Salmond addresses rally to mark referendum anniversary
Former First Minister Alex Salmond would not have resigned ten years ago had he known Scotland would still be part of the UK, he has said.
The Alba party leader was addressing a rally in Glasgow held by the grassroots campaign Hope Over Fear, almost ten years on from the independence referendum.
Salmond said the decade since had been marked by "broken promises" by the Better Together movement.
On 18 September 2014 more than two million people (55%) voted No in response to the question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"
The following day, Salmond announced he would stand down as first minster and SNP leader.
Independence 'required urgently'
Speaking at an event in George Square on Saturday, the former MP and MSP criticised successive Westminster governments over Brexit, soaring energy bills and food inflation.
He also said: "Sadly, my successors failed to capitalise on a succession of golden opportunities to advance the cause of independence.
"If I had known ten years ago that Scotland would still not be independent then I would not have resigned.
"But as Scottish industry is closed down and Scottish pensioners are robbed of their winter fuel payments when they live in an energy-rich nation that must now change."
He said recent developments, including the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery, highlighted that independence had "never been required more urgently".
Salmond added: "If there is a clear independence mandate after the next Scottish elections then that must be the time that Scotland reclaims its independence."
Other speakers to address the crowd - made up of hundreds of independence supporters - included former Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan, and ex-SNP MPs Angus MacNeil and Kenny MacAskill.
MacNeil was expelled from the SNP and went on to stand for Westminster as an independent candidate.
MacAskill quit the SNP and joined Salmond's Alba party.
He addressed the rally about the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery.
The crowd also listened to musical performances.
