This article appears as part of the Unspun: Scottish Politics newsletter.

Alex Salmond was truly a thorn in the side of the SNP in the latter years of his life. His death may have left a hole in the independence cause that will now never be mended.

Whatever you thought of Alex Salmond the man, his influence on Scottish politics and the constitutional issue is rarely up for debate.

Political figures from all across the divide praised the former first minister’s commitment to his cause, but also recognised his shortfalls.

If Mr Salmond got his way, pro-independence parties would have united in an effort to become a major force for Holyrood 2026 – and he planned to be there to play his part.

But since leaving the SNP in 2018, Mr Salmond spent many of his latter political years taking swipes at his former party.

He tore apart what he described as serious flaws in the running of the SNP in the last decade, arguing his successors independence strategies had been doomed to fail.

In fact, in what would become his final social media post, the former SNP leader criticised First Minister John Swinney’s handling of Sir Keir Starmer’s Council of Nations and Regions.

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Mr Salmond said the council was used to “diminish the status” of the Scottish Parliament and urged Mr Swinney not to act “subserviently” to the Prime Minister.

Prior to his death, he had demanded his own pro-independence party Alba were given a seat at the table in 2026 to help ensure a majority in Parliament.

However, his bitter, broken relationship with his former protégé Nicola Sturgeon had probably acted as one of the biggest barriers to a potential union of independence minds.

 Mr Salmond's relationship with Ms Sturgeon and the wider SNP party soured over how the party handled sexual misconduct allegations made against him - which he was later cleared of.

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Alba Party to continue Alex Salmond's political legacy

You could say many, many things about the former first minister, and the opinions are far reaching, but he truly believed his Alba Party had future Holyrood success.

And even more than this, he genuinely thought the party was an important player in the route to Scottish independence.

After the SNP's disastrous general election result, which saw 39 MPs lose their seat, Mr Salmond argued Mr Swinney needed Alba to win over the pro-independence majority.

For the majority of journalists who cover the dramatics of Scottish politics, it seemed that Alba needed the SNP more.

To this date, it has failed at every electoral opportunity and polls do not look promising, predicting the party could fail to secure a seat in 2026.

Reflecting on the 10 years of Scottish independence, polling guru Professor Sir John Curtice said the movement was missing a real figurehead.

Alex Salmond would have believed he could have filled this slot with a return to parliament. But he said himself his relationship with key politicians like Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney may never have been mended.

By failing to mend these relationships, Alba’s future as a party of significance in the independence movement is up in the air, particularly at a time when the SNP is also in a period of transition.