Salmond offer on referendum talks

Mr Clegg rejected the accusation and said he and Mr Cameron had made it clear that they want direct talks with the Scottish Government on the referendum.

Mr Salmond appeared alongside Mr Clegg at a press conference in Dublin at the conclusion of the British-Irish Council summit, which brings together representatives of national and devolved governments from across the British Isles.

The First Minister announced that he will publish his proposals for an independence referendum in the autumn of 2014 on January 25 and will be happy to meet Mr Cameron after that.

Before the meeting, the First Minister warned that he would not be pushed around by Westminster and said: "Bullying and hectoring the Scottish people from London ain't gonna work. What we're seeing is the most extraordinary attempt to bully and intimidate Scotland by Westminster politicians."

Asked about his comments, Mr Salmond said: "On the subject of Scotland's constitutional future, the UK Government made proposals last Tuesday, the Scottish Government will be launching our consultation document a week on Wednesday, a consultation document with the whole community of Scotland.

"We believe, we know, and I think it's generally acknowledged that we have got an unanswerable political mandate - that is an absolute majority in a proportional parliamentary system - to conduct a referendum on Scotland's constitutional future.

"What I have said to the Deputy Prime Minister, which I think is similar to what the Prime Minister said in the House of Commons, is that, once we've published the Scottish Government's consultation document, I am very happy to meet the Prime Minister or the Deputy Prime Minister in Edinburgh, in London or wherever to talk through these things in a positive way.

"Far better, whatever our views on events of recent days, that we can come to a constructive dialogue. I think that's what the people would expect and I think that can take us forward.

"Once we publish our proposals, perhaps some of the fears that people have will dissolve in the light of these proposals being published."

Mr Clegg said the UK Government respected the Scottish Parliament's mandate to hold a referendum but was obliged to ensure that it was done legally.

He added: "That's why we have actually, far from intimidating or bullying anybody, we have actually said we will give to the Scottish Government, to clarify any legal ambiguities, the power to hold a referendum in a legally unambiguous manner. That seems to me to be a co-operative thing for us to do and that is what we have said this week.

"Why do we think that is important? Because I think people slightly lose patience with the endless mind-numbing debate about process and legality, meetings here, meetings there.

"People want to know answers to some basic questions - what does independence for Scotland mean for themselves, their children, their families, their communities, their jobs? What does it mean for their currency? What does it mean for debt? What does it mean for banks which are in distress? What does it mean for defence bases?

"You can only have those debates, which are the debates that really matter, once you have got through all these procedural questions, which is something we are seeking to play a constructive role in clarifying and that's what we have been doing this week."

Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness joked that Belfast would be prepared to hold peace talks between the British and Scottish leaders.

He said: "(First Minister) Peter Robinson and I have a castle in Belfast and I'm sure we will be prepared to make it available for peace discussions between the British Government and Scotland."

Today's offer of talks follows the UK Government's launch earlier this week of a consultation on proposals for devolving new powers to Holyrood to allow it to call a referendum - something Mr Cameron insists it does not currently have the legal power to do.

Mr Cameron called on Wednesday for direct talks between the UK and Scottish governments as part of the consultation process, and Scotland Secretary Michael Moore has already written to Mr Salmond inviting him to take part in discussions.

Following the First Minister's comments today, Mr Clegg's official spokesman said: "If this means that Alex Salmond is saying he is going to engage constructively and join the conversation, then we welcome that."

Under the proposals put forward by Mr Moore, a referendum could be held within 18 months on the single yes-or-no question of whether Scotland should become independent of the United Kingdom.

No date has been suggested for the poll, though ministers are prepared to set a deadline once the consultation ends on March 9.

The plan has caused friction with Edinburgh, which wants to delay any poll to 2014 and to leave open the possibility of a third "devo-max" option on the ballot paper, of Scotland taking on greater self-determination in financial matters but remaining part of the Union.

Mr Salmond also wants voters as young as 16 to be allowed to take part in the referendum, while London's proposals would limit the poll to those eligible to vote in Scottish parliamentary elections.