Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon did not speak to each other at a farewell bash for late James Bond star Sir Sean Connery.
The Nationalist heavyweights attended the swanky event at Dalmeny Estate near Edinburgh separately amid a growing feud. Sturgeon and her predecessor as First Minister fell out spectacularly over her Government’s botched probe into sexual harassment claims against Salmond.
Salmond had wanted Sturgeon to intervene, but she refused and they have not spoken in around four years.
Their relationship was further strained by a Holyrood investigation into the unlawful Government probe which Sturgeon believes was used by Salmond’s allies to try and bring her down. As revealed by the Record, Connery’s wife Micheline and other family members attended the lavish celebration for the 007 legend last week after he died in 2020.
It is understood Sturgeon attended the event briefly before travelling to the airport, but no words were exchanged with Salmond and no private meeting was arranged. One insider said it may have been the first time the pair had been in the same room together since their acrimonious falling out.
Connery was a lifelong supporter of independence who also made generous donations to the SNP. He was closer to Salmond than Sturgeon and is believed to have had misgivings about a doomed SNP leadership bid she made in 2004.
The bad blood between the two longest-serving First Ministers was confirmed by Sturgeon during an Edinburgh Festival interview this month. She was asked by presenter Iain Dale whether she had been in touch with Salmond recently.
“Nope,” she responded. Asked if she thought she ever would, she replied: “Nope.”
Sturgeon posted a gushing tribute to Sir Sean when he passed away, saying she was “heartbroken”. She tweeted: “Our nation today mourns one of her best loved sons.”
Micheline travelled to the Dalmeny Estate for the event after arriving in Scotland in a specially hired luxury train. The entourage arrived aboard the privately hired Royal Scotsman train, owned by the Louis Vuitton group, at Edinburgh’s Waverley Station.
Connery’s family reportedly spent last week scattering his ashes around the country at his favourite spots.
Salmond told the Record: “I attended the memorial service last Thursday in honour of one of the greatest Scots who ever lived. Sean was a personal friend for thirty years.
“I would have been happy to speak to anyone at the event but at no time did I see Nicola or was even aware that she had managed to attend. I am pleased to learn that she did.”
The Scottish Government has been contacted.
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