Scottish independence: Salmond buoyed by polls

First Minister Alex Salmond says the wind is firmly in the sails of the independence campaign, as his senior team prepares for the latest public discussion on their plans for Scotland.

Alex Salmond was accused of a hysterical overreaction. Picture: PA

The SNP leader will be in Bathgate, West Lothian, for a Cabinet meeting followed by a question-and-answer session on Scotland’s Future, the white paper on independence.

Today’s visit follows an exclusive poll for Scotland on Sunday suggesting 46 per cent of people may back independence in the referendum on 18 September.

The Better Together campaign to keep Scotland in the UK said Mr Salmond’s reaction to the poll was “hysterical”.

Mr Salmond said: “The momentum is now firmly with the Yes campaign, as underlined by the most recent poll.

“That is a result of the positive message we are taking to communities, but it is also a direct consequence of the No campaign’s scare stories unravelling one by one.”

A Better Together spokesman said: “What a hysterical over-reaction to one single poll. If the next poll doesn’t back up this errant nonsense, can we look forward to a grovelling admittance from Salmond that his campaign is on the rocks?”