‘Bizarre’: Alex Salmond denies denial

Alex Salmond has denied calling the 2014 independence referendum a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.

Video evidence exists from the run up to the last vote where the former First Minister says: “In my view, this is a once in a generation – perhaps even a once in a lifetime – opportunity.”

Appearing on Radio 5Live’s Pienaar’s Politics on Sunday, Mr Salmond said: “The phrase was not once in a lifetime, it was the opportunity of a lifetime, I said it on the Andrew Marr show, it’s just one of these collective myths that evolve.”

He later denied his denial, calling the story “bizarre”.

In a series of tweets, Mr Salmond said: “I wasn’t denying the once in a lifetime remark this morning, but rather pointing out that the interview in which it was actually made I described my view as ‘perhaps even once in a lifetime – OPPORTUNITY’.

“It was not some writ that a referendum is for life but an observation that perhaps an opportunity which might only occur once in a lifetime.”

The SNP has come in for criticism from its Unionist opponents for pushing for a second referendum two-and-a-half years after 55% of the country voted No.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said calls for another vote would be “against the majority wishes”.

She told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show that Nicola Sturgeon was “hell bent” on destroying the UK and described Brexit as “this week’s excuse” for another independence referendum.

Ms Davidson said: “The SNP is not Scotland and they are acting against the majority wishes of the people of Scotland in putting forward their proposition on Monday. I’ve read far too many headlines saying, ‘Scotland reacts X, Scotland reacts Y’. No, it doesn’t.”