The reason that the pro corporate Scotsman and the Murdoch press went for the SNP was Salmond's evident sympathy for the Irish Celtic Tiger meme, and association with the likes of Reform Scotland and the 'Edinburgh Mafia' clique of financiers and professionals which still thinks it runs Scotland and is sniffing around 'fiscal devolution' ie corporate tax cuts and public sector 'reform'.

I think that Salmond might have difficulties within his own party in actually imposing any sort of austerity policy.

He's had a fairly easy ride so far thanks to the historic funding settlement and Swinney's astute policy of devolving financial decision making locally, so that the unpleasant decisions are not imposed top down.

But chickens - such as a five year Council tax freeze; no tuition fees; no prescription charges etc - are going to come home to roost, and neo-liberal policies offer no solution.

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson