Herald Scotland: Bitter row between Joan McAlpine, Fergus Ewing over shale gas sparks complaint to Sturgeon

A bitter behind-the-scenes row between two leading nationalists about exploiting onshore gas has resulted in a complaint to the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, the Sunday Herald can reveal.

The south Scotland MSP, Joan McAlpine, has privately protested about the behaviour of the Scottish energy minister, Fergus Ewing, after he carpeted her for criticising the Duke of Buccleuch's plans to mine coalbed methane at Canonbie in Dumfries and Galloway.

Ewing's undisguised support for developing underground gas was damaging the government's credibility in communities across Scotland, McAlpine warned Sturgeon. Canonbie residents fear that they have been "sold out" in a "stitch-up" by the minister.

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