Neil backs Salmond in unity move

Alex Neil is supporting Mr Salmond, but not Ms Sturgeon

One of Alex Salmond's former arch-rivals has surprised Scottish National Party members by publicly backing his bid to become leader.

Alex Neil said the one-time SNP chief was someone who could unite the party.

However, he does not back Mr Salmond's deputy leader running-mate Nicola Sturgeon.

The declaration came on the day the other leadership candidates, Mike Russell and Roseanna Cunningham, revealed their manifestos.

Mr Neil explained on Wednesday that he was supporting Mr Salmond after seeing his left-of-centre manifesto, which included the abolition of student loans, a written constitution for Scotland and lowering the voting age to 16.

I want bygones to be bygones. We all need to work together for the future of the party Alex Neil

He said: "The first is that I obviously support the social democratic values he is putting forward in his manifesto.

"The second is that he is the best placed candidate to unite the party.

"The third is that he is best placed to maximise the SNP vote."

Mr Neil announced on 3 July that he would not be standing in the leadership contest, and said at that time that Alex Salmond and Fergus Ewing had effectively vetoed his candidacy by saying they would not work with him as leader.

But he said: "I am not going to hold any grudges.

"I want bygones to be bygones. We all need to work together for the future of the party."

However, Mr Neil said he would be supporting left-winger Christine Grahame for the deputy post and not Ms Sturgeon.

Positive future

On hearing that Mr Neil had endorsed Mr Salmond, Ms Cunningham said: "I suspect I share some of the sense of bemusement that many people in the party are feeling about the announcement.

"All I can say is this is a declaration of support from a man who said he would endorse nobody, and is announcing his support for the man who said he wouldn't stand."

Both Ms Cunningham and Mr Russell have unveiled their respective manifestos in an effort to win support for the election, the outcome of which will be known on 3 September.

Mr Salmond launched his campaign earlier this month, pledging to be first minister by 2007.

The three politicians are vying for the position being vacated by current leader John Swinney who is standing down after four years in the post.

Roseanna Cunningham and Mike Russell want to be SNP leader

Ms Cunningham is the SNP's deputy leader and its environment and rural affairs spokeswoman.

The Perth MSP, who has represented the constituency since 1995, said she would spearhead a positive future for the SNP.

Ms Cunningham dismissed any leadership challenge from outside the Scottish Parliament.

She said: "It is a matter of some concern to me that there are some people who now believe that somehow we can be led from one removed.

"I do not believe that is going to be a viable prospect for the SNP.

'Radical change'

"We are the national party of Scotland and this is Scotland's parliament and I believe political leadership, particularly in the SNP, should emanate from the Scottish Parliament."

She has outlined a strategy to highlight and push forward policies decided by party members.

Mr Russell was the SNP's chief executive and election campaign director from 1994 until his election in 1999.

He was a list MSP until the elections in May 2003 when he lost his South of Scotland seat.

Shortly after announcing his intention to stand for the leadership, he said it would take "courage" to undertake the radical change needed to transform the party's electoral fortunes.

His ideas include low taxation, a new approach to Nato, a "severe curtailment" of the whipping system in parliament, a new recruitment scheme encouraging all SNP members to bring one other person into the party and financial reforms.