Is Alex Salmond angling to sink rival Sturgeon?

FIrST Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon vowed yesterday to make the case again for independence after the pandemic crisis eases, speaking on BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show.

Always on the media, her personal approval ratings are high and support for Scottish independence at 54 per cent in the latest poll is at a four-year high.

But is the formidable figure of Alex Salmond, her predecessor as First Minister, limbering up for a comeback at her expense?

Little has been heard from Salmond since he was cleared by a jury in March of sexually assaulting nine women during his time as First Minister.

The Scottish government admitted during a judicial review last year that it had acted unlawfully while investigating the sexual harassment complaints.

So, will he take his revenge and lead a new Independence party in next year’s Scottish Parliament elections, having resigned from the SNP in 2018?

He will be buoyed by a Panelbase survey for the website Wings Over Scotland which found 12 per cent of voters would definitely vote for him, a further 14 per cent would be ‘more likely than not’ to vote for him. Meanwhile, 40 per cent of those who voted SNP in last year’s Westminster election would likely back the new party.

Trouble is brewing for Sturgeon.