Tories ‘should have found Salmond a job’

doing with his talents”. He said: “For that I don’t condemn him but blame the British Government.

“Throughout the years leading former politicians have been found roles on the international stage. They don’t always come from the governing party wither.

“Neil Kinnock became an EU Commissioner, Helen Liddell was made High Commissioner to Australia, and Paddy Ashdown provided with a leadership role in the Balkans.”

He went on: “Given events in the world I find it hard to believe that there wouldn’t be a willing agency eager to have him [Mr Salmond] with his skills and experience. That an appointment appears there not to have been sought speaks to yet another abuse of the respect agenda.

“It’s not just serving first ministers who are to be excluded, but past ones who are to be snubbed.

“When in fact such an appointment would have been good for him and shown the UK not only respecting but building devolution.”

Mr MacAskill said RT produced “Russian propaganda”, and was “one of the most blatant” channels at spinning. But he said Al Jazeera and the BBC did so to some degree as well.

He said: “I don’t watch RT, not because it’s Russian propaganda, but because it’s not very good.

“Mr Salmond, though, may help change that.”