[0762]

IMO Salmond will get nowhere in the eyes of the greater public and the majority of the Scotindy movement. It's what I said earlier - he may well be not guilty of said accusations, which I certainly predicted, but he is regarded as a sleaze ball who has been double-crossing his wife for years. It is all about public perception Jim. Also my impression of the so called grass roots backing of Salmond is that a big chunk of that association is this extreme element of certain Scotindy factions who seem to have a "beef" re the FM and her husband long before Salmond even reappeared on the scene. Some of these people even had an issue re both "filling their wellies" with very generous remuneration etc. I'm afraid that is "part n parcel" of being in top roles in any political or civil service capacity. I concur with Ritchie re a comment he made a long time ago on this Sb board that "politicians, no matter what their colours/affiliation, are in it for their own personal ambitions/agenda, some of them selfish ones". That is the "nature of the beast"! I'll just add that my judgement of this kinda affair will be based on my impression of the long term presentation (ethically, morally, how genuine/sincere etc) of an individual and that is all I can do as a grassroots supporter of Scotindy. I personally wish they would stop it and focus on the target of Scotindy. In the eyes of many within the Scotindy movement, this kinda inner fighting represents a "kick in the teeth" for the tens of thousands of people who give up their free time to leaflet, canvass and march (when permitted) etc in support of the independence cause and are all unified to attain one objective.