Alex Salmond has ruled out using the forthcoming general election to win a second independence referendum, insisting instead the vote in May will be about forcing the pro-UK parties to deliver "real home rule" for Scotland.

The former first minister said that the "vow" of more powers that was made just before the independence ballot had been crucial in determining its result, as he argued that Scotland should now get "as near to federalism as we can get in the UK" as a result.

In his first major interview since the September 18 referendum, the former SNP leader - who is putting himself forward to be a candidate for the Westminster elections - said his party could win a "barrowload" of MPs in May.

In an interview, Mr Salmond said: "We are not campaigning for a second referendum - we've had a referendum."

But he argued there was "massive evidence" that Scotland wanted "home rule", which he described as being the full devolution of all domestic matters and taxation, with just foreign affairs and defence reserved to Westminster.

Mr Salmond said: "This Westminster election is about delivering to Scotland what was promised in the referendum and the things that people are entitled to see."

He said that was "real home rule, devo to the max or as near federalism as we can get in the UK - that is what was promised and what should be delivered".

He added: "I am determined, we should all be determined that these promises are now redeemed."

The former nationalist leader said the way to best achieve that was "to elect a block of SNP MPs" to Westminster, to put pressure on the main parties there to deliver more powers for Scotland.

Although the SNP was part of the Smith Commission, which agreed a package of further devolution in the wake of the referendum, the party continues to argue that this deal does not go far enough.

While Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband all pledged significant additional powers for Scotland in the run-up to the independence vote, Mr Salmond said the intervention of former prime minister Gordon Brown had been crucial in convincing the public to vote No.

The former first minister said: "At the last minute an offer was made. I had discounted it on the basis of the people who had made the offer - Cameron, Clegg and Miliband - had no credibility. An offer without credibility isn't worth much at all.

"The problem was Gordon Brown, I didn't anticipate him coming in. I didn't think he would take over the campaign.

"And for one reason or another, and a reason I've not been able to quite understand, Gordon has credibility. Therefore a vow from Gordon was more influential."

But Mr Salmond said that while the "vow" had helped the pro-union parties win the referendum, they would have to "pay the consequences" if they failed to deliver on it.

He said: "You can win a battle but lose a war. And the nature of what they did allowed them to win the referendum, but they are now certainly going to lose the peace because of the offer they made.

"They are now in a position where either they redeem the offer - this devo to the max - or alternatively pay the consequences.

"Right now they are paying the consequences. You can take a quick trick but still lose the game, and I think they took a quick trick."

After the referendum defeat, Mr Salmond, who had been first minister for more than seven years, announced he was stepping down from that job and also the post of SNP leader.

He announced last month that he is candidate for the SNP nomination for the Gordon constituency in Aberdeenshire in the general election. The seat shares some areas with his Aberdeenshire East Holyrood constituency and is currently represented by Liberal Democrat Sir Malcolm Bruce, who is retiring from the Commons in May.