We’ll wipe smile off Alex Salmond’s face

The Lib Dem leader will give rallying call to his party on Friday. Picture: John Devlin

In a speech in Aberdeen with the Scottish Lib Dems polling a mere three per cent and set to lose up to 10 of their 11 Westminster seats, Mr Clegg will tell party members to be “proud” of their record in government.

Just a few short miles away from where Alex Salmond hopes to snatch Gordon from the Lib Dems on 7 May, Mr Clegg will tell the party faithful to go out with the message that their party delivered economic recovery, home rule for Scotland, dignity in retirement and tax cuts for working people.

He will say: “We have shown incredible resilience in the last five years. And that resilience has allowed us to do incredible things. That resilience will see off the SNP challenge in the seats we hold.

“And it will wipe the smile off Alex Salmond’s face in Gordon too. At least then he will have another defeat to write a book about.”

Telling the party members that there is still hope, he will go on: “I’ve heard the predictions. I’ve seen the polls. But let me tell you this: we will do so much better than anyone thinks.

“In those seats where we are out in force, making our case loudly and proudly, we are the ones making the weather.

“We are showing that with hard work, strong local campaigns and a record of delivering for people in Westminster, Holyrood and communities across Scotland, we can and will win.”

We’ll wipe smile off Alex Salmond’s face - Clegg