In both cases, the move was not a success: it turned out that there was a certain alchemy, a certain charisma, that could not be recreated by their successors. The question, then, is whether Mr Salmond has done enough to turn the SNP from a cult of personality to a genuine governing party, such that he can leave it in the hands of, say, Nicola Sturgeon and see the party remain ahead of Labour without its internal contradictions once more coming to the fore. My money's on yes, for what it's worth, but it's not a move without risks.