Speaking as the House discussed the business for the next week, Mr McGovern asked the Leader of the House for a debate on flexible working which would encompass a discussion of the abuse of job sharing schemes such as the one proposed by the SNP leader.

Speaking afterwards Mr McGovern said:

‘Scotland is a country of 5 million people with considerable challenges and opportunities. The country therefore needs a full-time leader, not someone who is simply playing at the job.’

‘Jack McConnell and the Labour led Executive have achieved a lot for Scotland in the past eight years but this has been a full time job worked by dedicated individuals with Scotland’s best interest in heart.’

‘And yet the SNP show such arrogance that they believe that their leader could do a better job whilst splitting being First Minister with the full time job of being an MP.’

‘I am not sure who I would be more sorry for, the people of Banff and Buchan who would seriously be under-represented in Westminster or the people of Scotland who could be stuck not just with the destructive policies of the SNP but also with a part time First Minister.’

Mr McGovern also suggested that Mr Salmond might need to spend a little bit more time in front of the policy drawing board after yesterday’s budget:

‘Tax revenues from the North Sea have fallen from £13 billion to £8 billion in the past year and over the next few years the estimates used by the Government, and approved by the Institute of Fiscal Studies, will be cut by an average of £4 billion a year.’

‘The SNP argue that the destruction of Scottish business caused by independence will be offset by their claiming all of the North Sea oil revenues. Previously their accounting left an £11 Billion hole in it.’

‘Goodness knows how big that hole is now. The SNP have some serious explaining to do.’