SNP conference: Diary- Nice Mr Salmond makes a comeback

WITH a new biography claiming that his long-suffering staff have long had to put up with his "explosive rages", Alex Salmond has work to do to persuade voters he is still the cuddly father of the nation figure they backed in 2007.

The first attempt at rehabilitation comes in the new webcast the party has put out on its website.

Immediately apparent is the FM's extraordinary new sotto voce vocal delivery which makes him sound less the bruiser and more like a kindly old Jackanory story-teller.

It appears that Nice Alex is back.