Leader: First Minister sets the wrong tone over riots

IN POLITICS it is not just what you say that matters but the way you say it. Tone, context and the background of events against which you speak matter as much as the words themselves. This is an axiom Alex Salmond should have borne in mind when he addressed the sensitive issue of riots and their effect on Scotland.

The First Minister's assertion yesterday that Scotland is "a different society" from England and the implication there was less likelihood of riots north of the Border, together with his objection to the reporting of the disturbances - including in this newspaper - as taking place in the UK rather than specifying England, provoked claims that he was "small-minded", "parochial" and "gloating" by his opponents.

What to make of this? Well, the Tories, Labour and the Liberal Democrats all have a vested interest in attacking the most successful politician of the devolution period. Furthermore, the First Minister is right in making the point that, in recent history at least, Scotland has not been prone to rioting. On the other hand, he is misguided if he thinks countries such as those that issued travel warnings distinguish between Scotland and the UK. Rightly or wrongly, they simply do not do so.

Most importantly, however, Mr Salmond got the tone wrong in making the point there had been no riots in Scotland. We sincerely hope there will be no copycat disturbances here, but if there were then the First Minister's holier-than-thou attitude, and his pledge that Scotland's police are prepared to deal with any trouble, may come back to haunt him.