Nick Clegg has vowed to travel to the north-east to try to derail Alex Salmond’s bid to return to Westminster.
The deputy prime minister launched an attack on the former SNP leader yesterday, describing his attempt to become the next Gordon MP as “breath-taking”.
However, the Liberal Democrat leader also admitted that his party would have to cause a “big upset” if it was going to hold onto the Aberdeenshire seat in May, with bookies and pundits tipping Mr Salmond.
The SNP said last night that it would “relish” visits from Mr Clegg to Gordon and anywhere else in Scotland because of his dire poll ratings, insisting “the more the merrier”.
Sir Malcolm Bruce is standing down in May after three decades representing Gordon for the Lib Dems.
Christine Jardine has been selected as the candidate tasked with defending his 6,748 majority in what is expected to be a tough election nationally for the party.
The Conservatives and Labour have traditionally enjoyed significant support in the area as well, with the SNP pushed into fourth place as recently as 2005, and the Tories coming within 274 votes of ousting Sir Malcolm in 1992.
However, most commentators believe Mr Salmond is the favourite in the contest because of his high personal profile and the SNP’s soaring support since the referendum.
But asked yesterday whether the Lib Dems could hold onto the seat, Mr Clegg said: “I think we can, actually. I think we can cause quite a big upset.”
He added: “The arrogance with which Alex Salmond regards what the people of Gordon might do, as nothing more than a sort of elevated coronation so that he can waft down to the Westminster stage and strut his stuff in the House of Commons, is absolutely breath-taking.”
Mr Clegg highlighted the crisis that has recently engulfed NHS Grampian, saying “all members of the health board in that part of Scotland just resigned on mass recently because of mismanagement of the health system by the SNP”.
He added: “That’s why I think fighting a vigorous local campaign we will cause an upset to many of the assumptions about Alex Salmond’s chances in Gordon.”
Christian Allard, north-east SNP MSP, said: “We would relish visits from Nick Clegg to Gordon and anywhere else in Scotland – the more the merrier, and we would happily pay his bus fare.
“The latest poll shows that an extraordinary 74% of people in Scotland don’t trust Nick Clegg – only 10% do – and no wonder after so many broken promises.”