TAVISH Scott yesterday paved the way for a coalition between the Liberal Democrats and the SNP after the 2011 election, by saying a deal was now "a possibility".
In an interview with BBC Scotland on the second day of his party's conference in Perth, Scott, pictured, also refused to rule out an independence referendum in a future parliament.
After the 2007 election, Scott's opposition to a referendum was the main stumbling block to a coalition between the SNP and LibDems.
His refusal to enter talks unless the SNP dropped their key policy led to the Nationalists establishing devolution's first minority government.
However since becoming LibDem leader last August, Scott, a former transport minister, has become increasingly frustrated with the limitations of the third-largest opposition party, and makes no secret of his desire to be back in power.
Asked how any kind of democrat could deny the country a say on its future in a referendum, Scott said the people had the chance to vote for the SNP, and hence independence, at every election.
"I don't see why I should spend time promoting another party's policy," he told BBC Scotland's Brian Taylor.
"I certainly do think the people have the perfect opportunity to vote for the SNP at the next general election and, if they want independence, they can make that happen at that time."
But he added: "I don't think I should rule out a referendum for all time, because I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know if I'll be in the next parliament."
Asked if he would ever rule out coalition with the SNP, Scott replied: "No. It could be a possibility."
Although the LibDems recently voted with Labour and the Tories at Holyrood against a referendum, Scott's opposition was limited to the current parliament.
Many of his MSPs believe he wants to block a referendum in the short-term in order to have it as a powerful bargaining chip after the 2011 election.
A key factor will be whether the SNP and LibDems have enough MSPs to form a parliamentary majority. At present their combined numbers are 63, but a majority is 65.
Scott's latest comments are at odds with the hard-line stance taken against the SNP by the LibDems' former UK leader Sir Menzies Campbell on Friday, who in a session on international affairs ridiculed Salmond as a "novice".
Referring to the first minister's recent visit to Washington and meeting with secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Sir Menzies said: "I should have thought that Alex Salmond has quite enough on his plate in Scotland without looking for transatlantic photo opportunities. My advice to him is to stick to what he knows best, whatever that is."
The sniping was returned by one of Salmond's spokesmen, who called Sir Menzies a "pompous ass" and "Ming the Meaningless."
Vince Cable, the LibDem Treasury spokesman, yesterday told delegates that the LibDems can "reasonably expect" four more Scottish MPs at the next election to add to their current tally of 12.
Turning to the banking crisis, he accused Labour of making "a pact with the devil" by turning a blind eye to tax avoidance and excessive bonuses.
MP Pete Wishart, the SNP's home affairs spokesman, said Scott was at sixes and sevens.
"The London parties are all over the place on the issue of a referendum and the people's right to decide Scotland's future.
"First we had bendy Wendy, and now we have twisting Tavish. There have now been so many Lib Dem U-turns on a referendum that they must be just as dizzy as Labour."
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