Alex
Salmond, the defeated leader of Scotland’s nationalists, on Sunday
accused Prime Minister David Cameron and other London politicians of
tricking Scottish voters out of independence by making a false “vow”
about granting them new powers, Reuters reports.
Salmond, who is stepping down as leader
of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) after spearheading
a failed campaign for Scotland to leave the United Kingdom, said
Britain’s three main political parties had won last Thursday’s
referendum vote by 55-45 percent by deception.
“I think the vow was something cooked up
in desperation for the last few days of the campaign and I think
everyone in Scotland now realizes that,” said Salmond, referring to a
pledge made by Cameron and other leaders two days before the referendum
to rapidly expand Scottish autonomy in the event of a “No” vote.
Though Cameron has said he is determined
to deliver the new settlement he has since linked new powers for
Scotland to agreeing new constitutional arrangements for the rest of
Britain, including England, at the same time.
But the opposition Labour party has
rejected the linkage, raising the possibility that political squabbling
could delay a new deal for Scotland.
“It is the people who were persuaded to
vote no (in the referendum) who were misled, who were gulled, who were
tricked effectively,” Salmond told BBC TV. “They are the ones who are
really angry.”
