Alex Salmond "played into the hands" of the Conservatives at the 2015 general election, a former SNP minister has said.

Kenny MacAskill, who stepped down as justice secretary in 2014, said Salmond's claims he could make Labour "dance to a Scottish tune" were beneficial to the Tories' election strategy.

During the campaign, the Conservatives repeatedly said Labour would be influenced by the SNP in the event of a hung parliament.

This included a poster depicting Ed Miliband in the former SNP leader's coat pocket.

MacAskill was speaking at the IdeaSpace event at the SNP conference on Friday, along with Neal Lawson, chairman of think tank Compass, MP Philippa Whitford and Jonathon Bartley, co-leader of the Greens.

The event was titled Progressive Alliance Parties Working Together.

He said: "For all Labour were hostile to this, the SNP in 2015 also played into Tory strategists' hands. The SNP did say that we would hold London's feet to the fire.

"I do remember Alex, who I am a good friend of, saying  how we would make Labour dance to a Scottish tune.

"That did play into the Tory hands and Labour have to confront that."

He added: "What we have to do is draw a line and say that election is passed, the next election is different."

MacAskill said a progressive alliance was necessary to defeat "the most odious Tory government we have ever come across".

The former MSP said: "Our people are entitled to expect the SNP to take action to protect them from the excesses of it.

"If we sacrifice them to a decade or longer of Tory rule we'll take the blame as well as others."