Nicola Sturgeon says Alex Salmond is ‘not someone I want in my life’

The former First Minister said reconciliation with her predecessor was “not something I want” and she felt “indifference” towards him rather than anger.

She said, “We don’t have long on this planet, we only have a limited amount of time to spend with people.”

“I want to spend the time that I have with people who make me happy and who I like and enjoy spending time with.”

She also said it was “really sad” as former executives attempted to reclaim their old jobs.

Earlier this week, Mr Salmond said he hoped he and Ms Sturgeon, who have not spoken to each other since the controversial sexual harassment allegations against him in 2018, would reconcile.

However, when Ms Sturgeon appeared on the Edinburgh Fringe on broadcaster Iain Dale’s All Talk Show at the Pleasance EICC, she knew that wasn’t going to happen.

Asked about the Alba party leader’s remark, Ms Sturgeon said she would be “very surprised if he was serious”.

She continued, “What I’m about to say really doesn’t come from anger, certainly not any more — maybe it would have been different at different times in recent years.”

“It doesn’t come from anger, but maybe more from indifference than anger.

“I don’t foresee that [a reconciliation]. That’s not something I want.

“I was very close to Alex for a long, long time. Together we have achieved great things. I’ll always be proud of that and I’m not trying to rewrite history here.

“But in recent years, I don’t know, he’s proven to be someone I don’t want in my life, who I don’t want to have a special relationship with.

“I don’t judge anyone who has a different opinion. But we don’t have long on this planet, we only have a limited amount of time to spend with people.

“I want to spend the time that I have with people who make me happy and who I like and enjoy spending time with.

“Like I said, it doesn’t come from anger anymore. I’ve been through the full spectrum of emotions with Alex over the past few years and I’m at a point now where there are, yes, other people I’d rather spend time with.”

The comments caused an uproar throughout the room.

Ms. Sturgeon worked alongside Mr. Salmond at the helm of the SNP for ten years and served as his vice-president when he made his comeback as party leader in 2004.

After serving as his deputy at Holyrood for three years, she became Deputy First Minister when the SNP came to power in 2007, a position she held until replacing him as FM in 2014.

Without mentioning Mr Salmond, Ms Sturgeon also previously said it was “really sad” to see former politicians chasing after their old jobs and pretending they could make a comeback.

When asked if she could ever return as First Minister, she emphatically replied, “No!”

She said: “There’s something really sad about someone who’s done the kind of work I’ve done and then walked off the stage… I just don’t want to be the kind of ex-executive who always exudes that sense of self. “I just wish I was back in the job.

“I had my time as First Minister. It was the privilege of my life. I’ve had my time. I look forward to the next phase of my life and to doing other things.”