Nicola Sturgeon rules out reconciliation with Alex Salmond

Nicola Sturgeon took over from Alex Salmond as Scotland's first minister

Nicola Sturgeon has ruled out any potential reconciliation with her predecessor Alex Salmond.

The former first minister told a fringe event with broadcaster Iain Dale that a reunion between the SNP figureheads was not something she could foresee or wanted.

On Wednesday, Alex Salmond refused to rule out a reconciliation stating "never say never".

Ms Sturgeon served as deputy first minister to Mr Salmond for seven years.

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Responding to a question asked by an audience member, Ms Sturgeon said: "I was very close to Alex for a long, long time. We achieved great things together and I'll always be proud of that.

"I'm not trying to re-write history here but over recent years he has revealed himself to be somebody that I don't want to have in my life, I don't particularly want to have a relationship with.

"We don't have long on this planet, we've got a limited amount of time to spend with people. I want to spend the time I have with people who make me happy and who I like."

Ms Sturgeon added that her opinion of Mr Salmond no longer came from a place of anger, but from a place of indifference.

The pair had a close working relationship for many years, but they fell out when allegations of sexual harassment were made against Mr Salmond by two female civil servants in 2018.

The complaints were made after Ms Sturgeon asked for new government policies on sexual harassment to be put in place. Mr Salmond believed the policy was aimed at him.

He was acquitted of all charges following a court case.

Ms Sturgeon was also interviewed by broadcaster Iain Dale at last year's Edinburgh Fringe festival

During the interview, Ms Sturgeon said she had "no idea of what was about to unfold" when she announced she was stepping down as SNP leader and first minister, and that she "wouldn't have been able to function in that period" had she been aware of the next steps in the police investigation.

Ms Sturgeon resigned in February and her husband Peter Murrell stood down as chief executive of the SNP a month later, after he took responsibility for misleading the media about party membership numbers.

Their home in Glasgow was searched just a few weeks later and Mr Murrell was arrested in connection with a long-running investigation into SNP finances. A luxury motorhome which sells for about £110,000 was then seized by police from outside the home of Mr Murrell's mother in Dunfermline.

The SNP treasurer Colin Beattie was also later arrested.

Faith in police

The arrest of Ms Sturgeon in June led to calls from political opponents for her to be suspended from the party.

None of the three has been charged and Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly said she is innocent.

In the Fringe interview the former first minister said she recognised that the "police have a job to do" adding that she has "faith" in them to do so.

She said the months since her arrest had been "traumatic" but had helped her find a new "depth of resilience".

Ms Sturgeon also revealed that one of turning points leading to her decision to resign came when she heard the news New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden was stepping down.

She said while it was not a main factor, when watching the announcement on television she had an "overwhelming emotion" of envy and remembers thinking "I wish that was me".