NICOLA STURGEON’S claim that Alex Salmond would rather have seen the SNP “destroyed” than have it succeed without him was slammed as “without shame or honour” today.

The Glasgow Southside MSP made the remarks in her new memoir, arguing that her one-time mentor “wanted to destroy” her after she had succeeded him as first minister in 2014.

Referring to an investigation into charges of sexual misconduct by Mr Salmond, of which he was cleared in 2020, Ms Sturgeon further claimed he admitted the “substance” of one complaint had been true.

Kenny McAskill, Mr Salmond’s lifelong friend and successor Alba Party leader said: “It is Nicola Sturgeon who has demeaned the office of first minister and who has been shown to be without shame or honour in besmirching a man now dead.

“Alex Salmond was acquitted on all charges and it was Sturgeon’s government which was found to have acted unlawfully, unfairly and tainted with apparent bias.

“The break in friendship came from her when she turned on [the] mentor who had made her, politically.

“Shamefully she continued to do so even when he is dead.”