Salmond sets his sights on live debate with Brown

ALEX Salmond has signalled that he would be happy to turn the Glenrothes by-election into a battle of personalities with Gordon Brown.

The First Minister used his by-election campaign launch in Glenrothes to challenge the Prime Minister to a debate in the constituency.

Even the choice of venue – East Fife's football ground in Methil – could not have been better designed to rile Mr Brown, a supporter of fierce local rivals Raith Rovers.

However, Mr Brown's onslaught on independence earlier this week seemed to have had some effect, as the word was not mentioned in the press release handed out to journalists at the launch.

But Mr Salmond – who was joining the Nationalists' candidate, Peter Grant, the Fife Council leader – said: "Our policy of Scottish independence underlines everything we do."

But he insisted the impact of the financial crisis on people's lives was more important, which was why the SNP's by-election campaign was focusing on winning a cut in VAT on fuel bills and demands for £120 million of fossil-fuel levy money from the Treasury.

Mr Salmond claimed the Prime Minister had ended the political truce, declared while the government tried to tackle the international financial disaster, by questioning if an independent Scotland would have been able to save its banks.

He said: "I can only interpret the decision to resume political hostilities in that light, therefore he will now be subject to the same examination politically that normal times demand. In particular, we can examine who the author of the 'age of irresponsibility' actually was."

He went on to say that Mr Brown had deliberately ignored Norway when he said the case for independence had been undermined.

Mr Salmond pointed out that Norway had a £200 million sovereign oil fund and had provided a stabilisation package of £35 billion for its banks, despite having a smaller population than Scotland's.

But he welcomed Mr Brown's decision to ignore the precedent which dictates that prime ministers do not campaign in by-elections.

Referring to his party's victory in Glasgow East, Mr Salmond said: " The political earth is still shaking and it's going to be felt next here in Glenrothes."

He said he would exceed his trips to Glasgow East and had been to Glenrothes campaigning five times already.

"I would be delighted, incidentally, to debate with the Prime Minister," he said. "I will be delighted to debate with the Prime Minister anywhere in this seat."

Number 10 refused to comment, but a Downing Street source said: "Alex Salmond's economic illiteracy is becoming more apparent and more embarrassing for Scotland."