A second referendum on Scottish independence is “inevitable”, Alex Salmond has said.
In an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, the former First Minister said: “I think a second independence referendum is inevitable. The question is not the inevitability, it’s the timing and that is very much in the hands of Nicola Sturgeon.”
He added that he feels a trio of factors will influence the feasibility of a referendum; the referendum on Europe, austerity, and failure to deliver on ‘the vow’.
‘The vow’ was a promise signed by David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg to devolve more powers for Scotland if a ‘no vote’ was secured.
Read more
Scotland 'may cut money to the Queen'
The Scottish accent is slowly dying out
SNP defy David Cameron over fox hunting ban
Salmond claimed that this promise had not been fulfilled: “Instead of getting devo to the max, we’re getting austerity to the max and that divergent view of what’s right in social terms between Scotland and England is another issue which is moving things towards another referendum.”
The SNP MP resigned as Scottish First Minister in September following the failed bid for Scottish independence.
Prior to the vote, he described it as a “once in a generation, perhaps even once in a lifetime, opportunity for Scotland” and argued that if it did not succeed, a second referendum would not take place.
With additional reporting by PA
