Alex Salmond: Scottish people will set the agenda on their own future

SNP leader tells annual conference ‘the sovereign people of Scotland are now in the driving seat’ Alex Salmond, leader of the Scottish Nationalists, says his party’s electoral victories have put the “Scottish people” in the driving seat, but admits a future referendum ballot paper may offer options other than independence. Salmond used his speech to the SNP annual conference in Inverness to claim that his party’s landslide victory in the Holyrood elections ensured that “no London politician” would determine the future of Scotland. He also declared that the SNP would campaign for full independence when the referendum he has promised arrives. However, the country’s first minister did not set a detailed timetable for a referendum on Scotland’s withdrawal from the UK, in a sign that the party still lacks confidence that voters support his aspirations. And, while claiming “it was not enough”, he said that a ballot paper question on whether more powers should be transferred to the parliament at Holyrood may be included as an option in the referendum vote. “Fiscal responsibility, financial freedom, real economic powers is a legitimate proposal”, he said. “It could allow control of our own resources, competitive business tax and fair personal taxation.” The conference is the SNP’s first since the party’s victory in May’s elections, when the Nationalists became the first party to secure an overall majority in the Scottish parliament. Salmond said: “The days of Westminster politicians telling Scotland what to do or think are over. The Scottish people will set the agenda for the future. No politician, and certainly no London politician, will determine the future of the Scottish nation. The people of Scotland – the sovereign people of Scotland – are now in the driving seat.” The SNP’s election victory means a referendum will be held on Scottish independence. While no date for such a vote has yet been set, Nationalists have said it will take place in the second half of the Scottish Parliament’s five-year term. Salmond’s speech marked the start of the SNP’s campaign ahead of that referendum, as he told activists: “This party will campaign full square for independence in the coming referendum.” Last month his style came under attack from Labour’s outgoing leader, Iain Gray, during the Scottish Labour party’s conference. Gray told his party the Scottish Parliament “was never meant to be an arena for constant constitutional grievance – a platform for posturing, preening and insufferable pomposity”. Scottish National party (SNP) Alex Salmond Scottish independence Scottish politics Scotland Daniel Boffey guardian.co.uk

Posted by on October 22, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.