Business leaders have hit back at Alex Salmond’s claims they are an “elite” group who are out of touch with the man in the street.
It follows an attack from the first minister on the intervention of senior oil and gas bosses who have voiced concerns over Scottish independence.
The most high-profile figure to enter the debate was BP chief executive Bob Dudley, who said Great Britain should stay together as a single entity.
Labour leader Johann Lamont challenged Mr Salmond over the remarks in the Scottish Parliament.
The first minister hit back, saying: “Don’t cite the elite, cite the people of Scotland.”
However, the heads of leading business organisations said yesterday that Mr Salmond was wrong to claim company bosses were out of touch. CBI Scotland director Iain McMillan said: “The people of Scotland are customers of their businesses, people are employed in their businesses, so business leaders are in touch with large sections of the public.”
Mr McMillan said business leaders were objective, and had views that were pertinent in the run-up to September’s referendum.
He said they wanted answers to key questions – would Scotland retain the pound, would there be a seamless entry into the EU, and what would the creation of a border with the rest of the UK mean for costs?
“Business leaders want the answers to these many questions and Mr Salmond should not be simply dismissing their views in this very important part of the debate,” he said.
Institute of Directors Scotland executive director David Watt said 99% of company directors had similar concerns and were no different from their staff whom they met every day.
“Many company directors work 24/7 on small business across Scotland and do not consider themselves an elite and will have a vote just like everyone else,” he said.
“They are not an elite in that they work to deliver economic prosperity and employment to everybody. I don’t think calling them an elite is terribly helpful.
“They are actually very personable people who are very committed to business who have been successful in creating employment.”