Jim Murphy, the Labour UK government's Scottish Secretary, has written to the First Minister asking him to arrange a meeting after Mr Salmond accepted his offer to attend a Scottish Cabinet meeting to discuss the economy.

Mr Murphy said the Scottish people "won't forgive" politicians if partisan politics got in the way of economic recovery.

The letter is the latest stage of a political interplay which resulted in Mr Salmond being invited to dinner at the Prime Minister's house in North Queensferry, Fife, along with other Scottish political leaders to hold informal talks.

In his letter Mr Murphy said: "I think that we should discuss opportunities for working together on behalf of Scotland in these unprecedented times. It is more important than ever to work together."