Scotland’s first minister Alex Salmond said today that he was ready to meet British prime minister David Cameron “in Edinburgh, in London or wherever” to discuss a referendum on independence.
Mr Salmond’s offer came as he met deputy prime minister Nick Clegg for a summit of the British-Irish Council in Dublin, just hours after he accused the UK government of “bullying” the people of Scotland over independence.
Mr Clegg rejected the accusation of bullying and said he and Mr Cameron had made it clear that they want direct talks with the Scottish government on the referendum.
Mr Salmond appeared alongside Mr Clegg at a press conference in Dublin at the conclusion of the British-Irish Council summit, which brings together representatives of national and devolved governments from across the British Isles.
Mr Salmond announced that he will publish his proposals for an independence referendum in the autumn of 2014 on January 25th and will be happy to meet Mr Cameron after that.
In an interview broadcast shortly before the meeting, he warned that he would not be pushed around by Westminster: “Bullying and hectoring the Scottish people from London ain’t gonna work.
“What we’re seeing is the most extraordinary attempt to bully and intimidate Scotland by Westminster politicians.”
Asked about his comments, Mr Salmond said: “On the subject of Scotland’s constitutional future, the UK Government made proposals last Tuesday, the Scottish Government will be launching our consultation document a week on Wednesday - a consultation document with the whole community of Scotland.
“We believe, we know, and I think it’s generally acknowledged that we have got an unanswerable political mandate - that is an absolute majority in a proportional parliamentary system - to conduct a referendum on Scotland’s constitutional future.
Mr Salmond wants to put the referendum question - or questions - to the test in autumn 2014 in a ballot overseen by a Scottish body and open to voters as young as 16.
Mr Cameron offered the Scottish executive the temporary power to hold a “legal” referendum overseen by the Electoral Commission amid suggestions earlier this week that it would have to be held within 18 months.