Salmond pressed St Andrews head on research comments

The Scottish First Minister telephoned Louise Richardson after she gave an interview with 바카라사이트 Times in March, in which she warned that ¡°if we were cut off from national research councils it would be catastrophic for this institution¡±.

According to 바카라사이트 Daily Telegraph, a source said 바카라사이트 conversation between Mr Salmond and Professor Richardson was ¡°loud and heated¡±.

The paper has also obtained emails which show how Mr Salmond, a St Andrews graduate, asked Professor Richardson to ¡°clarify¡± her comments about independence.

Salmond¡¯s chief of staff, Geoff Aberdein, contacted 바카라사이트 principal¡¯s office to suggest a statement that Professor Richardson release under her name.

That statement praised 바카라사이트 Scottish Government for having ¡°risen to 바카라사이트 challenge¡± over tuition fees and expressed confidence that it could protect research funding after independence, while criticising 바카라사이트 UK government, according to documents seen by 바카라사이트 paper.

Professor Richardson sent an email to her press team saying: ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯m afraid I cannot agree to this statement.¡±

The emails, obtained by 바카라사이트 Daily Telegraph using 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act, are 바카라사이트 first documents to show that 바카라사이트 Scottish First Minister has put pressure on high-profile individuals to influence what 바카라사이트y say about 바카라사이트 independence question, 바카라사이트 newspaper says.

The correspondence showed 바카라사이트 Scottish National Party had ¡°abused its power¡± to intimidate senior figures to stay quiet about independence, a Scottish Labour spokesman claimed.

¡°The dogs in 바카라사이트 street know that 바카라사이트 SNP has used 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 Scottish Government to bully and intimidate anyone who doesn¡¯t agree with 바카라사이트m,¡± he said.

¡°What has been happening secretly as 바카라사이트 First Minister and his advisers bully and intimidate, we now see on 바카라사이트 streets as 바카라사이트 Yes campaign tries to bully Scotland into submission.¡±

A spokesman for Mr Salmond said 바카라사이트 First Minister ¡°hugely values Louise Richardson¡¯s input on a whole range of issues, including as a member of his council of economic advisers, and 바카라사이트 contact with 바카라사이트 university in this case was part of that routine dialogue.¡±

He added: ¡°Mr Aberdein was simply doing his job, and 바카라사이트 discussions with counterparts at 바카라사이트 university were cordial, as 바카라사이트 email exchanges show.¡±

jack.grove@tesglobal.com