ALEX Salmond has said his “biggest political mistake” was resigning as leader of the SNP after losing the 2014 independence referendum.

As part of a series of exclusive interviews, the former first minster told National columnist Lesley Riddoch that he either “misjudged” his successor Nicola Sturgeon or “she changed”, as he claimed a lot of politicians now in the SNP do not have independence “high on their priority list”.

Salmond described how he felt the party was well set for a 10 to 15-year project after he stepped down which would achieve self-determination for Scotland, but the SNP had since let in too many people who “are not prepared to sacrifice anything” to get it.

Asked what his biggest political mistake was, the Alba Party leader said: “Resigning. That was a mistake.

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“I thought things were well set for the future, I didn’t actually think independence could fail in a 10 to 15 year project. I thought the people who were going to carry it forward were in it because they believed in independence.

“I didn’t realise that, I think as the SNP became more successful, it managed to acquire a whole range of people who, I’m not saying wouldn’t quite like independence if it happened to pop along, but certainly weren’t prepared to sacrifice anything to get it.

“I grew up in the SNP and I had fearsome arguments with people like Gordon Wilson [former SNP leader]. I was his deputy leader and I disagreed with him on strategy and just about everything.

“But I never doubted for a minute that Gordon was wholeheartedly committed to Scottish independence. I’m afraid I look at the leadership and certainly the MSPs, and a range of the MPs, of the SNP now and I don’t think independence ranks very high in their list of priorities.”

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Riddoch then asked Salmond whether it was a mistake for him to encourage and support Sturgeon, to which he replied: “I didn’t mention Nicola’s name at all. Either I misjudged her or she changed. You’ll have to decide which one it will be.”

He went on to criticise her for taking the issue of Scottish independence to the Supreme Court, a move he described as a “mistake of catastrophic proportions”.

But he insisted it can be “remedied” by using the next Scottish Parliament election as an electoral test for independence and not simply a signpost to negotiate another referendum.

After launching Alba’s manifesto on Wednesday, Salmond has said Alba will produce their “final document” at the 2026 Scottish Parliament election when he claims his party will “sweep the country” with an aim to clinch 24 seats.