Salmond and Cardinal are ‘no longer speaking’
THE leader of Scotland’s 750,000 Catholics is no longer on speaking terms with Alex Salmond in the wake of the SNP’s decision to legalise gay marriage.
In a move that could cost the Nationalists tens of thousands of votes in the 2014 referendum, direct communication between Cardinal Keith O’Brien and the First Minister has been suspended. Church insiders yesterday described relations as ‘ice cold’.
Mr Salmond and the Cardinal were previously on first name terms and enjoyed a warm relationship, but this has now collapsed after the First Minister last month vowed to press ahead with same-sex marriage laws, despite overwhelming opposition in a public consultation.
The Cardinal’s anger has been compounded by the fact that Mr Salmond had his deputy Nicola Sturgeon reply to a letter in which the Catholic leader outlined legal advice warning of the far-reaching consequences of the law change.
The SNP spent years cultivating its relationship with the Catholic Church, loosening the ties between the Labour Party and Catholics in the West of Scotland which ultimately helped Mr Salmond to win power in 2007.
But now many senior Nationalists are worried about the impact the row will have on the referendum, especially in areas such as Lanarkshire, where the party is just beginning to make inroads.
Last night, a source close to the Cardinal said: ‘It is fair to say relations are ice cold.
‘In the past, Salmond courted the Cardinal in the hope of swaying the Catholic vote.
‘But the determination to force gay marriage laws through in the face of public opinion has infuriated the Church.
‘Salmond used to be able to lift a phone and have a direct line to the Cardinal. When they spoke, it was on first name terms – Alex and Keith. All that is now over.’
Earlier this year, Cardinal O’Brien blocked plans by Mr Salmond to secure an audience with the Pope in Rome.
Two-thirds of respondents to the Scottish Government’s public consultation were opposed to gay marriage, but ministers are pressing ahead with the plan.
A spokesman for the Catholic Church said: ‘The action of the Government is at odds with the majority of consultation respondents, public opinion and logic.’
A spokesman for Mr Salmond said it was ‘simply not the case’ that the First Minister and the Cardinal do not continue to communicate directly on first name terms.
He added: ‘It is inevitable that Government ministers will not always agree with Church leaders – this is an honest disagreement about an important policy issue and we have the utmost respect for the different views expressed in the debate.
‘While this is an honest disagreement over policy, on a personal level, relations between the First Minister and the Cardinal are extremely good, as they are with Scotland’s other faith leaders.
‘Mr Salmond holds the Cardinal in the highest regard and will always do so.’