Former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond dies

Former first minister of Scotland Alex Salmond has died aged 69.

Mr Salmond, who led the Scottish National Party between 1990 and 2000 and then again between 2004 and 2014, was a prominent figure in the country's nationalist movement.

The second time around he used his mandate as first minister to hold a referendum on Scottish independence in 2014.

The "Yes Scotland" campaign was defeated and he resigned as a result.

At the time of his death, he had been the leader of the nationalist Alba Party since 2021.

Reports in Scotland suggest he collapsed after giving a speech in North Macedonia this morning.

A Facebook post from the page of Gjorge Ivanov, former President of the Republic of Macedonia, showed Mr Salmond at a forum held in Ohrid, North Macedonia.

'A titan of the independence movement'

Mr Salmond's former party, the SNP, said in a statement on X that his "leadership brought the SNP into the mainstream and the Scottish Government. He was a titan of the independence movement."

Nicola Sturgeon, who was Mr Salmond's deputy party leader for seven years, said she was "shocked and sorry" to learn of his death.

The pair had a strained relationship in recent years after Mr Salmond faced sexual harassment allegations, which she acknowledged in her statement about his death.

"Obviously, I cannot pretend that the events of the past few years which led to the breakdown of our relationship did not happen, and it would not be right for me to try.

"However, it remains the fact that for many years Alex was an incredibly significant figure in my life. He was my mentor, and for more than a decade we formed one of the most successful partnerships in UK politics.

"Alex modernised the SNP and led us into government for the first time, becoming Scotland's fourth First Minister and paving the way for the 2014 referendum which took Scotland to the brink of independence."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Mr Salmond "leaves behind a lasting legacy" and was "a monumental figure of Scottish and UK politics".

"As First Minister of Scotland he cared deeply about Scotland's heritage, history and culture, as well as the communities he represented as MP and MSP over many years of service," said the PM.

Salmond 'fought fearlessly for the country that he loved'

First Minister of Scotland John Swinney said: "Over many years, Alex made an enormous contribution to political life - not just within Scotland, but across the UK and beyond.

"Alex worked tirelessly and fought fearlessly for the country that he loved and for her independence. He took the Scottish National Party from the fringes of Scottish politics into Government and led Scotland so close to becoming an independent country."

Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also paid tribute, writing on X: "Alex Salmond was a huge figure in our politics. While I disagreed with him on the constitutional question, there was no denying his skill in debate or his passion for politics. May he rest in peace."

Anas Sarwar, the leader of Scottish Labour, wrote in a statement: "Alex was a central figure in politics for over three decades and his contribution to the Scottish political landscape can not be overstated.

"It is right that we recognise Alex's service to our country as First Minister and to the communities he represented as both MP and MSP."

'We disagreed on almost everything'

"We disagreed on almost everything, but I always respected his intellect and political nous," wrote former leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson on X, and sent her "sincere sympathies" to his wife and family.

Douglas Ross, another former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said Mr Salmond had a "huge impact" on the whole of Scotland.

He added: "While we had opposing political views, he was a towering figure in Scottish politics which he dominated for many years.

"My thoughts are with Moira and his family and friends at this difficult time."

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