ALEX Salmond refused to say three times whether Russia was behind the Salisbury poisonings as he was grilled about his programme on Kremlin-backed television.

The Alba Party leader also told BBC Good Morning Scotland that any evidence that the Russian state interfered in the 2016 US election was “very slight”, adding that any suggestion that Russia tried to meddle in the 2014 independence referendum was “laughable”.

Asked whether he believed evidence from the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that Vladimir Putin’s government has attempted to meddle in US elections, Mr Salmond suggested he was not convinced.

He said: “The evidence for that was very slight and basically the examination was very slight."

“I think that many states decide, in one way or another, to interfere in other state’s election. I don’t think they should do so and I don’t care if it’s Vladimir Putin or Barack Obama.”

The former first minister has faced widespread criticism for his weekly programme on state-backed Russia Today – which is currently suspended during the election campaign.

In 2018 then prime minister Theresa May said “there is no alternative conclusion other than the Russian state was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter” and for “threatening the lives of other British citizens in Salisbury, including Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey”.

She added: “This represents an unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United Kingdom.”

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford added: “As the Prime Minister has said, the attack on Mr Skripal and his daughter was an unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United Kingdom.”

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“He has been paid by the Russian state broadcaster for years and the result is his change from respected leader to spinning Russian propaganda lines.

“This is an incredibly important moment for voters.

“A summer of arguments between this man and other nationalist factions over the future of our country would be chaotic and poisonous.

“We can put these divisions behind us so we can put recovery first if people vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats instead.”

Scottish Conservative candidate Annie Wells added: “This car-crash interview only served to highlight again that Alex Salmond is not fit to hold public office.

“His appalling refusal to condemn Russia for the Salisbury poisonings shows how deep in the pocket he is to his Kremlin paymasters.

“Alex Salmond may not have seen the relevance of being questioned about his links with Russia but voters will be astonished at his continued lack of moral judgement.

“Scotland deserves better than the former first minister and his backers pursuing their separatist dream immediately after the election if they achieve a super-majority for independence.

“Only the Scottish Conservatives can stop the nationalists threat of another reckless referendum and guarantee our Parliament will be fully focussed on our recovery.”

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“He has been paid by the Russian state broadcaster for years and the result is his change from respected leader to spinning Russian propaganda lines.

“This is an incredibly important moment for voters.

“A summer of arguments between this man and other nationalist factions over the future of our country would be chaotic and poisonous.

“We can put these divisions behind us so we can put recovery first if people vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats instead.”

Scottish Conservative candidate Annie Wells added: “This car-crash interview only served to highlight again that Alex Salmond is not fit to hold public office.

“His appalling refusal to condemn Russia for the Salisbury poisonings shows how deep in the pocket he is to his Kremlin paymasters.

“Alex Salmond may not have seen the relevance of being questioned about his links with Russia but voters will be astonished at his continued lack of moral judgement.

“Scotland deserves better than the former first minister and his backers pursuing their separatist dream immediately after the election if they achieve a super-majority for independence.

“Only the Scottish Conservatives can stop the nationalists threat of another reckless referendum and guarantee our Parliament will be fully focussed on our recovery.”