Salmond ‘out to goad Sturgeon into Indyref 2’
ALEX Salmond has been accused of ‘goading’ Nicola Sturgeon into a second independence referendum – by saying he will return to the front line of politics as soon as she calls it.
The former first minister announced he will make a political comeback and insisted he trusts his successor to make the right decision over another vote.
Mr Salmond also said the SNP and Yes movement ‘is in good condition and good heart’.
He suggested the looming ‘constitutional crisis’ over Brexit will leave separation ‘on the penalty spot, waiting for Nicola to kick it into the net’.
But Scottish Tory chief whip Maurice Golden said: ‘Clearly, Salmond, in order to facilitate his own political return, is goading Sturgeon into calling another referendum. He knows extreme elements of the Yes movement want a vote now and are getting agitated.
‘But the return of a discredited egomaniac will only turn people off separation even more.
‘Scots voted No decisively in 2014 and they don’t want to go through it all again.’
An SNP spokesman responded: ‘This outburst betrays how nervous the Tories are about how badly their shambolic Brexit plans and power grab over Holyrood is going down with people across Scotland.’ Mr Salmond had taken a step back from politics after losing his Westminster seat in last year’s general election, focusing on his Russia Today programme and travelling one-man show.
But at an SNP event at Edinburgh’s Church Hill Theatre this week, he made what he called ‘the Declaration of Morningside’, saying: ‘I have no immediate political ambitions... But the day and the hour Nicola fires that starting gun, I’ll be on my marks and ready to go for the Yes campaign.’
He also claimed that, with Theresa May as Prime Minister, more Scots may be inclined to vote for independence, saying: ‘For all his faults, David Cameron was an impressive looking Prime Minister – and that’s not the case now.’
Mr Salmond also criticised the media, saying his blind spot in the 2014 referendum campaign had been the BBC.
But he added: ‘I’m quite certain Nicola will not have that blind spot next time round.’
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