Alex Salmond will not seek another independence referendum as part of any deal to support a UK government instead demanding Holyrood controls all matters bar defence and foreign affairs.
In a move which will disappoint SNP supporters who want a rerun of last September as soon as possible, the former First Minister revealed the issue would be off the negotiating table should he be the potential Kingmaker at Westminster.
During an exclusive interview with The Courier, Mr Salmond also admitted he was blind-sided by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s crucial intervention in the referendum campaign.Read Day 1 of our interview series only in Thursday’s CourierHe said: “Home rule is control of all domestic affairs and taxation. Reserved to Westminster would be foreign affairs and defence. There is massive evidence that’s what Scotland wants.
“This Westminster election is about delivering to Scotland what was promised.VIDEO: Alex Salmond on Darling and Brown“Not a referendum, but what was promised in the referendum and the things that people are entitled to see.”
In an explosive attack on the three UK party leaders, he insisted it was only the intervention of the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP which made promises of more powers believable.
Mr Salmond who is today revealed as The Courier’s new Monday columnist admitted: “The problem was Gordon Brown. I didn’t anticipate him coming in.”
The Alex Salmond story — here's a taste of Day 1's coverage in @thecourieruk #indyref pic.twitter.com/hfi6RnQLTG
— Richard Rooney (@C_RRooney) January 8, 2015