Alex Salmond has claimed that Scotland should go for a "clean break" over debt with the UK during any independence talks.

The former first minister said Alba's position was for the country to pay no share of national debt after separation from the union.

It comes in contrast to when he led the SNP government during the 2014 ballot, which said Scotland would agree to pay off some of the debt as part of a settlement.

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Speaking to the Daily Record, he said: "The negotiating position of Scotland, in Alba's opinion, should be for a clean break settlement.

"That is no debt and no assets shared, of international assets we are talking about."

He added: "You'd start with effectively a zero borrowing position."

The newspaper reports that Mr Salmond said the previous position had been based on a currency union with the rest of the UK, although UK parties have ruled out the clean break option in the event of any future vote, which they also oppose. 

The former first minister also appeared to tip Kate Forbes as a potential successor for Nicola Sturgeon: He said: “One of the difficulties that Nicola’s had as First Minister is there hasn’t been an obvious successor...that people could point to and say.

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"Well, if Nicola stood down for any reason, then that’s the sort of person who could take over’ There just hasn’t been. In fact, Nicola told me herself that once.”

Salmond also admitted to the Record that claims against him dented his reputation with Scottish voters saying: “It’s just impossible to emerge from that sort of publicity without getting people thinking badly of you.”