Your most humble and obedient servant: Salmond’s sycophantic sign-off to Charles
PRINCE Charles privately lobbied Alex Salmond when he was Scottish First Minister, it was revealed yesterday.
The heir to the throne sent the letters – known as ‘black spider memos’ because of his handwriting - to the then-head of the Scottish National Party.
Mr Salmond faced accusations of sycophancy when it emerged he replied describing himself as ‘Your Royal Highness’s most humble and obedient servant’.
Charles sent at least seven letters to Mr Salmond between 2007 and 2010, asking for financial aid and political backing for causes including an organic food group, a stately home, and a derelict castle.
Anti-monarchy campaigners accused the prince of ‘political meddling’ and said the letters revealed the ‘cosy relationship’ between the Royal Family, politicians and some pres- sure groups. In 2009, Charles wrote to Mr Salmond to urge him to give ‘some form of support to assist the Soil Association’, an organic food group of which he is the patron.
The Scottish First Minister replied: ‘I have asked my officials to meet with Soil Association Scotland and discuss scope for further support in respect of opportunities identified in Your Royal Highness’s letter.’
He ended with the phrase: ‘I have the honour to be, Sir, Your Royal Highness’s most humble and obedient servant.’
Mr Salmond said it was the last time he used the traditional sign-off because he thought it ‘inappropriate to a democratic age’.
But Labour MSP Neil Findlay said the letters showed Mr Salmond to be ‘a rather dutiful subject who is partial to being a bit of a sook with the Royal Family’. Sook is Scottish slang for a sycophant. Mr Salmond told the Sunday Herald: ‘Sook-ability is never an accusation that is going to stick to me.’
The newspaper was given extracts from six letters from Charles, and six replies from Mr Salmond, plus one complete letter from the Prince’s private secretary and the former first minister’s full response.
Earlier this year, 44 of Charles’ letters to Cabinet ministers were released after a tenyear freedom of information battle.
Mr Salmond’s sign-off was in line with the etiquette protocol recommended by society guide Debrett’s. In 2009, Labour leadership candidate Andy Burnham used an almost identical turn of phrase when he replied to a letter from Charles.
By contrast, former prime minister Tony Blair signed a 2004 letter, ‘Yours ever, Tony’.