Former First Minister Alex Salmond rubbishes claim the Queen 'purred' after Scottish referendum result

Former First Minister Alex Salmond yesterday rubbished reports that the Queen “purred down the line” when David Cameron told her Scotland had voted against independence.

The Prime Minister described the comments to the former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg just a few days after Scotland rejected independence by 55 per cent to 45 per cent.

Cameron was overheard saying there were “nervous moments” during the campaign to keep Scotland in the UK, adding: "It should never have been that close.”

RELATED CONTENT

SNP model of independence is "dead" claims Alex Salmond's former policy chief Alex Bell

Alex Salmond to debate Nigel Farage on EU membership

Banning Donald Trump from the UK 'would do him some good' says Alex Salmond

"The definition of relief is being the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and ringing the Queen and saying 'It's alright, it's okay'. That was something,” he said.

"She purred down the line."

Cameron was subsequently forced to apologise for breaking the convention that the Prime Minister never reveals conversations he has with the monarch.

However, Salmond yesterday said the Queen had assured him the account was false, and he believed the Queen over “a Tory Prime Minister”.

“David Cameron, if you remember, kind of boasted to Michael Bloomberg and was apparently overheard on a microphone saying that," he told his LBC phone-in.

"And it was a week after the referendum. I was asked to Balmoral the following day where Her Majesty the Queen assured me it wasn’t the case… where I was assured as first minister that was certainly not the case.”

He added: “Who do I believe? Do I believe Her Majesty the Queen, Queen of Scots, or a Tory Prime Minister? Okay that’s taken me two seconds, I believe Her Majesty the Queen."