Alex Salmond and David Cameron in economy showdown

ALEX Salmond will today have his first face-to-face meeting with David Cameron since the Holyrood election at a time when tensions are rising over the constitutional question.

With the UK government anxious to learn the details of Mr Salmond's plans for a Scottish independence referendum, the two men will meet in Downing Street at a joint ministerial meeting also attended by the other leaders of the devolved nations.

Mr Salmond will be accompanied by his finance secretary John Swinney. Last night, Mr Salmond's spokesman said the SNP Government would concentrate on economic rather than constitutional issues at the meeting.

Independence and the SNP's wish for Scottish control over corporation tax, borrowing powers and the Crown Estate to be incorporated in the Scotland Bill at Westminster will come up tomorrow when Mr Salmond meets with the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in Edinburgh.

At today's meeting in London, Mr Salmond will argue that the current austerity measures will stall economic recovery and will ask Mr Cameron to implement a "Plan B" economic strategy that promotes economic growth.

He will also call for public sector investment to protect jobs and support construction and say that the UK government must ensure that banks lend more to businesses. Mr Salmond would like to see the coalition go for the "Plan B" suggested by the UK's most senior civil servant, Sir Gus O'Donnell, last year, which involved the Bank of England lending to business through buying commercial as well as government bonds.