A pint with Alex Salmond? ‘I’d check my wallet,’ says David Cameron

The PM’s comments came when he was asked who he’d rather head down to the local boozer with: Nick Clegg, Ed Milliband or Alex Salmond

What would David Cameron do if he was forced out for a pint with the Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond?

What would David Cameron do if he was forced out for a pint with the Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond?

Why, he’d check his wallet, of course. By his own admission.

The Prime Minister’s comments came when he was asked by The Spectator to choose who he’d rather head down to his local boozer with: Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband or Alex Salmond.

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Naturally choosing to favour his coalition Deputy PM, the magazine quoted Cameron as saying: "I’d go for a drink with Nick Clegg, we have a decent working relationship.

"Alex Salmond: I’d have to check my wallet afterwards!"

The magazine initially chose not to run with the extract in print earlier this month, but included the transcript in full via its website on Sunday.

During the interview, the PM went on to defend Alistair Darling’s work on the Better Together Scottish anti-independence campaign, admitting the former Labour chancellor was "doing very well".

In other news, Cameron faces fresh accusations of cronyism after a succession of senior Conservatives and supporters of the party were recognised in the 2014 New Year Honours list.

The roll call of awards for serving the nation included senior aides to the late Baroness Thatcher, long-serving MPs, Tory stalwarts in the Prime Minister’s Oxfordshire heartland, two Tory donors and a public relations chief who has holidayed with Mr Cameron.

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It also featured the star of The Apprentice, Karren Brady, who is appointed CBE for services to entrepreneurship and encouraging women in business. She is also currently being wooed by the Tories to become a MP in 2015 or to stand as Mayor of London the following year.

"It’s inappropriate to use the honours system for political patronage," Labour MP John Mann said. "That’s what’s happening – everyone can see that. It is demeaning for David Cameron to use his position as Prime Minister like this."

Read more on that story here, and see who made the list from the world of arts and entertainment below.