We have a crucial vote this week in the Scottish Parliament on approving or throwing out the SNP budget. The number of votes is on a knife edge, and Salmond and the SNP need to have the Tories and the Greens onside to get it through.
This puts the minority parties in a powerful negotiating position, and already there have been concessions made to both to secure party votes.
But Alex Salmond has upped the anti this morning by saying that he will quit if the budget is not approved. This would in all probability force another election if it happens.
Salmond is threatening to throw his rattle out of the pram, and behave like a spoilt child is he does not get his way. He might like to call it brinksmanship. I call it unstatesmanlike behaviour which won’t win him any favours.
And are we to see this tactic used again when the going gets a little tough?