ALEX Salmond has said there is no "exact number" for what would constitute a supermajority for independence in the Scottish Parliament.

The former first minister's Alba Party has repeatedly used the supermajority slogan to encourage voters to back it on Holyrood's regional list. 

The party aims to pick up list votes that would otherwise be “wasted” on the SNP to achieve a supermajority for Yes, putting pressure on Boris Johnson to grant an independence referendum.

But Mr Salmond previously refused to define what he means by an independence supermajority in terms of MSP numbers.

READ MORE: Alba Party leader Alex Salmond refuses to define what he means by an 'independence supermajority'

The 2016 Scotland Act defines a supermajority as two-thirds of MSPs, meaning 86 of the 129 at Holyrood.

Asked about the issue at a virtual press conference, Mr Salmond said: "The stronger the majority for independence, the stronger Scotland's hand becomes with Westminster.

"We weren't trying to put a two-thirds figure on it."

He added: "The more MSPs support independence, the more super the majority is."

Mr Salmond said recent polling indicated there could be almost 80 pro-independence MSPs in the next Parliament. 

He added: "80 is not the limit, nor do we have an exact number. 

"The more independence-supporting MSPs, the more super the majority becomes. 

"The more there is a supermajority, the stronger the Scottish Parliament's influence in the independence negotiations will become, and the stronger Scotland's hand becomes in seeing off Boris Johnson or whoever is there by the time we come to the negotiations."