Generally speaking Alex Salmond has performed well since the SNP's narrow but significant triumph in the Scottish parliament elections two months ago. He did so again this weekend. In every respect Salmond seemed a bigger, more statesmanlike figure than his immediate predecessor Jack McConnell had ever managed.
Just as importantly he resisted any temptation to link the weekend's attacks to the war in Iraq - a war he has criticised repeatedly and bitterly. Nor has he done anything that could leave him open to being accused of politicising a delicate situation.
This morning Salmond was refreshingly candid. As matters stand, he said, he saw no reason for sweeping new police powers in response to the weekend's events:
"The failed terror attacks in Glasgow and London should not be used to justify detaining terror suspects for 90 days, Scotland's first minister said today.
Alex Salmond said there was nothing in the current investigation that supported arguments that the law should be changed from 28 to 90 days' detention for terror suspects.
Last month, before he became prime minister, it was reported that Gordon Brown wanted to increase the detention period to 90 days, although he said yesterday that now was not the time to focus on the issue and that a consensus needed to be built.
Tony Blair persistently argued for the toughened detention laws despite suffering his first House of Commons defeat on the issue in November 2005, which prompted calls for him to resign....
...Asked about the detention laws today on BBC Radio Scotland, Mr Salmond, who has previously voiced doubts over the government's tough terror legislation, said: "We have not been persuaded about the necessity for that, as indeed other parties haven't."He said it was "far too early" to draw conclusions from the Glasgow incident, but added: "Obviously if new information comes forward then I'm sure all political parties would want to look at it, but currently we are not persuaded."
That's a refreshing dose of common sense that, as matters stand, one would hope Ministers in London might heed. I'm not holding my breath, however.
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