THE campaign for a Yes vote suffered fresh embarrassment last night after it emerged its new boss failed to respond to the recent Scottish Government consultation on the referendum, despite Alex Salmond urging people to get involved.

Blair Jenkins, a former BBC executive who was appointed chief executive of Yes Scotland last week, also failed to respond to a Westminster consultation on the issue earlier this year. His abstentions are awkward for the SNP-backed Yes campaign, as his job is to encourage others to volunteer and get involved.

Salmond, who urged "as many people as possible" to engage with his consultation, which drew 21,000 replies, has also criticised others for abstaining.

As recently as Thursday, he castigated Labour for not responding. "It ill-behoves a party that could not even be bothered to submit a response to criticise those who have submitted one," he said.

Jenkins makes his first TV outing in his new role today on the BBC's Sunday Politics Show. Yes Scotland said Jenkins did not respond as his "personal policy" had previously been only to comment on broadcasting and media issues.