Former Scotland leader to bid for Westminster seat

Scotland’s former first minister, Alex Salmond, has launched his bid to win a seat at Westminster in next year’s general election.

Salmond announced he is a candidate for the SNP nomination for the Gordon constituency in Aberdeenshire. Speaking in Ellon in the constituency, he said there is the “prospect of real power for Scotland” if the SNP wins a significant number of Westminster seats.

He said if “real power” cannot be exerted, Scotland faces the “bleak prospect” of further austerity.