Alex Salmond unveils portrait of himself at the Scottish National Gallery while Parliament debates Syria

Alex Salmond unveiled a portrait of himself at the Scottish National Galleries while the House of Commons debated whether to take military action in Syria, it has been confirmed.

The Scottish National Galleries said a photocall with the SNP MP took place 1pm on Thursday at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street in Edinburgh.

The MP is listed on the Parliament website as his party’s group leader at Westminster on the subject of international affairs.

The Scottish National Party said Mr Salmond was in Edinburgh for Scottish Parliament’s First Minister’s Questions because he also simultaneously sits as a member of the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Salmond has said that he received a security briefing on Syria on Wednesday evening as part of the Privy Council and thus did not need to attend the debate, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

The portrait of the former first minister was painted by Scottish artist Gerard M Burns, who also attended the photocall.

The pair were joined by the chair and directors the National Galleries of Scotland for the half an hour photoshoot.

“A portrait of the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP will be on show at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery this week, following an unveiling in the presence of both the sitter and the artist,” the Gallery said.

“The portrait was part of a group of fourteen works painted by Burns to celebrate the 2014 Commonwealth Games and was first shown in the exhibition 14 for 14, in Glasgow in summer 2014.

“The painting was acquired by supporters of Mr Salmond and the money raised was donated to the charity Breast Cancer Now. The portrait was then given to the SNPG in 2014.”

Mr Salmond would not have been expected to lead his party's response to the debate on action in Syria, with the parties' respective group leaders taking that role.

Commenting, an SNP Spokesperson said: “The Tory attack is both crass and ridiculous. Firstly, Alex attended a full briefing on Privy Council terms and received a full briefing last night in the Cabinet Office from the security services and the joint chiefs. Therefore, there was nothing in the Prime Ministers statement which a surprise or new information to him. Secondly, Prime Ministerial statements are always answered by Angus Robertson as SNP leader in Westminster. When the issue comes to debate and vote Alex will be contributing to the debate as Foreign Affairs spokesperson on the issue of peace and war in Syria.

“Alex was representing his constituents today in the Scottish Parliament as an MSP, and where after watching the Commons statement he attended First Ministers Questions. After voting, Alex will host a Scottish Parliamentary reception for veterans, serving armed forces personnel, and local community representatives to an event in conjunction with the War Memorials Trust to mark the success of the Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund. In that light and given the nature of that event the Tories statement is simply crass.

“Finally, Alex is taking part this evening with MSPs in a briefing on the SNP position on Syria which is an issue that deserves a great a deal more than this childish nonsense from the Scottish Tories. In contrast to all of that parliamentary activity the portrait unveiling was a short lunchtime engagement.”