Well that was a gubbing. No doubt about it. Alex Salmond won last night’s debate against Alistair Darling just as thoroughly as he’d lost their first encounter. Sure, some Unionists tried to put a cheerful spin on it – “We’ll take that” one senior Labour figure told me – but don’t you believe any of it.
Salmond, as predicted, was much better than he had been in the first debate. Darling, as predicted, was much worse. File this encounter in the drawer marked reversion to the mean.
Darling had many problems last night but among the greatest was the fact he’s not a Tory. Time and time again Salmond stuck him with the “in bed with the Tories” jibe and took great pleasure in seeing Darling squeal and wriggle. It’s not fair! Well, tough.
Salmond, like the Yes campaign in general, has largely given up talking to the wealthiest 40% of Scots and his tactics in this debate were pitched at lower-middle and working classes.
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