As Alex Salmond eagerly awaits the results of the Gordon election count he has talked about the SNP’s “energising” campaign which he believes has changed the nation forever.
The former First Minister of Scotland said that the “landslide” currently being predicted to sweep over the country is underplaying the magnitude of what the party has managed to achieve.
He said: “I don’t think landslide covers the early results. We have seen swings in the early results of up to 35% I can’t think of any time any where in a general election I have ever seen a swing like that.
“That’s more than three and a half times. This is off the the scale of political swings I’m delighted for all the candidates who have won so far.
“It’s a stunning thing this new direction in politics.”
However Mr Salmond should “still remain cautious” despite the predictions in the exit polls.
And he said that despite the overall result he believed that the campaign had created the “most informed, articulate and engaged electorate in the western world.
He said: “The 73% turn out is great, just fantastic. I have been saying throughout the campaign we have been preparing for what looks like a very substantial victory for the SNP across Scotland. The electrification of politics, the empowerment effect of the referendum has carried through into the general election.
“I had six public meetings in addition to the hustings in the Gordon constituency. There were amazing attendances extraordinary questions at each pubic meeting.
“I had a meeting in Collieston, for example, which is a village of about 200 people and 50 people turned up to the meeting.
“That’s about a quarter the population of the village and the questions they were asking were of extraordinary intensity and detail. We have now the most informed, articulate and engaged electorate in the Western World. We are a changed nation and a better nation.”