Cabinet meet in historic chambers

David Lloyd George, left, with Winston Churchill in 1910

Scottish ministers will meet in the same room that hosted the only gathering of a UK Government cabinet outside of London.

Liberal Prime Minister David Lloyd George, who was on holiday in Wester Ross, brought his ministers together at Inverness Town House in September 1921.

The meeting was called following Ireland's - later the Republic of Ireland - rejection of the king.

The Scottish Government cabinet will meet in Inverness on Tuesday.

First Minister Alex Salmond and his cabinet are holding a series of meetings across the country. The first was held in Dumfries.

After Inverness, further sessions will be held in Pitlochry and Skye on 19 and 26 August.

FACT FILE David Lloyd George was Prime Minister during World War I. In 1921, the Anglo-Irish Treaty established the Free State, an independent dominion of the British crown with full internal self-government rights, partitioned from Northern Ireland. The Irish Free State eventually became Eire and in 1949 the Republic of Ireland.

They have been organised to give communities an opportunity to speak directly to ministers about issues of local and national importance.

Mr Salmond will host a good causes reception on Monday evening to highlight the work of social, charitable and voluntary organisations.

A discussion event on the government's National Conversation will take place after cabinet involving the first minister, cabinet secretaries and ministers, members of the public and representatives from civic organisations.

Eighty-seven years ago, Lloyd George broke off from a holiday in Gairloch to call his meeting in Inverness.

His deputy was also in the Highlands and King George V was at Moy.

Debate that day led to the drawing up of the Inverness Formula which guided later discussions on the treaty creating the Irish Free State.

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