Alba Party leader Alex Salmond refuses to blame Russia for the controversial Salisbury poisoning incident which allegedly targeted double agent Sergei Skripal.

Alex Salmond had ratcheted up the pressure on London by insisting on opening talks on Scottish independence immediately after the Holyrood election in May.

In a sign the British establishment is increasingly alarmed by the rise of the Alba Party the Daily Telegraph has drawn comparisons to the situation in Northern Ireland in the early years of the 'Troubles'.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has formally launched the SNP's campaign for May's Scottish Parliamentary election by delivering a pre-recorded message to party members and supporters.

Neale Hanvey has become the second SNP MP to defect to the newly-formed Alba party led by Scotland's former First Minister Alex Salmond.

Nicola Sturgeon has staked out a position against a new pro-independence party formed by her predecessor Alex Salmond but the jury is out on whether Salmond's initiative will help or hinder the quest for Scottish statehood.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has defeated a Tory-tabled no confidence motion in her leadership in the Scottish Parliament.