Alex Salmond says ‘by no means say by no means’ about reconciliation with Nicola Sturgeon

Alex Salmond has refused to rule out a reconciliation together with his successor Nicola Sturgeon, saying he can be “sad” in the event that they remained on poor phrases.

Ms Sturgeon, who stepped down as SNP chief and Scottish first minister earlier this 12 months, was as soon as near him, however they’d a well-publicised falling out after Mr Salmond confronted sexual harassment allegations.

He was cleared of all expenses following a excessive court docket trial, however Ms Sturgeon, 53, has continued to insist the connection together with her former mentor can’t be repaired.

Asked in regards to the falling out as he appeared at Iain Dale All Talk on the Edinburgh Fringe on Tuesday, Mr Salmond, 68, would solely say “never say never” when it got here to making an attempt to rebuild their relationship.

The former SNP chief, who now heads up the rival pro-independence Alba Party, mentioned he had been “oblivious” when Ms Sturgeon had informed the identical present final 12 months she had not been in contact with Mr Salmond since.

Asked if he might see a state of affairs the place the pair might ever reconcile, Mr Salmond mentioned: “You should never say never.”

On the prospect of not talking to his successor once more, he added: “I would be sad if that was the case.”

But, referring to the Police Scotland investigation into SNP funds, the place each Ms Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell were arrested, earlier than being launched with out cost, Mr Salmond added to “be quite frank I think Nicola has got more immediate things to worry about”.

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His feedback got here as he claimed the Alba Party might doubtlessly win 24 seats on the subsequent Scottish Parliament elections – including the celebration might develop into a “key part” in an independence coalition at Holyrood.

Alba has not but had a parliamentarian elected to both Westminster or Holyrood, with the celebration’s two MPs, Neale Hanvey and Kenny MacAskill, each defecting from the SNP to Alba after being elected.

Speaking in regards to the help for his celebration, Mr Salmond mentioned “these things take time”, including that “political parties take time to establish themselves”.

With Holyrood elections fought utilizing proportional illustration, Mr Salmond continued: “The target for Alba is to get 15% of the vote on the regional list vote, that will get us about 24 seats.

“And if the playing cards fall appropriately we will be a key a part of an independence coalition in that parliament.”

That coalition should then proceed “when it comes to looking for a mandate to barter independence”, Mr Salmond said, saying “the referendum route has been blocked, partly because of the techniques employed by Nicola”.

He also insisted he still had “one thing to contribute” in the fight for Scottish independence.

Mr Salmond said: “The vote did not go the best way I wished it to however at the very least we had the mechanism for folks to train the proper of self-determination, and I believe I might assist contribute to that once more.”