Salmond accused of police threat over referendum
By Ian Dunt Follow @IanDunt
Alex Salmond threatened to use police to sabotage any attempt at an early referendum on Scottish independence, according to reports.
Scottish Conservative peer Lord Forsyth told the Daily Mail Mr Salmond threatened to order police to refuse to man polling stations if Westminster forced through an early referendum.
The threat – allegedly issued during a meeting with George Osborne several weeks ago – is denied by the first minister's office.
"Power has gone to his head and he is getting too big for his boots. He thinks because he won an election, he is above the law," Lord Forsyth told the newspaper.
The allegation comes amid escalated rhetoric from both sides on the democratic legitimacy of the referendum.
The Conservatives claim the SNP would exclude nearly a million voters if they insist on pursuing a referendum without the devolved powers being offered by Westminster.
If the Tory arguments are valid, current Scottish law would not allow the government to access the full four million strong electoral roll.
Scottish officials believe the new powers being offered by Westminster attach strings to the referendum, mostly on the issue of date and how many questions will feature in the ballot paper.
"The legal position is clear – if the SNP attempts to go ahead with its own referendum then it will be nothing more than an opinion poll, with a million Scots unable to be asked for their view," Scotland Office minister David Mundell said.
A Scottish official said: "The Scottish government is entirely confident of its position, and of the overwhelming mandate it has received from the people of Scotland to hold a referendum.
"In any event, the claim that the full electoral register will not be used for the referendum is simply nonsense."
