Fayed eyes 'president of Scotland' role

Mohamed Al Fayed, owner of plush London emporium Harrods, told The Sunday Times he was ready to become the first president of an independent Scotland.

The Egyptian tycoon, 80, who owns an estate in the Scottish Highlands, said he was urging his "fellow Scots" to detach themselves from "the English and their terrible politicians".

Fayed, who has been repeatedly refused a British passport, said he hoped to be offered Scottish citizenship if a planned referendum on Scottish independence leads to Scotland leaving the United Kingdom -- and then becoming a republic.

"You Scots have been living in a coma for too long," he told the broadsheet.

"Whatever help is needed for Scotland to regain its independence, I will provide it. When you Scots regain your freedom I'm ready to be your president."

The Scottish National Party, in power in the devolved Edinburgh administration, is committed to holding a referendum on independence.

However, Fayed is not impressed with Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond, the SNP leader.

"I will do anything for Scotland but I don't want this Alex Salmond," he said.

"I asked to meet him but he refused. I wanted to give him some help and advice, but he didn't want to know.

"I believe in Scotland but he still won't see me."

The Fulham Football Club owner is the father of Dodi Fayed, the lover of Diana, princess of Wales, who was killed in the same 1997 Paris car crash.

No fan of the royal family, Fayed has long alleged that the couple were killed in an establishment plot involving Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip.