Alex Salmond's sister and niece have given Kenny MacAskill their backing to be Alba Party leader.
The endorsements of Gail Hendry and her daughter Christina - who spoke at her uncle's St Andrew's Day memorial service in St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh - follow those of Mr Salmond's widow Moira.
The support of the late former First Minister's close family members for Mr MacAskill comes days after his opponent Alba MSP Ash Regan told The Herald that Mr Salmond thought she should be leader.
Mr MacAskill, who grew up with Mr Salmond in Linlithgow and was a close friend and political ally of Mr Salmond since the 1970s, is currently acting leader having taken on the role when Alba leader and founder Mr Salmond died suddenly in North Macedonia in October aged 69.
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Backing the former justice secretary, Christina Hendry, convener, Alba Youth, told The Herald: "Kenny joined the Alba Party when it was formed and I have enjoyed campaigning with him in the years that followed.
"In 2021 I stood on the regional list for Holyrood alongside Kenny and learned many campaigning skills from him. As a lifelong supporter of independence, I've heard many a story of the times he spent with my uncle Alex, both as fellow campaigners and as close friends.
"I believe with Kenny's experience - helping to form the first Nationalist Scottish Government with my uncle, his time as Cabinet Secretary for Justice, and latterly as depute leader of the Alba Party, Kenny has the skills required to lead the Party forward as we continue to prioritise the campaign for Scottish independence."
Gail Hendry, convener, Alba Borders, said: "I have known Kenny MacAskill for decades, and remember as a young girl watching a teenage Kenny in Linlithgow playing football in the park with my big brother, Alex Salmond.
"In the years that have followed I have always found him to be principled and trustworthy. Kenny's commitment to independence for Scotland has never waivered and I can see how it drives everything he does in politics. He is passionate and knowledgeable and I would be very proud to work with Kenny as the Alba Party leader to help win back our Scottish independence."
Mr MacAskill was justice secretary in Mr Salmond's government from 2007 to 2014.
He was an SNP MSP from 1999 to 2016. He was elected as an SNP MP in 2019 but defected to Alba when the party was set up by Mr Salmond in 2021 amid a bitter row with his successor as SNP First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. He lost his East Lothian seat at the general election last year.
Mr MacAskill told The Herald he was delighted to win the backing of Gail and Christina Hendry along with that of Moira Salmond.
He was asked about Ms Regan saying Mr Salmond wanted her to be leader.
"I think that is a matter for her," he said.
"I am the acting leader, I was the deputy leader. Had Alex not died there would have been a conference in November. I would have stood as deputy leader. I was not aware of any challenge coming."
He added: "It was never mentioned to me. Alex and I were remarkably close. I am surprised at what Ash said. Certainly there was never any discussion with Alex and myself and we were close from the outset of Alba until he died."
He dismissed claims by Ms Regan that he was planning to retire.
"I have no plans to retire. I took a month off after the general election to work in the garden which was very therapeutic. Since then I have been engaged on writing a book...along with doing the Alba functions.
"But I have no desire to retire which is why I am writing a book [on statues to Robert Burns around the world] and I am engaged politically. I think it was wishful thinking on some individuals' parts."
Asked whether he meant on Ms Regan's part, he said: "I don't know, perhaps others' who maybe speak to her."
The Herald pressed Mr MacAskill if Ms Regan had got the wrong impression that Mr Salmond wanted her to be leader and that her future rival was going to retire.
"I can't speculate, that is a matter for her. It was never discussed with Alex and I. It was certainly not known by Moira - or indeed to Gail or Christina.
"It does seem to me that Alex would have wanted her to stay to be deputy leader in Holyrood but Alex would have been group leader. He was expecting to be returned in 2026. We anticipated on him being returned."
He also revealed Mr Salmond would have considered standing at the general election for the seat of Aberdeenshire North and Moray East had it been known earlier that former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross would oust David Duguid as their party's candidate there.
Mr Ross was defeated by the SNP.
Alba meet on February 1 to decide on the timetable of the leadership contest with the winner expected to be announced towards the end of March before the party's conference.
