Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, home of the SNP Annual Conference 1996

Sir Michael Hirst, chairman of the Scottish Tory Party handed his SNP opposite number a golden gaffe with which to open their annual conference at Inverness.

Attacking the nationalists economic policies in a document listing more than 60 seperate issues, Sir Michael questions their costing of what the SNP define as a fair and non-discriminatory immigration policy. Sir Michael observes: "If this means a higher number of immigrants then the consequential costs have not been accounted for."

Alex Salmond is the Member of Parliament for Banff & Buchan and is leader of the SNP. An economist aged 42 , he is widely regarded as one of the most effective Scottish politicans of his generation.

SNP leader Alex Salmond progressed the apparent gaffe by indicating that the Tory Party thus could not subscribe to a fair and non-discriminatory party because of their concern with perceived additional costs.

And a few hours later up popped Bashir Ahmed, Convener of the Scots Asians for Independence with a stern message for Sir Michael which went: "I hope you will realise that your statement equating immigration with extra costs for the taxpayer is deeply offensive to me and to all members of our communities.

"It is redolent of the racist propaganda which has so marred political life in places South of the Border.

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Michael Russell is Chief Executive of the SNP and a Director of the Gaelic TV Production company Eala Bhan Ltd.

"I hoped never to hear it in Scotland and to hear it from the chairman of the Scottish Conservatives is deeply depressing and worrying." That Mr Ahmed is a successful businessman who came to Scotland 30 years ago and has paid large sums of corporation tax for his businesses and that he and all the people he employed paid income tax and national insurance.

Sir Michael later responded accusing Mr Salmond of trying to divert attention from its failure to cost it's programme and his response had been churlish and juvenile.

Chief executive Mike Russell told pressmen that in his opinion Sir Michael's concern about immigration costs was very very sinister.

Then the score seemed to be SNP 1: Tory 0.

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Alex Neil is the Vice Convener of the SNP.

Until SNP vice convener Alex Neil scored an incredible own goal by likening shadow Scottish Secretary George Robertson to Lord Haw Haw the Englishman hired by the Nazi's to undermine the morale of British servicemen and civilians with his nightly broadcasts of doom and gloom.

While the official who is responsible for policy matters seemed to carry his audience, wiser heads were shaking.

The Labour Party took offence at this description of their top official in Scotland and called for an apology.

Mr Neil was questioned by pressmen attending the conference.

Yes, he would withdraw the remark if his leader so advised.

That was just what Alex Salmond did advise and Mr Neil's apology followed.

Closer to home SNP parliamentary hopeful Margaret Paterson was given a great ovation from the audience when she was called to second a motion on the platform. 6 Chairing the session, Alex Salmond recalled that Mrs Paterson had decided to carry on and attempt to unseat Liberal Democrat MP Charles Kennedy despite the tragic fishing accident in which her husband drowned earlier this year.

SNP chief executive Mike Russell agreed it was an unfortunate remark.

He tried to excuse it as a joke that had misfired but many were not amused as the SNP lost their lead after Day Two of the conference. Not that Mr Robertson had been even handed, describing their economic policies as back-of-the-envelop calculations which never add up and are all Scotch pie in the sky.

Liberal Democrats at the conference in Brighton also had a swipe at the SNP dubbing their economic programme as politically immature.

While he was disturbed by the concentrated sniping, Alex Salmond said it proved that the SNP was being regarded as a significant force in Scottish politics and why they were being bombarded with smears and hysteria. MP Margaret Ewing had a go at Labour's devolution plans claiming that party cannot deliver and won't deliver.

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