ALEX SALMOND’S Alba Party will go on and so could his court case against the Scottish government and Nicola Sturgeon, according to acting leader Kenny MacAskill.

The lifelong friend of Mr Salmond made the remarks on BBC Radio Scotland today, following the death of the first SNP first minister on Saturday while he was in North Macedonia for a conference.

Asked about the future of the party Mr Salmond led and founded in 2021 after leaving the SNP, Mr McAskill said: “The party continues. We owe it to Alex.

“It was never the Alex Salmond party. It was Alex Salmond’s inspiration and Alex Salmond’s driving force, but the party is made up of thousands more. That legacy will continue.”

Mr Salmond’s later years were dogged by allegations of inappropriate conduct, culminating in a 2020 trial in which the charges he faced included two counts of attempted rape.

He was cleared of all charges and later won £500,000 in damages after internal investigations by the  Scottish government were judged to have been “tainted by apparent bias.”

Last year, Mr Salmond launched a new case, alleging “malfeasance” by his former friend and successor as first minister Ms Sturgeon, as well as ex-permanent secretary Leslie Evans.

Mr McAskill said it “was for the family to decide” if that case would now continue, but he argued that it would “expose, I believe, malfeasance amongst individuals and institutions that really has to be brought out to allow history to properly remember Alex Salmond.”

In a statement released on Sunday night, Mr Salmond’s family said: “Alex was a formidable politician, an amazing orator, an outstanding intellect and admired throughout the world.

“He would want us to continue with his life’s work for independence and for justice and that is what we shall do.”