JACK McCONNELL agreed to nominate the Duke of Edinburgh for the Nobel Peace Prize, newly released documents reveal.

The move, recorded under Any Other Business in Scottish Cabinet minutes, was prompted by an appeal from Sir Tom Farmer, the millionaire businessman who founded Kwik-Fit.

National Records of Scotland files show the Cabinet minutes of January 18, 2006 record: “The First Minister said he had been asked by Sir Tom Farmer CBE, chairman of trustees, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, to support the nomination of the Duke of Edinburgh for the Nobel Peace Prize.

“The Cabinet agreed that the First Minister should write to the Norwegian Nobel Committee to nominate the Duke of Edinburgh for the Nobel Peace Prize (Action: First Minister).”

However there is no record of any follow-up in later minutes to show that the letter was sent, and the Duke was never awarded the prize.

On October 13 that year, the Nobel Committee awarded the peace prize to Muhammad Yunus whose micro-credit Grameen Bank helped millions borrow small sums at low interest rates.

Just days earlier, Sir Tom donated £100,000 to the SNP, helping it oust Mr McConnell and Labour from office at the following year’s election.