Alex Salmond believes he will get a second chance to hold an independence referendum and next time he thinks he will win, the former First Minister said. An English vote to take the UK out of the European Union if Scots vote to stay could be the tipping point that brings about another poll, he told The Times. Mr Salmond has previously said independence was a once in a generation opportunity, but the 59-year-old MSP now believes he will see independence within his lifetime. Unionists quasi-religious vow of further devolution was the decisive factor in securing the No vote as it offered power without risk, according to Mr Salmond, but he said the final offering in the Smith Commission is a betrayal. Mr Salmond also revealed the Queen was not best pleased with David Cameron when he was overheard boasting that she purred down the phone when the Prime Minister told her Scots had rejected independence. Mr Salmond said: A taxi driver said to me that he had voted No to independence but he would do it differently next time. I think we would win if there was another referendum. He added: Luckily in life, as in politics, people sometimes get a second chance. Commenting on the proposed in/out referendum on the EU, Mr Salmond said: If you believe there are four equal nations, partners in this United Kingdom, then it seems reasonable that no one country should be dragged out of the European firmament against its will. Unionists made an offer which sounded big but will be small in their stylised countersigned vow of more devolution on the front page of the Daily Record, Mr Salmond said. Its ironic that the thing that really did for us was the poll showing we were ahead, he said. It prompted the vow and that was the tipping point. For the swing voters, being offered power without risk was all it required. Putting a promise into a medieval manuscript and calling it a vow to give it a quasi-religious flavour shouldnt be important but it was. It was betrayal. Its presentation, not reality. Its still only 30% of tax revenues. Mr Salmond had an audience with the Queen the day after Mr Cameron was caught on camera discussing her post-referendum reaction with former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg. Mr Salmond said: I wouldnt say she was best pleased. That was just dreadful. Camerons a schoolboy. This is a guy showing off because hes with a billionaire. Its pathetic. In fact its worse than pathetic, its demeaning. Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: The former first minister has broken his word to the Scottish people. Alex Salmond said the referendum was a once in a generation opportunity. But now, if he gets his way, another one will be just round the corner. It beggars belief that within weeks of losing the last referendum he is boasting of a victory in the next one. I am sure people will be puzzled that Alex Salmond is rubbishing the Smith Commission which is transferring big welfare and tax powers to Scotland. It is odd as his party signed up to the package of powers. The SNP took their eye off the ball during the referendum and cancer targets were missed, college places were slashed and hospitals went into crisis. Backing Alex Salmonds plans for another referendum is not in Scotlands interest. Labours Shadow Scottish Secretary, Margaret Curran MP, said: While Alex Salmond repeats his call for another referendum, poverty in Scotland is still too high and the life chances of our children are still determined more by their postcode than their potential. Instead of focussing on the debate weve just had, Alex Salmond and the SNP should be talking about how we make Scotland the fairest country on earth and how we can use the powers that we have, and the ones we are about to take control of, to tackle poverty and disadvantage.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 00:09:20 +0000
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