Alex Salmond criticised the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon (Image: Getty)

       The SNP's "incompetence" in government has "hindered" the cause of Scottish independence, Alex Salmond has claimed.

       The former Scottish first minister and SNP leader admitted there would not be another independence referendum any time soon.

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       He said his successor Nicola Sturgeon's "ill-starred, ill-fated, kamikaze venture to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom" had been "just ludicrous from start to finish".

       Asked if he saw a way a second vote on independence could be held, Mr Salmond said: "No, not immediately."

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       And on whether devolution had helped or hindered the cause he has championed throughout his political career, Mr Salmond said: "It helped independence when the SNP were a competent government.

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       Humza Yousaf, John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon (Image: Getty)

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       "Obviously it has hindered independence when the SNP became an incompetent government in more recent years."

       Mr Salmond, who left the SNP in the run-up to the 2021 Holyrood elections launched the rival pro-independence Alba Party, said there was a "litany of demonstrations of incompetence" by his successors in government.

       He said his former party had been "diverted into the highways and byways of identity politics" instead of "worrying about health, education, housing, transport, finishing the A9 and so on".

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       The Scottish Government went to the UK's highest court to see if it could hold a fresh ballot without Westminster's consent during Ms Sturgeon's time in power.

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       But in November 2022 judges there unanimously ruled that the Scottish Parliament "does not have the power to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence".

       Mr Salmond's comments come after a tumultuous year for the SNP since Ms Sturgeon's shock resignation.

       The party has faced a police probe into its finances, while John Swinney this month replaced Humza Yousaf as first minister after the SNP's powersharing deal with the Scottish Greens collapsed.

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