Defeated Scottish nationalist chief Alex Salmond accused Britain's political leaders on Sunday of tricking Scots out of independence after a dispute about how and when to give them more powers. Salmond, who is stepping down as leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party after failing to persuade Scots to leave the UK, accused Britain's three main political parties of winning last Thursday's referendum by 55-45 per cent by making a false promise of new powers.
"I think the vow was something cooked up in desperation for the last few days of the campaign and I think everyone in Scotland now realises that," said Salmond, referring to a pledge by Prime Minister David Cameron and other leaders before the vote to rapidly expand Scottish autonomy in the event of a "No".
