First Minister slammed for star-studded theatre invite

ALEX SALMOND has been criticised after it emerged he took a host of celebrities to an acclaimed theatre production of the play Black Watch.

Actor Ewan McGregor was among the guest list invited by the First Minister to the show in Los Angeles in 2007.

It emerged at the Leveson Inquiry earlier this year that Mr Salmond had invited controversial media mogul Rupert Murdoch to the G ove r n m e n t - f u n d e d National Theatre of Scotland performance.

A freedom of information request from the Scottish Conservatives has now revealed Trainspotting star Mr McGregor, Extras star Ashley Jensen and musician Sandi Thom were also invited to .a similar performance.S

H oweve r, the SNP Government refused to reveal the details of four other guests, saying it would breach data protection laws and could “inhibit the free and frank provision of advice by officials”.

Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont accused Mr Salmond of using public money to court celebrities for political ends.

“Even worse, the SNP have refused to make public the full list of names of those entertained, which makes you wonder what they have to hide,” he added.

However, a spokesman for Mr Salmond said the Tories were “scraping the bottom of the barrel”.

“The arrangements Mr Lamont is attacking refer to a performance jointly hosted by the First Minister and the then presiding officer Alex Fergusson – now aTory MSP – and all MSPs were invited.”