Alex Salmond will not stand in general election

Mr Salmond told reporters about his ambitions to secure 15% of the vote and 20 seats at the Holyrood election in 2026.

He said the Scottish Parliament elections were his “priority” and criticised the first TV debate of the general election for failing to mention Scotland.

“The fact that this is the case when the SNP currently is the third biggest party in the Westminster parliament is quite extraordinary and I’m afraid it’s a signpost to that party’s failure to impose Scotland onto the Westminster political debate,” he said.

He said the Alba Party believed in granting new oil and gas licences in the North Sea, an issue that Scottish party leaders clashed on during a TV debate on Monday night.

Under Alba Party proposals, carbon capture would be a condition of obtaining such licences.

Mr Salmond said the tax rate on oil and gas licences should not be increased and jobs would be saved by not cutting investment allowances.

The party would also push for a public share of at least 15% in every major offshore windfarm.

Mr Salmond said an independent Scotland under the Alba Party would apply for immediate entry into the European Free Trade Association with an aim to eventually re-enter the European Union.

And he said Alba would protect the rights of women and girls “in the face of moves to enforce gender self-identification which involves a sacrifice of women’s protected spaces.”