I’ll be honest, I was not expecting that.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-29277527

Shame, despite voting No, i thought he was very good.

I was.

Now who are the albaphobes going to vent their spleen against?

+1 Drac!

Yet more threads 🙁

Who.?

Back underneath his slimey rock in the swamp. That’s where he’s going…

Hmm must have been that whole crate of lemons he’s been forced to suck on this morning! Don’t worry they’ll dredge up somebody else to blame the English!

Surprised. Then again he went full on for victory and seemed to have convinced so many people the Yes would win that maybe his credibility is shot – why should they believe him if he tried to lead an independence campaign again?

Not having a go, just wondering

You realise the man’s almost 60? And Scottish! He’s allowed to retire before he dies.

I think he’s done rather well, always stood for what he believed in when many couldn’t even see a vision.
Good leader, not the most comprehensive but folks believed in him and his ideals.

Happy to have at least seen him able to fight, stood up and was counted when it mattered.

He’s left a legacy and chaos in his wake mind, but then he’s still around to help pave the way for future leaders to take up the party line.

At least he hasn’t sunk off like Blair nor Brown.

Shame he didn’t step aside before the run up to the big day. His insincere, sweaty protestations cost us many votes. An assured safe pair of hands, Sturgeon would have been a better bet.

It was a vote for the future. Unfortunately the elder generation couldn’t see that. An opportunity missed the likes of which I’ll not see again on my lifetime….not that I’m bitter.

Look forward to your risk-taking visionary status when you’re ‘older’ Merak 🙂

It’s true that of the older generation, majority would be in the No camp which must have been hard to budge. Why would that be though? I might have been the same in their position..

Ah well, at least it will stop me wondering to myself exactly how long it would be before I tired of punching this:

Another angle, just so you can see what I’m on about:

Salmond steps down

Oh NO, I mean YES

Thought he was political naive to not think he would need to address the currency issue with a constructive plan that would appease those with concerns & also not to expect the ‘establishment’ to throw everything it could at him. At times it felt like the best he could was say ‘**** you’ we are gonna do this. That appeared to work for the male yes vote but I read that it was the female no vote that swayed it & they weren’t buying the dream.

I found myself writing this about him.

Unklehomer is sad to see Salmond go. I disagreed about Scottish Independence, and I’m glad it didn’t happen, but I was also jealous Scotland had a strong counter politic which had the strength and power to threaten to tedious same old same old of Westminster. They have a representative Parliament elected by representative means. They are progressive in their socialism in a way utterly and embarrassingly lost to the UK labour party. Salmond, while imperfect and belligerent in his pursuit of the goal of independence, has played a big part in that.

The conviction and stubbornness of the celtic nations acts as a moderating effect on the nasty, selfish inward looking tone which has been seeping into English politics for the last few years. I believe Scotland won last night, but if I’m honest I believe we (England) won much, much more.

We are risking our NHS, we have given away our public transport, surrendered our town centres and communities. Large companies & supermarkets with limitless lawyers and resource can wear down the planning departments who are duty bound to fight for us on meagre budgets by comparison and dictate the shape of our infrastructure.

We are encouraged at every turn into putting the self above others. We are encouraged to blame others, and take delight in it. If we give in to that then we become the only one fighting for our cause. But if we shout for everyone, then everyone, everyone, is shouting for us.

Single minded and blinkered Salmond may have been, but in a way we could do with more Salmonds, not less. He has made Scotland better. I, desperately, want someone to make Britain better, for all.

It’s a bit idealistic, and I’ve had wine, but I stand by it. I’ll miss him, and we could do with more like him. I await your flames, obviously.

Not from me. Nail / head interface.

he was way more popular than the westminster tribe and there were no calls for his head either

Not sure why he resigned or why so many english folk hate him

he was obviously a very talented and driven person, virtually dragged the snp from a bunch of misfits wannabes to the party of government in scotland on his own. The to get to within a whisker of achieving his life long ambition only to see it fail because of his own inabilities/policies/narrow mindedness must be pretty tough to bear.

kcal wrote

t’s true that of the older generation, majority would be in the No camp …I might have been the same in their position

You’re fooling nobody old man 🙂

@JY – he would not have been so popular when, if he Yes camp had won, they realised that they had been properly led up the garden path.

The maths have never stacked up. Can’t remember which commentator summed it up so succinctly but they said that the whole thing had been costed on unicorn dust and sunshine backed by the bank of confidence.

This is what ultimately cost him. It was not a fear campaign by Westminster – the sums were either very very vague or based on the premise that oil will continue to sell for $100 per barrel or more for the next 1000 years.

As to why he resigned – outside of the SNP who would work with him now. He has royally pissed off just about everyone except his supporters – Scots included.

I heard a rumour today that he would have gone even if the Yes camp had won as he would have found it very difficult to continue once the electorate realised that actually Scotland couldn’t use the £ (in any secure meaningful way), that the EU would have demanded they apply for membership and that they had been sold a sack of lies about the finances.

I was only half joking up the page- he’s 59 years old, his wife’s 77, how much longer was he going to lead the party? 2 years of referendum campaigning on top of 7 years as first minister following basically half a lifetime rebuilding the SNP, no small job turning it into something that wins elections. He’s overdue a mug of horlicks and a round of golf.

Also he’s a Hearts fan, and that sort of things wears a man down.

Classy. Very classy.

Not sure why he resigned or why so many english folk hate him

Or why so many Scots didn’t share his vision of an “independent” Scotland ?

I suspect most ‘english folk’ have no opinion of Alex Salmond.

Unklehomered that’s what I would have said if I was more articulate than I am .
It is a shame there are not more like him both sides of the border.

I suspect most ‘english folk’ have no opinion of Alex Salmond.

Yes that is what the papers and the threads on here , and indeed this one, have shown
I stand corrected

Disappointed to see him go.

Despite being in the No camp I’m also an SNP voter and I think him and his party have done a great deal for Scotland.

Plus I’d like to have seen him stay on to hold Westminster to their “vow”.

But yeah he is 60 and the past three years must have taken a fair toll.

I have no time at all for his politics and am delighted the No vote won.

Having said that though, he battled and worked very hard for what he believed was best for Scotland. He, and other politicians too for all the abuse they take, have worked their socks off recently in this referendum.

He’s obviously emotionally and physically shattered and I hope he enjoys a well earned retirement and gets to spend some quality time with his wife.

Yes that is what the papers and the threads on here , and indeed this one, have shown

27 people have posted on this thread, it doesn’t quite add up to ‘most english folk’.

he should have retired 12 months ago, would have saved the scots millions on a wasted election, and a failed idea by one man out to get a place in the history books.

its job seekers allowance for him.

Very sad he’s going. I’m not sure ms sturgeon can fill his shoes. John Swinney is a decent guy, but he’s had one failed bite at the cherry. We must hope that there are some bright young things coming through on all sides to fill Eck’s void.

donald wrote:

You’re fooling nobody old man

oi! I’ll take my stick to you mate 🙂

it doesn’t quite add up to ‘most english folk’.

you said most I said many

Im English and wasnt a fan but I admire him. Shocked and saddened a wee bit that hes stepping down.

Chapeau Alex Salmon.

27 people have posted on this thread, it doesn’t quite add up to ‘most english folk’.

All the rest can’t be arsed, which proves the point.

Graham S +1.

I think people disliked that smug little smile he has when, thinking 3 sentences ahead of what he’s actually saying, he’s laughing at his own wit.
None of this alters the fact that he and Sturgeon are both extremely able and were a complete blast of fresh air after Mc-cliche and McConnel. Joanne Lamont is like a wifie who’s just had her washing shat on by a passing seagull.

If Sturgeon gets the nod for top job which I think she will, Lamont somehow holds onto hers and Davidson… well who else would do that job. Three main parties in Scotland could be led by women, wonder if that would be a world first.

Ok, English point of view if you want one.

Very pleased that the Union is saying together for now.

I was tired of hearing how an independent Scotland would keep the pound (despite the Treasury saying no) / join the EU (despite the EU saying no).

Couldn’t see how it would all stack up and therefore found it hard to believe anything that AS said.

Probably didn’t listen hard enough from the south of England as a) I didn’t see how I could influence the vote and b) my main concern is getting out of Britain before it leaves the EU (which would be a little more likely if Scotland left the Union).

I do feel a little bit sorry for AS as this is something he’s obviously been working for. Hope he enjoys his retirement and glad to be hearing nothing from him for a while.

Hope this helps.