People power

THERE is a dispute about who came up with the phrase – it was either Tony Blair or Alastair Campbell – but the phrase "the people's princess" coined in the aftermath of the death of Princess Diana went straight into the lexicon. After yesterday's launch of the SNP's general election campaign we have new variation – "the people's election". Alex Salmond used the phrase yesterday to spell out what he hopes will be a winning pitch to the voters.

In an attempt to drag the focus of the campaign away from the respective merits of Gordon Brown and David Cameron – a concentration on presidential politics that is likely to be emphasised by the three televised debates between the main UK party leaders – Mr Salmond offered the SNP as "local champions and national champions". He said: "These are the people's elections and what will matter are the people's votes."

From yesterday's launch the SNP's plan for the election is now clear. This election will not be about independence. It will not be about who is the best party to govern Scotland. It will not be – Nationalists hope – a mid-term verdict on Scotland's first SNP administration. Mr Salmond hopes to take advantage of two strong impulses in the Scottish electorate – a desire to vote in a fresh batch of politicians untainted by the MPs' expenses scandal; and a desire to elect MPs who will stand up for their local areas and for Scotland as a whole. Pitch made for the people's elections, Mr Salmond now awaits the people's verdict.