Salmond: 10 wasted years of independence is on Sturgeon

Reflecting on the 10th anniversary of the referendum, Mr Salmond, who now leads pro-independence party Alba, said the SNP – led predominantly by Ms Sturgeon – had failed to “renew” the argument for independence since 2014.

Mr Salmond also said the Scottish Parliament’s reputation had been weakened since his leadership, arguing “efficient” governance was crucial to the future of independence.

“There has been 10 wasted years as far as independence is concerned,” he told The Herald.

“It has unfortunately been wasted by the SNP Government here with the way people have been led up the hill and back down on numerous occasions.

“Obviously it wasn’t evident that they were going to be wasted until they were, but I think there were opportunities, key moments, where Scotland’s case could have been substantially advanced."

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Mr Salmond said his former protégé – Sturgeon, who immediately took the reigns from him after he resigned in the wake of the referendum – had not taken advantage of recruiting those who had been disillusioned by the UK’s exit from the European Union in 2016.

The pair have had a long-running, public rivalry following the historic referendum, which resulted in the no campaign winning with around 55% of the vote compared to 45% in favour of independence.

They formed a formidable political partnership between 2007 and 2014, with Mr Salmond encouraging his mentee and deputy first minister to replace him as leader.

But the friendship shattered a few years later after Mr Salmond faced complaints regarding his conduct while in office.

He successfully took legal action against the Scottish Government for its handling of the investigation into him and he was also cleared at Edinburgh’s High Court of sexual misconduct allegations.

In 2021, Mr Salmond launched the Alba Party which has spent much of its existence criticising Ms Sturgeon and her two successors Humza Yousaf and John Swinney.

He also delivered a scathing verdict of the SNP-led Scottish Government in Holyrood, arguing the damaged reputation of the Parliament had damaged the independence movement.

“The Scottish Parliament has to realise that people in Scotland think a lot less of their Parliament now than they did 10 years ago,” he said.

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“It took a substantial amount of effort to build up the reputation of the Parliament through good governance, efficient governance, not making mistakes and delivering tangible benefits to people.

“The Parliament was held, even by those who didn’t agree with independence, the Parliament was held with the highest esteem.

“Many arguments were deployed against Scottish independence 10 years ago but one I never heard was ‘you can’t run things’ or ‘you’ve wasted money on ferries’ or ‘you’ve spent your time pondering self-identification’.

“It’s very difficult to look at the last 10 years and not have seen a slippage in the public’s esteem in which they hold the Parliament. You have to restore that. The way to get people to believe in independence, partly, is to demonstrate that you can run the shop.”

Earlier in The Herald’s coverage of the independence referendum at 10 years, Professor Sir John Curtice described Ms Sturgeon’s “greatest failure” as the inability to capitalise on the disgruntlement over Brexit.

Mr Salmond has now agreed with that position but has gone even further, also arguing Ms Sturgeon and her successors should have been able to get the better of prime ministers Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

He spoke of success in going up against David Cameron “who looked like a prime minister” and former chancellor George Osborne who he described as a “very clever guy”.

“But in the intervening years, Westminster has never been weaker in governmental terms that it has been over the last 10 years.

“To me it was an almighty puzzle why the SNP and the Scottish Government – and Parliament - haven’t been able to use the mandates that have been given to force the issue.”

He added: “The SNP has not renewed the case for independence since 2014.

“The case we put forward in 2014, whether you like it or not, was a case for that time and for that moment.

“It is now a different case you are arguing. Back in 2014, we were arguing that Scotland and the rest of the UK will both be members of the European Union. Clearly that changed forever with Brexit.

“It’s now a different case you have to argue, maybe even a different route forward by joining Efta (the European Free Trade Association) to get into the single market.

“We’re now starting outside of the European Union compared to 2014. That’s significant and you can’t ignore that so there has been that general failure to update the case for independence.”

He said the Scottish Government should have strategized better on Scotland’s place after the UK’s exit from the European Union, including ensuring the country remained in the single market alongside Northern Ireland.

“It’s not very good politics,” he added.

After the referendum defeat, Mr Salmond resigned as SNP leader and first minister, paving the way for his deputy Ms Sturgeon.

September 18 marks 10 years since the Scottish independence referendum. (Image: PA) But he told an ITV Borders documentary he would not have resigned if he had known how the next 10 years would have played out.

Meanwhile, Ms Sturgeon questioned his stance during the documentary, stating: “Clearly he is going to think he could have done things so much better.”

Mr Salmond also told BBC Scotland’s documentary Salmond and Sturgeon: A Troubled Union that he was unsure if the fractured relationship could ever be mended.

However, he now believes a partnership between Alba and the SNP could be essential for securing independence in the next decade.

He said the two parties should put aside their difference and form a pro-independence alliance at the 2026 Holyrood elections.

Mr Salmond has previously confirmed he intends to stand and has also invited former SNP MPs who lost their seats to join Alba.

“The only way, in my estimation, you can get an independence majority in the next Scottish Parliament is if Alba substantially gains on the list vote,” he said.

“People usually ask ‘will Scotland be independent in the next 10 years?’ My answer is yes.

“I think we have to make a move forward at the Scottish elections. If we get an independence majority that should bring matters to a head as quickly as we can.”

The SNP has been contacted for comment.