Andrew Whitaker: Salmond under fire at FMQs over Murdoch relationship

Both Labour leader Johann Lamont and Tory leader Ruth Davidson used FMQ’s to demand answers from the SNP leader about his communications with Mr Murdoch’s media empire.

However, Mr Salmond’s performance at Holyrood today saw a return to form for the First Minister, who has been accused of being off his game at the weekly Holyrood joust.

Mr Salmond appeared to be fresher for his appearance before Lord Leveson in London yesterday and today the SNP leader probably got the better of Labour’s Johann Lamont for the fist time in many weeks.

The First Minister largely ignored Lamont’s questions about how many jobs Mr Murdoch’s ill-fated BSkyB bid would have created in Scotland as the Labour leader demanded more answers from Mr Salmond about his alleged role in lobbying on behalf of the US tycoon over the bid to the UK Government.

MS Lamont said: “Those jobs had nothing to do with the BSkyB takeover.” She says the BSkyB jobs position was no different before or after the bid was withdrawn.

Mr Salmond adopted attack as the best form of defence as he highlighted what he insisted were the close relationships between former Labour Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown with Mr Murdoch.

Tory leader Ms Davidson also went after Mr Salmond over the Leveson Inquiry, as she asked him about the “day of destiny” date for the independence referendum which was published in the first Scottish Sun on Sunday edition.

Ms Davidson said that the First Minister did not answer whether the date was leaked by an adviser, civil servant or spin doctor and if he had approved the leak.

But Mr Salmond hit back turned the tables on the Scottish Tory leader by responding that he had guessed

herquestion because he read about it in the Daily Telegraph this morning.