By Steve Bargeton, political editor

FIRST MINISTER Jack McConnell was last night accused of “complacency” after again appealing for calm in the run-up to the G8 summit at Gleneagles.

In exchanges at Holyrood he also urged businesses and shops across the country to stay open for business.

During Question Time, Scottish Tory leader David McLetchie said it was “naive” to assume that, with a million urged to descend on Edinburgh, “all would turn out well.”

He said the Institute of Directors were reported to have said that much of the Scottish capital would be shut down during the week of the summit.

Mr McConnell replied, “We need to get this into some perspective here.

“As I said in this chamber last week, everybody needs to calm down, particularly the Scottish media—to calm down on this issue and stop winding up fears among people when it is completely unnecessary for that to be the case.

“Edinburgh has hundreds of thousands of people visiting it every year.

“There is absolutely no reason to suggest that someone who happens to attend a pop concert in London on a Saturday afternoon and then comes to Edinburgh the following Wednesday would be any different from any of the young people from elsewhere in the UK or even from across the world who come to Edinburgh for Hogmanay celebrations every year.

“There’s no reason to assume that a church-goer in Sussex who reads about the Make Poverty History campaign and decides to come to Edinburgh in the week of the G8 summit, stay here for the whole week to attend events and watch what’s happening, is in some way going to be different from the same person from the same village who comes to Edinburgh in August every year to attend the world’s greatest cultural festival.”

The First Minister accepted that there may be “a small minority somewhere who want to do what they’ve done at other summits and cause disruption and damage.”

In an appeal for shops and businesses to stay open, he said, “I hope Scottish businesses will see this summit for the fantastic commercial opportunity it is, at the same time as everybody in this Parliament, in the Scottish media and across the Scottish population see this summit for the fantastic opportunity it is to change Africa and the rest of the world.”

Last night Mr McLetchie said, “I am surprised at the First Minister’s complacency over the serious issue of public order and safety.

“Given the protection afforded to the G8 leaders and the fact that the Scottish Parliament is closing down, it is little wonder that many city centre businesses and shops in Edinburgh are considering whether they should stay open or close.

“For the First Minister to simply repeat his call for everyone to calm down is less than helpful.

“Guidance needs to be issued in good time in light of the latest assessments of the public order situation.

“It is not good enough for the First Minister to just cross his fingers and hope it will be all right on the day.”