Could there be another independence referendum for Scotland? Alex Salmond says it “will become an independent nation”

During his final speech as leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Alex Salmond said Scotland “will become an independent nation”, indicating that the country may seek to hold another referendum.

 

He said that the dream for independence from London was “alive and well” despite the no vote on 18 September, and issued a warning to Prime Minister David Cameron not to go back on his promise of devolving more powers to Scotland.  

 

"Let the message be very clear from this hall and from this country … Prime Minister – delay, prevaricate, block or obstruct the implementation of what Scotland was promised, and Scotland will take matters into our own, democratic, hands,” he said at a party conference in Perth, near Dundee. 

 

Cameron's promise was made in the run up to the 18 September referendum, in order to dissuade Scottish residents from leaving the UK. Labour and the Liberal Democrats offered similar guarantees of devolution.

 

Since then, party leaders have maintained that they will hand the promised powers over to Scotland, but that they will be given after the next general election in May 2015. 

 

"If the Westminster gang reneges on the pledges made in the campaign, they will discover that Hell hath no fury like this nation scorned," Salmond continued.

 

The SNP has garnered increasing support since Scotland voted to remain part of the UK two months ago – a poll by Ipsos-MORI last month found that the party, which won just six seats in London's House of Commons at the last election, had enough backing now to win 54 of the 59 Scottish seats in 2015.

 

Salmond is being replaced by Nicola Sturgeon as the party's leader. Sturgeon was previously deputy first minister.