A ROW has broken out over the UK Government's decision to send a fisheries minister to Scotland to debate rural affairs with his Holyrood counterpart.

According to the SNP, the meeting in Dingwall tonight blows a hole in the Prime Minister's case for refusing to debate with Alex Salmond.

The National Farmers' Union event will see Scotland's Rural Affairs and Environment Secretary, Richard Lochhead, take on Westminster Minister for farming and fisheries, George Eustice.

The SNP's Angus Robertson said: "The fact that a UK Minister is representing the No campaign in a referendum debate removes the last vestige of David Cameron's feeble argument."