'Growing support for independence'

Dubai: A leading nationalist in Scotland has predicted that support for a referendum on independence will grow in the wake of Scottish Nationalist Party leader Alex Salmond's election as First Minister.

Scottish Independence Convention co-founder Aileen Orr said that other major political parties could drop their opposition to a referendum in the coming years.

Orr told Gulf News that during the coming parliament, the Liberal Democrats and other parties could soften their opposition to the SNP's proposal to have a referendum on independence in 2010.

The SNP and its coalition partner the Green Party can between them muster 49 votes in the Scottish Parliament - far short of the majority in the 129-seat body that would be needed to secure a referendum.

"If independence is the will of the people, then it's not going to advance the cause of the Liberal Democrats to oppose a referendum. The Conservatives are looking at dropping unionist from their name. There is a quiet preparation for this," said Orr, who set up the Scottish Independence Convention four years ago as a cross-party pressure group.

"People will have to look very carefully at how the other parties position themselves. If it's going to be to their advantage they will support it [a referendum]. Nobody's going to disadvantage themselves."

The Liberal Democrats' opposition to holding a referendum on independence was the sticking point that stopped them from forming a coalition with the SNP, who emerged the largest party for the first time following the May 3 elections.