Peter A Bells reply to the article below Fear of Salmond 16 December 2014 at 08:54 What an unbecomingly petulant little outburst from the LibDems ex-leader-in-waiting.* And so stupid. If Salmond was only interested in power then he had all he could wish for as First Minister and party leader. Nobody forced him to give that up. He stepped down by choice because he felt he could better serve the nation as an MP. There is fear in Cleggs remarks too. The same fear as is gripping all the Westminster elite. When he talks of Salmond strutting his stuff what he actually means is Salmond exercising real power at Westminster on behalf of the people of Scotland as part of a large contingent of SNP MPs. That really doesnt suit the British establishment. Scotland is only supposed to have token representation in their parliament. And, of course, there is delusion. As with all British nationalist fanatics (see demented ranting from John MacIntyre OBE, WOKING), Clegg does not address the real Alex Salmond; the man who is an acknowledged master of the political arts; the politician who is more widely respected among the people of Scotland than almost any other; the man the people of Scotland naturally turn to as someone they can rely on to represent their interests. Clegg and his ilk address instead the ludicrous caricature of Salmond concocted by the British nationalist propaganda machine. Salmond wont be complaining. So long as his political opponents are tilting at straw men of their own making, the real Alex Salmond will be able to just get on with his job. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALEX Salmond has been accused by Nick Clegg of grandiose vanity and interested not with voters concerns but just strutting his stuff about the Westminster stage, in a highly personal attack on the former First Minister. Last night, the SNP hit back, suggesting the Deputy Prime Minister was acting out of jealousy because a poll suggested most people who voted Liberal Democrat in 2010 now backed Mr Salmond standing in the Gordon constituency at the General Election. In his regular Whitehall press briefing, Mr Clegg brushed aside a recent snapshot, which pointed to a Lib Dem wipe-out at the May poll in Scotland, placing the party on just three points, and insisted opinion surveys went up and down with surges here and surges there. He then launched into a scathing attack on Mr Salmond, who is seeking to return to the House of Commons in the Gordon seat. It is held with a 6748 majority by Lib Dem grandee Sir Malcolm Bruce, who is stepping down at the next election. The DPM recalled how he was in Edinburgh last week and was struck by the astonishing arrogance and cockiness about the way in which the SNP can now sort of handpick a whole community of 60,000 voters in Gordon and say: thou shalt give a platform for Alex Salmonds ambitions to strut his stuff on the Westminster stage. The Lib Dem leader acknowledged the Nationalists might be riding high in the opinion polls - they have now ousted Mr Cleggs party as the third largest across the UK - but warned: They really need to be careful not to take people for granted. However grand you might think you are - and, boy, does Alex Salmond think hes grand - people do not like to be taken for granted whether its in Gordon or Croydon, Edinburgh or Sheffield, declared the DPM. He noted how the Liberal Democrats had faithfully served the people of Gordon for many years while Mr Salmond had acted in a high-handed way, not even deigning to inform anyone before he decided what his decision was in this eeny, meeny, miny, moe decision about which constituency was going to be so blessed with his presence. Mr Clegg insisted the voters of Gordon faced a big choice in May between the grandiose vanity of Alex Salmond, which is all about strutting his stuff on the stage of Westminster and Christine Jardine, an outstanding campaigner, who wants to fix the hospitals, fix the roads, fix the schools. He added: I relish that contest and I suspect it wont be quite the shoo-in the SNP in their complacency have predicted. Last night, a spokesman for Mr Salmond responded, saying: Nick Clegg should take the trouble to familiarise himself with facts before launching personal attacks. Referring to a poll, which showed 46 per cent of those who voted Lib Dem at the last General Election backed Mr Salmonds decision to stand compared to 41 per cent who did not, he said: It was Mr Salmond, who said that while these are great indications which give an early boost to the campaign in Gordon, it is on the ground and on the doorstep that we have to build our campaign and we take absolutely nothing for granted. He added: Mr Clegg must be jealous because most people who voted Lib Dem last time support Mr Salmond standing. Earlier this month, the ex-FM announced he was seeking to return to Westminster to hold its feet to the fire on the promised more powers for Scotland; polls have suggested the SNP could see a huge surge in the number of MPs it sends to London. The Aberdeenshire MSP chose to fight Gordon because his political home is in north east Scotland; his Holyrood constituency overlaps with the Westminster one. Given Mr Salmonds high profile, the contest in Gordon is likely to receive the most media coverage of any seat in Scotland come May. Frank McIntosh, Scotland. • Let those who are the constituents of Gordon decide. Thats how it supposed to work. Is this a prelude to the mudslinging that the Lib Dems intend to use to reinforce their LapDog image? Elizabeth Myles,Crail Nick Clegg is one to talk about grandiose vanity and taking people for granted. The last vote had hardly been counted in 2010 when climbed into bed with the Tories, rolled over and played dead and allowed Mr Cameron free reign. The background colour in the above picture suits him!! Frank McIntosh, Scotland. Elizabeth Myles,Crail • Agreed. Perhaps Clegg should look to his own future rather than flagging others! But then he will always trouser a nice goodbye, ex deputy PM as well! Alana Smith, Auchenshuggle • I think its called representation. Mr Clegg should try it some time. John MacIntyre OBE, WOKING Alana Smith, Auchenshuggle • Unfortunately, Alex Salmonds first priority has only ever been to represent Alex Salmond and Alex Salmonds interests - the representation of the interests of his constituents and the interests of the people of Scotland have only ever been of secondary interest to Alex Salmond. John MacIntyre OBE, WOKING • Alex Salmond is undeniably guilty of grandiose vanity in believing that the constituents of Gordon are going to vote for him when he had such an appallingly bad attendance record - and represented his constituents so appallingly badly - the last time he was both an MP and MSP:- Alex Salmond claimed £116K expenses for just six Westminster visits Alex Salmond claimed £116,000 in MP expenses - despite making just six visits to Westminster. That works out to almost £20,000 a day...They cover the time from last May and include £84,664 staffing his Westminster office, £18,591 in incidental expenses and £14,000 rent for a flat in London. Each night at the Dolphin Square flat, which he has now given up, cost taxpayers £2,333. Salmond has taken part in just 18 of 249 votes in the Commons, which breaks down to £6,500 of taxpayers cash per vote. John Souter John MacIntyre OBE, WOKING • Three comments off topic - so far off topic they could be launched from NASA. John MacIntyre OBE, WOKING John Souter • You are well placed to recognise off topic comments - your comments are invariably so far off topic they could be launched from NASA. John MacIntyre OBE, WOKING • Alex Salmond is undeniably guilty of grandiose vanity in refusing to repay the taxpayer funded £65,000 redundancy payment that he trousered when he ceased to be an MP in May 2010 - despite Alex Salmond continuing to trouser two other taxpayer salaries as an MSP and as First Minister. John MacIntyre OBE, WOKING • The pompous and preposterous Alex Salmond took the people of Scotland for granted and was more than arrogant in his belief that the people of Scotland would vote tor the parcel of deceit and dishonesty that was his Project Vanity. But Alex Salmond got his comeuppance - the people of Scotland overwhelmingly voted NO to Alex Salmond and his Project Vanity - the scale of Alex Salmonds rejection being so overwhelming and so humiliating that and Alex Salmond was forced to resign as SNP leader and SNP First Minister. The pompous and preposterous Alex Salmond is now taking the constituents of Gordon for granted and on 7 May 2015 Alex Salmond will once again get his comeuppance when the constituents of Gordon vote NO to Alex Salmond - the same people who in Aberdeenshire overwhelmingly voted NO to Alex Salmond and his Project Vanity on 18 September 2014 - with over 60% of the people of Aberdeenshire voting NO to Alex Salmond and his Project Vanity. Jim Kerrigan, Glasgow John MacIntyre OBE, WOKING • John, while I often agree with you about Mr salmond there is no way he will take Gordon for granted. He has a highly effective organisation on the ground up there and they will be out on the streets fighting for every vote. I would be pleased if he didnt get elected but if somebody offers me decent odds on him getting elected I will take them! David Mcilwaine, Scotland Jim Kerrigan, Glasgow • Do you mean odds against, Jim? Lawrie Wilson, Edinburgh, Spai Jim Kerrigan, Glasgow • Voted you up Jim. A once in a lifetime opportunity I just couldnt resist. Jim Kerrigan, Glasgow Lawrie Wilson, Edinburgh, Spai • dont make a habit of it! Lawrie Wilson, Edinburgh, Spai Jim Kerrigan, Glasgow • Nae fear! Paul Hampton, Glasgow • He was shameless whilst grabbing a grubby crumb of power. Clegg should retire. Once youve sold your soul, theres nothing left to sell.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 09:45:36 +0000
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