You can't *network* without a wee dram...

An unfortunate and accidental timing clash or "Labour playing silly games"?

One of the key business events of the Scottish Government’s Scotland Week in the United States has run up against a competing event being staged by the Foreign Office at exactly the same time.

The week of events across the US and Canada is centred on New York. It kicks off with the Dressed to Kilt fashion show tonight and culminates with the Tartan Day Parade next Saturday when 2,000 pipers will sweep though Manhattan.

A business networking event takes place tomorrow night at the Boathouse venue in Central Park.

However, at the same time, in the penthouse apartment of the British consul nearby, there will be a similar event sponsored by the Scotch Whisky Association and its American counterpart, the Distilled Spirits Council of the US. The involvement of the Foreign Office has led to speculation that this is an official attempt by the UK Government to clip the wings of Scotland Week and put the Scottish Government in its place, while both drinks industry organisations have been bitter opponents of the proposal for minimum unit pricing on alcohol.

The event is sponsored by Scottish Whisky Association, which would make you think:

a) they have been exclude from the SNP event or
b) they've got the serious hump with the Scottish Adminstration re the proposed minimum pricing rules.

I can't imagine the Foreign Office would bother itself getting involved in an "official" (surely that should read "unofficial"?)"clipping of wings".