Salmond Gifts Sold For Charity

A Saltire tie favoured by Alex Salmond during his time as First Minister is to be sold at auction.

The tie is among dozens of items including prints, gifts and memorabilia from Bute House which will go under the hammer to raise funds for charity.

The former leader wore the dark blue tie with a Saltire print on a host of historic occasions, including the signing of the Edinburgh Agreement with David Cameron which paved the way for the independence referendum.

He wore it to launch the Scottish Government's blueprint for independence and chose it for his second battle with Alistair Darling in a televised debate.

The tie, one of several in the same design, also made an appearance on Mr Salmond's last day in the hot seat at Holyrood on November 18.

He said: I shall put one of these ties in the auction which is taking place of all the gifts I have been given as first minister in the last seven-and-a-half-years.

That tie, and about 280 other individual items, will be able to benefit CLIC Sargent, the Scottish Youth Theatre and St Jerome's Orphanage in Kenya.''

The sale will take place at Great Western Auctions in Glasgow on Saturday

A spokesman said: These treasured items mark some of the key milestones over a remarkable period in Scotland's history.

They have all been cherished and have taken pride of place in Bute House, St Andrew's House and the Scottish Parliament.

Alex Salmond has personally selected these items to be sold at auction for charity.''

Other items include signed copies of the Scottish Referendum Bill and the Edinburgh Agreement, cufflinks, watches and whisky.