Alex Salmond came perilously close to breaching the bi-partisan approach to the financial crisis last night when he implied that Westminster ministers had been guilty of hesitancy and indecision.

Speaking after the run on Royal Bank of Scotland shares dominated the Scottish cabinet meeting, Mr Salmond's most senior aide said the First Minister had put up a three-point action plan which he believed would enable the Chancellor to calm the current "febrile environment" and that this advice was offered in a non-partisan spirit.

"The First Minister believes that there is a great need for the way things are done to be bold and that we need a package of measures put in place in a decisive fashion," said the spokesman.

"The problem at the moment is that there is doubt and hesitancy," he said, describing the current climate as one of "uncertainty and rumour".

His "positive and constructive" suggestions were intended to assist the process of bringing confidence back to the financial markets. The Scottish cabinet now has a standing item on the agenda responding to changes in the economic climate.

Mr Salmond is calling for a three-point action plan. First is to match the deposit guarantee other countries have introduced, not just for individual customers but in particular for bodies such as housing associations, the voluntary sector and local government.

The second is for the Bank of England to offer three-month "term money" provided the banks respond by resuming inter-bank lending, to ease the current liquidity crisis.

The third is an interest rate cut. While Mr Salmond is not specifying a figure, he believes it has to be "substantial" and above the level currently being speculated about.

"There will be other strategies," said his aide. "There is no monopoly on wisdom but these measures could be implemented quickly. We need to address this as a matter of urgency to bring confidence back into the system."

The First Minister will expand on his ideas at a meeting this morning of the National Economic Forum.