Nicola Sturgeon has mocked Alex Salmond’s new pro-independence party by claiming it has Nigel Farage’s “seal of approval”.
The First Minister also claimed Alba may be more likely to put off undecided No voters from backing independence.
Sturgeon and Salmond have been at war over the Government’s unlawful sexual misconduct probe into him.
The bitterness escalated last month when Salmond, who used to be SNP leader and First Minister, launched Alba ahead of the Holyrood election.
He said the aim is to create a super-majority of MSPs, but Sturgeon has warned it could be seen as an attempt to “game” the system.
Farage, the right-winger who led UKIP and the Brexit Party, waded into the row this week by praising Alba.
He said: “We are very similar, Alex and I. In terms of moving the dial, this could deliver the breakthrough.”
At a press briefing, Sturgeon said: “Independence for me is about the kind of country you are trying to build. I don’t know what their vision for that is, but if it gets the Nigel Farage seal of approval, [then it’s] not necessarily a vision I would sign up to.”
She also claimed Alba, which is polling at 3%, “hinders” the independence cause and could jeopardise an SNP majority.
“We have to persuade people to support independence, win people’s trust, build confidence in independence which I think we’ve been making progress on. You can’t bulldoze your way to independence.
“I don’t think the tone and approach of the Alba party is likely, in my humble opinion, to attract undecided former No voters. I think it may be more likely to put them off.”
