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| Alex Salmond criticised for portrait unveiling on day of Syria statement | Alex Salmond criticised for portrait unveiling on day of Syria statement |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former first minister Alex Salmond has been criticised for unveiling his new portrait in Edinburgh on the day MPs discussed military action in Syria. | Former first minister Alex Salmond has been criticised for unveiling his new portrait in Edinburgh on the day MPs discussed military action in Syria. |
| The SNP's foreign affairs spokesman was not in the House of Commons to hear Prime Minister David Cameron make his argument for air strikes. | The SNP's foreign affairs spokesman was not in the House of Commons to hear Prime Minister David Cameron make his argument for air strikes. |
| The Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Labour and the Scottish Lib Dems were all critical. | |
| The SNP defended MP and MSP Mr Salmond saying he was on constituency business. | The SNP defended MP and MSP Mr Salmond saying he was on constituency business. |
| A spokesman stated that Mr Salmond attended a "full briefing" on Wednesday from the security services and the joint chiefs about the Syria situation and there was "nothing in the PM's statement which was of surprise or new". | A spokesman stated that Mr Salmond attended a "full briefing" on Wednesday from the security services and the joint chiefs about the Syria situation and there was "nothing in the PM's statement which was of surprise or new". |
| He added that SNP leader in Westminster, Angus Robertson, had responded as planned to Mr Cameron's address. | He added that SNP leader in Westminster, Angus Robertson, had responded as planned to Mr Cameron's address. |
| And when the issue is fully debated in the Commons, Mr Salmond would make his contribution as his party's foreign affairs spokesman. | And when the issue is fully debated in the Commons, Mr Salmond would make his contribution as his party's foreign affairs spokesman. |
| After attending First Minister's Questions at Holyrood, the former SNP leader visited the Scottish National Portrait Gallery where he unveiled the painting, by artist Gerard M Burns. | After attending First Minister's Questions at Holyrood, the former SNP leader visited the Scottish National Portrait Gallery where he unveiled the painting, by artist Gerard M Burns. |
| Reception for veterans | Reception for veterans |
| Later Mr Salmond is due to host a Scottish Parliamentary reception for veterans, serving armed forces personnel, and local community representatives. | Later Mr Salmond is due to host a Scottish Parliamentary reception for veterans, serving armed forces personnel, and local community representatives. |
| He will also brief MSPs on the SNP position on Syria. | He will also brief MSPs on the SNP position on Syria. |
| However, the long-arranged portrait unveiling was criticised by Ms Davidson who said: "There is nothing more serious than the potential deployment of our service personnel abroad. | However, the long-arranged portrait unveiling was criticised by Ms Davidson who said: "There is nothing more serious than the potential deployment of our service personnel abroad. |
| "Alex Salmond has form in unveiling vanity projects to himself but he needs to remember he's paid - twice over - to be a parliamentarian, not an art critic." | "Alex Salmond has form in unveiling vanity projects to himself but he needs to remember he's paid - twice over - to be a parliamentarian, not an art critic." |
| Mr Rennie added: "Nothing gets in the way of Alex Salmond's ego including debating war and peace in our country and the Middle East. | Mr Rennie added: "Nothing gets in the way of Alex Salmond's ego including debating war and peace in our country and the Middle East. |
| "His absence from the Commons at this critical moment means we will be more sceptical about his motivations the next time he expresses outrage on the matter." | "His absence from the Commons at this critical moment means we will be more sceptical about his motivations the next time he expresses outrage on the matter." |
| A spokesman for Scottish Labour said: "If Alex Salmond was chocolate he would eat himself. On the day that he had a job to do in parliament over Syria it's ridiculous that the SNP's foreign affairs spokesperson was in Edinburgh to look at a picture of himself." |