Alex Salmond rules out joining House of Lords

Alex Salmond has confirmed he has no intention of joining the House of Lords after losing his seat at last month's General Election.

Mr Salmond revealed he had turned down the chance of appearing on Im a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Picture: John Devlin/TSPL

The former First Minister said the upper chamber at Westminster “goes against the very grain of democracy”.

Recently appointed Tory peer Ian Duncan last week called on Salmond to join him in the Lords and overturn a decades-old SNP policy of not sending reccomending party members for peerages.

“I’ll never go into House of Lords, I can say that for sure,” Salmond told the Press & Journal.

“There’s no chance because it goes against the very grain of democracy.

“Ian Duncan has been urging me to join him just this week, but I think that’s a deflection tactic.

“From a failed MP to a Lord for him, the whole thing seems medieval and abusive.

“I haven’t ruled out returning to politics, but I’ll never be a Lord.”

Mr Salmond also revealed he had turned down the chance of appearing on ITV’s long-running reality show, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, despite being offered “a hefty fee”.

He added: “I can tell you one thing, I won’t be going on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

“I’d already been asked once when an email landed the very next day after losing my seat.

“It was ever so polite, the team said they were sorry I had lost my seat but would I reconsider going on the show for quite a hefty fee.

“Moira was happy I wasn’t going to the jungle until she saw how much money they were offering.

“I could probably eat burnt testicle or whatever it is they serve up, but you wouldn’t catch me getting covered in scorpions. I hate creepy crawlies.

“The fact that the opportunity is at least there is quite nice in a way, because I couldn’t have gone on as first minister. You’re very limited in what you can do, I’m not complaining about that aspect of the job but there are certainly more projects in my sights now I’m no longer elected.

“I can never see myself slowing down because it’s not in my nature and my mum and dad didn’t bring me up like that.”