THE First Minister has been accused of bully-boy tactics after he complained about a "sensationalist" BBC interview on the Queen and independence.

Alex Salmond wrote to BBC Trust chairman Chris Patten after being asked whether the monarch would be distressed by Scotland leaving the UK.

BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell interviewed Salmond last year on the role of the monarchy if Scotland voted for independence.

After the First Minister explained the SNP's policy, Witchell asked whether independence would be a "matter of distress" for the Queen.

Salmond replied: "Not in the slightest. The Queen is far too wise to become engaged in the political process, not even if invited to by the BBC."

Addressing the camera, Witchell agreed the Queen would never interfere, but questioned the idea that she would not be "in the slightest bit bothered" about the UK's break-up.

Footage was then shown of the monarch's perceived pro-Union speech in 1977, in which she pointedly said she was crowned "Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland."

After the interview Andrew Baird, then Scottish Government head of communications, wrote to the then BBC director-general Mark Thompson, saying: "The First Minister found this line of questioning disappointing, sensationalist and, in the way it sought to attribute views, potentially embarrassing to Her Majesty."

Salmond then wrote to Patten on the same subject, saying: "Nicholas Witchell questioned me on whether the Queen was personally distressed by the possibility of Scottish independence. He went on to quote a speech made by the Queen at the time of her Silver Jubilee, as if to suggest it as evidence."

Fran Unsworth, the BBC's head of newsgathering, said the parts of the report raised by the Government were "unusual" but said the context meant it was a "legitimate line of inquiry". She explained: "It may be 35 years since her Silver Jubilee speech but there is no evidence that she has moved from her position in 1977, where she made a public intervention about the benefits of the Union, to a position where she is agnostic about the break-up of the UK."

Patten said it was not his role to "become involved in or influence the BBC's editorial decisions".

Labour MSP Patricia Ferguson said: "The First Minister has form for attacking the media when they dare to challenge him. We would hope the BBC is capable of standing up to these bully-boy tactics and manages to hold this Government to account at a crucial juncture in our country's history."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We welcome the BBC's acceptance that the line of questioning pursued by their royal correspondent was 'unusual'.

"More broadly, the BBC has also recognised that it faces a continual challenge to ensure audiences get the comprehensive coverage of the issues related to next year's referendum that they would expect."