Wee guest post today from Kirsty Boyle, who worked as a Scottish Parliamentary Researcher for a couple of MSPs during the last Holyrood session.  It reviews the BBC documentary aired on Sunday 15 May which saw Michael Portillo follow Alex Salmond around the country on the campaign trail.

Airing just over a week after the SNP won a landslide Scottish election and a few days before Alex Salmond is sworn in as First Minister for a second term; Michael Portillo’s documentary on the man himself comes at a timely interlude in the SNP’s history.   With the next five year term of the Scottish Parliament undoubtedly being dominated by talk, debate and judgement on an independence referendum the SNP know it is Salmond who will see the ensuing legislation proceed through Parliament.  The Scottish electorate have voted for the man, but how is he seen through the eyes of an ex-Tory MP?

Portillo makes no secret of the fact from the outset that he viewed making this documentary as recording Salmond’s political obituary.  That he started the process sure Salmond would not see a second term in office in Holyrood.  How wrong he was and how he appeared to change in his opinion of Alex Salmond during the course of the documentary.

Charting Salmond’s rise, fall, suspension, rise, fall and rise again in the SNP, Portillo examined the personality behind the persona.  At different points Jim Sillars, Margo MacDonald and Michael Russell all allude to the adage; “That’s just the way Alex is.”  Something there is no doubting for the people of Glasgow Southside when we see him meeting them.  Just the way he is.  Which it appears is enthusiastic and infectious, even prompting Portillo to admit he felt like campaigning when witnessing Salmond in action.

We can tell, however, that Portillo wants to go further.  He wants to probe Salmond about his family by remarking how Salmond is known for keeping his private live separate from his political life.  Salmond answers in his trademark fashion of turning it round to talking about Scottish tradition, how Scots are very often private people yet are naturally friendly people.  Incidentally he also says such public displays of personality cannot be forced and must be genuine.

After following Salmond’s career from his student days to his suspension from the SNP and his ultimate rise to lead the party again, Portillo spends much of the latter part of the documentary on the 2007 Scottish Parliament election result and what it meant for the SNP and Salmond in particular.  He speaks to an uncomfortable and scathing Alistair Darling, who insists the banking crises came from Edinburgh and that the SNP’s energy policy is unworkable.  Annabel Goldie MSP makes an appearance describing the way in which Salmond conducts himself in the chamber as; “good at shouting.”

However, it is Portillo’s own analysis of Salmond’s character that surprises during this documentary.  By the end of the hour we are left feeling Portillo has a clear admiration for Salmond and the way in which he has led his party to become credible and acceptable in an ultimately fragile world of politics.  By the time it gets to election night Portillo is almost, almost, willing the SNP to win and although incredulous at the level of victory clearly admires the way in which it was done and the extent to which Salmond is backed by party members and now, it seems, by Scotland.

Salmond is portrayed as a man sure of himself, his country and his ability to govern as well as a gambler and a “marmite” personality – you either love him or loathe him.  Despite claiming student politicians are pretty weird Portillo redeems himself slightly when he and Salmond have an open and frank discussion on past foibles in Salmond’s home town of Linlithgow.  The conclusion of the documentary sees Portillo return to the scene of his childhood holidays in Kirkcaldy, somewhat reminiscent of an episode of Who Do You Think You Are?  But it is here, in his Mother’s home town and the seat of the SNP’s triumphant majority win that Portillo sums up his own position on the SNP winning an independence referendum; “One thing is certain.  You don’t often make money betting against Alex Salmond.”