Salmond hails "wind of change" in Scotland

LONDON (Reuters) - Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond said "a wind of change" was blowing through Scottish politics after he won re-election to the Edinburgh parliament on Friday.

In a crucial vote, Salmond secured a 10.7 percent swing from the Liberal Democrats to win the seat of Gordon, northeast Scotland, with a 2,062 majority.

His victory boosted the SNP's hope of ending 50 years of Labour dominance north of the border to become the biggest party in the Scottish parliament.

Salmond has pledged a referendum on independence in 2010 if the SNP takes charge after the vote. The other main parties are committed to keeping the 300-year-old union of England and Scotland.

"I am absolutely confident that when these results are counted we shall all have to accept that new politics is dawning in Scotland," he said as about half the seats in Scotland remained to be declared.

"I think there is a perspective opening up in Scottish politics which is going to transcend our experience.

"It is the obligation not just of the Scottish National Party, but of a range of progressive forces in Scottish politics to seize that moment...that moment of triumph, of hope over fear and take this nation forward."

Scotland's first minister Jack McConnell, of Labour, says the SNP's referendum plans would hit the economy.

Salmond also criticised the voting system that produced a large number of spoilt ballot papers.

"Tens of thousands of votes across Scotland have been discounted this evening," he said. "That is totally unacceptable in a democratic society."