My newfound Scots Nats pals are going to hate me for saying this, but this is an interesting bit of spin from the SNP:
Party sources have pointed out there might be “advantages” to Mr Salmond remaining in the House of Commons beyond the next General Election.
Nationalist thinking appears to be that remaining as an MP would give the party leader a unique weekly platform to raise Scottish issues and goad Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose premiership – should the SNP form an executive in Edinburgh – could be dogged by “the Scottish question”. The 52-year-old ‘s continued questioning at Westminster set-piece events such as PMQs might not only beleaguer the Labour government but also provide a spur for the Nationalists’ key argument: Scottish independence, a referendum on which is likely towards the end of the Scottish parliamentary session in 2010-11.
Sounds terribly clever, but would be completely needless if the SNP had any political talent aside from Salmond. It also emerges at a time when Salmond is under increasing pressure nail his colours to the mast and resign his Westminster seat.
It couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that you’re afraid you might not actually get a seat in May, could it Alex?