A DEFIANT Alex Salmond insisted yesterday the SNP would call a referendum on independence in the first term of the Scottish Parliament despite fresh doubts it could win it.
The Herald's latest independence poll by System Three, showed only one in three Scots voters in favour of breaking the Union with England. The SNP leader, however, responded: ''Nothing has changed.''
Plainly rattled by Labour's crowing at the result after months in which the SNP has surged ahead in voting intentions for the Scottish elections next May, Mr Salmond said: ''Our plan goes ahead.''
He criticised the use of the word ''separate'' in the question put to respondents by System Three, whose survey suggested those against independence were a majority of 58% to 34%. He suggested the term ''separate'' was inaccurate and pejorative and must have depressed support for independence.
He would have preferred a question about Scotland being independent in Europe, which is what he would ask the Scottish Parliament to have on a referendum ballot paper. ''After all, you don't go around asking people 'do you want a powerless Scottish assembly imprisoned in the State of the United Kingdom?' ''
He said he was happy to debate Labour accusations that Nationalists were separatists who would wreck the Scottish Parliament and he recalled John Major's accusation that Labour were ''teenage wreckers'' and ''constitutional vandals'' before Labour won the General Election.
''I am still confident that we can win an argument about independence when it is put before the people. I am absolutely convinced of that.'' He said the best circumstances in which to win that argument ''are when you also show you will administer Scotland in a positive manner.''
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