Trust is nationalists’ ace card, says SNP leader Alex Salmond

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond speaks at the rally (Getty)

Trust in the Scottish Government will be nationalists’ “ace card” in the run-up to next year’s independence referendum, the Scottish First Minister declared.

Alex Salmond closed the Scottish National Party annual conference in Perth by telling activists that when the ballot is held in September 2014 it will be “Scotland’s day and Scotland’s hour”.

Mr Salmond told delegates: “Trust is our ace card.” The SNP leader highlighted a poll by Ipsos Mori showing the Scottish Government had an approval rating of +23 per cent compared with -28 per cent for the UK Government.

He said the job for pro-independence campaigners was now to “transfer that trust in this government to the referendum campaign”.

The SNP has pledged to scrap the “bedroom tax”, re-nationalise the Royal Mail and raise the minimum wage in line with inflation.