Paddy Ashdown slates Alex Salmond diaries

ALEX Salmond’s newly-published referendum diaries have been branded the “longest exercise in literary masturbation since politics began” by former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown.

Salmond reads exerts from his referendum diaries. Picture: John Devlin

The veteran politician, who has written a number of books, revealed his thoughts about the former first minister’s book as he attended the Scottish Liberal Democrat conference in Aberdeen.

The former SNP leader’s book The Dream Shall Never Die recounts his experiences in last year’s independence referendum campaign.

The book was published yesterday, with Lord Ashdown telling the press he had been reading it on his way to the conference.

During a media briefing, Lord Ashdown said: “I was reading Mr Salmond’s biography on the way up. It’s not very good, is it?

“In my view, I think it is an extraordinary exercise in self-congratulation.”

He then went on to describe the book as “the longest exercise in literary masturbation since politics began”.

Lord Ashdown added: “I speak not as a political leader in any way, just as a fellow author and critic.”

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