Lib Dem leader apologises for Alex Salmond cartoon

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Willie Rennie, has apologised after a cartoon was published on official Scottish Liberal Democrat Facebook and Twitter accounts portraying the Fist Minister in Arab dress.

The controversy came after Alex Salmond hailed the “remarkable similarities” between Scotland and Qatar on a visit to the Gulf states.

Mr Salmond was promoting educational links and Scottish business in Qatar when he compared the oil wealth of the two nations and the shared ambitions for greener technologies.

The Lib Dem cartoon intended to expand on national “similarities” between Scotland and Qatar, alleging that in an independent Scotland, the First Minister would be an “absolute monarch”, that gay rights would be “suppressed” and that the death penalty would be issued for “crimes against the state.”

Many Liberal Democrat supporters condemned the image, saying it had been published in bad taste.

Mr Rennie issued an apology, claiming he was “embarrassed”, and insisted the cartoon had been published by the Scottish Liberal Democrats without his approval. He said:

“It was a mistake, it wasn’t approved by me and it shouldn’t have been published because it’s not actually right to compare countries like that in the way we did.

“We regard ourselves as having very high standards. It’s very important in political campaigning these days to make sure that we keep to the highest standards, which is why I’ve taken action to put it right.”

A spokesman for the SNP told The Journal: “We note that Mr Rennie has withdrawn the image and consider the matter closed.”

Mr Rennie added that he was frustrated the controversy had overshadowed the announcement of the Liberal Democrat “home rule” commission aimed at furthering devolution whilst retaining Scotland’s place in the United Kingdom.