...as Salmond says talks to break up Britain must start after election day
ALEX Salmond wants talks on breaking up Britain to begin after the election if there is a pro-independence majority.
The Alba Party leader yesterday claimed the route to independence should not be ‘pigeon-holed’ into holding a referendum, or setting a specific timeframe for a vote.
But he also warned that Scotland faces an ‘economic tsunami’ in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic and said not enough has been done to address it.
His comments on the route to independence conflicted with Miss Sturgeon’s demand for a Section 30 order to hold a referendum if there is a pro-independence majority after next month’s elections – and to hold the vote by the end of 2023, ‘assuming the crisis has passed’.
Speaking at an Alba Party event at which its 32 candidates were unveiled, Mr Salmond said: ‘I don’t think that the pigeon-holing of this debate into a Section 30 referendum or a public consultation or a ballot elsewhere is actually... a way to proceed which has the statecraft required to get a result from Westminster.
‘I don’t think you should tell in advance your negotiating opponents what exactly you are going to do.
‘You should begin negotiations, and these negotiations have an infinitely higher chance of succeeding if the First Minister has a substantial independence majority in the parliament at her back than they would have if she is in a precarious parliamentary position with regards to independence.’
Opponents say pushing independence will hamper efforts to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
But Mr Salmond proposed the push towards independence despite calling for action to prevent ‘an economic tragedy of immense proportions’.
He said: ‘We will be bringing forward what we think are sensible policies to accelerate economic recovery from lockdown, from the implications of the pandemic. I know that everybody accepts and says there’s a huge economic issue. I’ve yet to see – and this is not directed particularly at the Scottish Government or the Scottish parliament – a programme which meets what I believe is going to be an economic tsunami as the pandemic unwinds in economic terms.’
Mr Salmond repeatedly refused to say whether or not his party supports an independent Scotland becoming a member of the European Union.
He also yesterday denied allegations about his past conduct would make it difficult to win votes from female voters.
During an earlier appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Salmond, who was cleared of all sexual assault charges during a criminal trial, refused to apologise for past behaviour he admitted to during the trial.
Asked whether he thought it was OK to stroke women’s faces while they are asleep, he said: ‘What I said, and what I reflected on, the most significant thing, is the verdict of the jury. Fairminded people think that is very important.’
Pressed on whether or not he would behave the same with colleagues again, he said only that his behaviour was ‘tested’ in court.
Scottish Conservative candidate Annie Wells said: ‘Make no mistake, his new divisive venture is a threat to the Union with their obsession of trying to secure a super-majority for independence.’ n NIGEL Farage yesterday said that Alba’s policies could be a ‘game-changer’ for independence.
The former UKIP and Brexit Party leader told The Times: ‘We are very similar, Alex and I. In terms of moving the dial, this could deliver the breakthrough.’
‘Precarious position’