The UK Border Agency has said it will "make no apology" over the visa wrangle which has seen a Pakistani pipe band barred from Glasgow just days before an international piping championships, despite Jim Murphy calling on the Home Office to reconsider its decision.
Hopes of a last-ditch breakthrough were raised after the Scottish Secretary urged the Home Office to "get to the bottom" of why the Border Agency had refused entry visas to the 30-strong pipe band from Lahore, suggesting it might simply have been "a mistake".
They had been scheduled to perform at this Saturday's World Pipe Band Championships at Glasgow Green.
The agency also rejected visa applications to some 35 delegates from the Chamber of Commerce and District Government of Lahore, which is twinned with Glasgow, forcing business talks due to take place in the city to be scrapped.
Mr Murphy said he had contacted the Home office personally to see what more can be done. He said: "These folk pipers and business delegates have had to fill in the forms - I don't know if they have made a mistake, or there are rules, because we have got tougher immigration rules. They have been before, so have they just made a mistake, are there new members of the band, what's going on?"
He added: "We have got to get to the bottom of it, but time is not on our side here. So I will continue trying to find out what's going on and whether they can still get in to Scotland."
However, a spokesman from the UK Border Agency told The Herald "we will make no apology for maintaining tough border controls".
He said: "If applications do not contain the necessary evidence and we are not satisfied individuals will return at the end of their visit their visas will be refused."
He went on: "The UK Border Agency is committed to facilitating cultural and arts exchanges and is aware of the importance of Scotland's cultural and business ties with Pakistan, as well as Glasgow's specific links with Lahore."
Individuals could re-apply for visas at any time, he added.
Hanzala Malik, Glasgow City Council's executive committee member for international affairs, said Jim Murphy's intervention was "very welcome" - but unlikely to reverse the situation so late in the day."
Michael Russell, Minister for External Affairs, said: "I am urgently seeking a meeting with the UK Immigration Minister Phil Woolas to discuss the specifics of this case and to look at ways to avoid similar situations occurring in the future.
"There have been a number of decisions made recently by the UK Border Agency which demonstrate that the UK-wide system is not working in Scotland's best interests.
"There should be a flexible system which allows us to make the right decisions on what's right for Scotland."
