SNP minister Richard Lochhead reveals ‘profound sadness’ over rift between Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond

Veteran SNP politician Richard Lochhead has described his “profound sadness” at the split between former first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond.

In an exclusive interview with Holyrood, Lochhead – who served in the cabinets of both former party leaders – said the row was “quite traumatic” and he was “disappointed” with the way the relationship had declined.

Sturgeon served as deputy first minister under Salmond between 2007 and 2014, and succeeded him as first minister.

The pair had a close relationship but that broke down following allegations of sexual misconduct against Salmond.

He would go on to successfully sue the Scottish Government over its mishandling of these complaints, with the Court of Session ruling the investigation had been unlawful and “tainted by apparent bias”.

Salmond launched fresh legal action against the government last year, arguing that “not one single person has been held accountable” for the mishandling of the harassment inquiry.

He has accused officials close to Sturgeon of plotting against him – a claim denied by those officials and Sturgeon herself.

Reflecting on his own relationship with Salmond, Lochhead said: “There’s been lots of opportunity for reflection given everything that has happened with Alex Salmond, but for many years he had left my orbit and then of course everything happened and obviously I am so disappointed by the way things have turned out with Alex Salmond, and some of his own decisions and the journey that it has taken us to where we are today.

“Alex Salmond was the SNP. It ran through his veins, and now he is one of our most vociferous opponents.

“In politics, there are big personalities with big egos – Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and obviously different circumstances with what has happened with Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond – but what I feel is just profound sadness.”

Lochhead said the events were “quite traumatic, in a way”. He added: “That’s difficult to work through and to deal with, and it’s just very sad. On a human level, just very sad.”

The business minister had been a close friend and colleague of Salmond, including working as his office manager between 1994 and 1998, and considered him a mentor. But he revealed the pair now only occasionally speak, usually at funerals.

He said: “There is an element of disbelief that the big personalities that you worked with day in, day out are no longer there and it’s a crying shame the way things have turned out, but the years have passed, and people make misjudgements, make mistakes, and the irony that our former first minister and leader of the party is now our opponent is extraordinary.”

In the wide-ranging interview with Holyrood, he also spoke about his recent health woes. Lochhead had emergency open heart surgery in May, having collapsed at his home in Elgin. He was diagnosed with sepsis and endocarditis.

He said he has to learn to “speak and walk again” following the surgery, but that he now had a “good prognosis”.

He said: “It feels like quite a surreal experience to be honest. I didn’t at any point think I was going to die, but equally I was relaxed about the thought.

“That sounds strange but then strange things go through your mind when you’re sedated and on heavy medications. To be honest, I just thought, well, I’ve had a good life, and, you know, if this is it, this is it.

“I wouldn’t take that attitude now. I wouldn’t want to die now obviously, but it’s out of your hands in hospital, people are caring for you and you just have to resign to what’s for you. But it was much tougher for my family.”