Tributes to the titan of Scottish politics, Alex Salmond, dies at 69

Minutes before his sudden death, Alex Salmond castigated the Scottish nationalists for being duped by Westminster.

Alex Salmond’s last public words were: “Scotland is a country, not a county”. The titan of Scottish independence, the former first minister of Scotland and the leader of the Scottish independence party Alba, has died suddenly in North Macedonia after delivering a speech on Saturday.

He was 69.

Mr Salmond was one of the most influential political personalities in British politics. He led the Scottish Nationalist Party to an overall majority in 2011 and he immediately pushed for a vote on independence. That vote, held a decade ago, failed by ten points, 55 to 45 and the close result shocked Westminster.

Mr Salmond then resigned from the party, allowing his deputy Nicola Sturgeon to take charge but the two fell out spectacularly when in 2018 he was accused, and then cleared, of sexual assault against nine women.

Mr Salmond claimed his accusers made deliberate fabrications for a political purpose. Mr Salmond then created the Alba Party three years ago to counter declining popularity of the Scottish Nationalists, which had supported far left positions, including on gender identity.

Political colleagues and rivals all expressed shock at Mr Salmond’s death given that he had a larger than life personality and had not shown any signs of illness.

Ms Sturgeon said she was both “shocked and sorry”.

Salmond speaks to journalists in central London in 2016. Picture: AFP

“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,’’ she said.

“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.”

Scottish First Minister John Swinney said he was deeply shocked and saddened at the news and extended condolences to Mr Salmond’s wife Moira and his family.

Mr Swinney said “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 First Minister Humza Yousaf said he and Mr Salmond had obviously had differences but praised his enormous contribution he made to Scottish and UK politics.

British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said “for more than 30 years Alex Salmond was a monumental figure of Scottish and UK politics. He leaves behind a lasting legacy. My thoughts are with those who knew him, his family and his loved ones. On behalf of the UK government I offer them our condolences today’’.

Born on New Year’s Eve in 1954 in Linlithgow, Alexander Salmond studied economics at St Andrews University working for the Scottish Office and the Royal Bank of Scotland. His feisty and sometimes brash personality meant he was a rising star of the SNP and he repositioned it to be pro-European. He also had a life long love of horse racing.

On Saturday Mr Salmond had tweeted concerns that Mr Sweeney had willingly engaged in joint meetings with the British government. He said having a convivial group selfie with “the political opponent who is freezing Scots pensioners’’, referring to prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, was part of a plan to pull any independence teeth from devolution.

He added: “It is designed to diminish the status of our parliament and the First Minister. Part of becoming independent is about thinking independently, not subserviently. John should have politely declined the meeting with the words “Scotland is a country not a county”.