Salmond: I’ll see independence within my lifetime
Alex Salmond believes Scotland will be independent within his lifetime despite the people’s rejection of it in the September referendum.
The First Minister appeared to back-pedal from previous assurances that an independence referendum was a “once in a generation opportunity” when he gave a press conference at Bute House.
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Just a few days before he hands over to Nicola Sturgeon, Mr Salmond was responding to remarks by his replacement, who has said she thinks she will live to see the breakup of the UK.
When asked if he thought independence would happen within his lifetime, Mr Salmond, who turns 60 next month, answered: “Yes” before adding: “I don’t have any intention of finding myself in a position where I could be less ambitious than Miss Sturgeon in terms of the lifetime expectation of the advent of independence. Yes indeed.”
Mr Salmond then said: “How long I expect to live, of course, is a matter of great speculation.”
He also argued that the referendum would be seen as an important stepping stone on the journey towards an independent Scotland.
“I would say that I am delighted with the energising and enabling and empowerment of the Scottish electorate,” Mr Salmond said.
“I would say that although the Yes vote didn’t win the referendum, I think Scotland is in a good position to gain very substantially from that process. I do believe that Scotland will become an independent country and I think we are on a pathway which has been reinforced by political events of the last year.”
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