Alex Salmond yesterday issued a chilling demand for state control of the BBC in Scotland to further the nationalist cause . The former SNP leader , who is standing for Parliament in the election , was accused of a naked attempt to interfere with the Corporation ’ s independence after saying it had a ‘ metropolitan bias ’ that works against his party ’ s cause . In a clear threat , he said broadcasting should be placed ‘ under the remit of our democratically-elected parliament in Scotland ’ . Scroll down for video . Protest : Nationalists wave a 'Sack Nick Robinson ' banner in Glasgow in September last year . Mr Salmond , addressing the party ’ s Spring conference in Glasgow , also said the SNP would form a left-wing alliance with Labour at Westminster to raise the top rate of income tax to 50p . But it was his intemperate attack on the national broadcaster that raised eyebrows . During last year ’ s independence referendum campaign , hundreds of nationalist ‘ Yes ’ supporters held a protest outside BBC Scotland in Glasgow with a banner referring to the Corporation ’ s political editor that said : ‘ Sack Nick “ The Liar ” Robinson. ’ Mr Salmond said : ‘ What surprised me was the degree to which the BBC allowed themselves to be influenced by headlines in a biased press . I had no surprise about the written press but I was surprised and disappointed by the way [ the BBC ] allowed themselves to be… by that agenda. ’ He added : ‘ I don ’ t think the broadcasting issue ... will be properly resolved until we have broadcasting under the remit of our democratically-elected parliament in Scotland. ’ A labour peer has hit back at David Cameron for calling the party ’ s leadership ‘ sneering , hopeless ’ Hampstead Lefties . Veteran broadcaster Joan Bakewell yesterday rounded on the Prime Minister for criticising ‘ champagne socialists ’ from the fashionable London borough where she lives . Mr Cameron used the Tory spring conference on Saturday to accuse Mr Miliband and his supporters of displaying the ‘ same old condescending , bossy , interfering , we-know-best attitude of the Hampstead socialist down the ages ’ . Baroness Bakewell told the BBC ’ s Andrew Marr show : ‘ He ’ s had a go at me and many like me : “ Spare us from Ed ’ s sneering , hopeless Hampstead lefties. ” Why ? Why should we be excluded like this ? We ’ ve got votes , we ’ ve got interests , we ’ ve got consciences , we care about the poor and the dispossessed , we are willing to pay our taxes . ‘ Clearly Cameron is panicking . It ’ s just abusive , personal attacks . It ’ s not about policies – he just doesn ’ t like us. ’ Mr Salmond also boasted about how closely he could work with Ed Miliband as the SNP unveiled its support for tax hikes.Scotland ’ s former first minister said that the party had experience in ‘ upsetting the apple cart ’ , which it would deploy at Westminster . The SNP will back Ed Balls ’ s controversial scheme to balance the country ’ s books by increasing the income tax rate from 45p to 50p for those earning over £150,000 . Mr Miliband has claimed that he would not go into a formal coalition with the SNP , but the nationalists yesterday backed a string of Labour policies in the latest sign of how the parties could work together to push through a left-wing agenda . SNP deputy leader Stewart Hosie said : ‘ In the next Parliament , SNP MPs will support the re-introduction of the 50p tax rate for the very wealthiest. ’ He said he hoped the party would have a ‘ huge group ’ of MPs after May 7 that would also vote with Labour to abolish the so-called bedroom tax . Mr Salmond yesterday said the Tories ’ attempts to portray Mr Miliband as in his pocket were ‘ fundamentally stupid ’ . He added : ‘ In terms of skulduggery and upsetting the apple cart and various parliamentary techniques , there ’ s a wee bit of experience might be there in the group we have. ’ SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon yesterday confirmed the party would demand an MP on each Commons committee , including for devolved issues such as health and education , if it does well in the election . Labour introduced the higher rate tax band , paid by those earning more than £150,000 , in 2010 . The Coalition then cut it to 45p in 2012 , prompting Labour to accuse them of giving a ‘ tax cut to millionaires ’ . First Minister Nicola Sturgeon ( left ) hugs former First Minister Alex Salmond , as she closes the SNP conference at the SECC in Glasgow today . But official figures show Britain ’ s richest have paid more income tax since it was abolished . Tory MP Iain Stewart said yesterday : ‘ This is another example of Labour-SNP collusion . Nicola Sturgeon has made it absolutely clear she would prop up a minority Labour government. ’ Labour shadow Scottish secretary Margaret Curran said : ‘ This is a naked attempt by Alex Salmond to interfere in an institution that no political party would attempt to control . The BBC is independent of Government and it should stay that way. ’ A BBC Scotland spokesman said : ‘ Our coverage of the referendum was fair and balanced . ’
Salmond accused of naked attempt to interfere with BBC 's independence . Former SNP leader said Corp had ‘ metropolitan bias ’ against his party . Comment: