LIB DEMS CONDEMN NATIONAL CONVERSATION'S TRIP TO BRUSSELS

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 23rd Apr 2008

Commenting on the First Minister's trip to Brussels with the SNP's National Conversation, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Robert Brown MSP said:

"The SNP has now taken its National Conversation to Brussels. Yet the First Minister refuses to have the debate where it really matters - in the democratically elected Scottish Parliament.

"The First Minister has already shown us that he is happy to engage with some of the world's worst dictators and shares "similar views" with Iran. Alex Salmond is happy to have a conversation with Robert Mugabe but he refuses to debate the matter with MSPs.

"For a party which chants the rhetoric of democracy at every opportunity, it is profoundly undemocratic to engage in this costly, tax-payer funded persuasion exercise without any parliamentary mandate. It seems the only place in the world that he won't take his national conversation is to the floor of the Scottish Parliament.

"The majority of Scots back the Liberal Democrat proposal for a stronger Scottish Parliament, with financial responsibility, within a strengthened United Kingdom. It is the Scottish Parliament's Constitutional Commission that has the best prospect of delivering that."

Ends.