Alex Salmond, the former Scottish First Minister who almost secured Scotland’s independence from the UK, died at the age of 69, according to AP News.
Salmond died in the North Macedonia lake-resort town of Ohrid, according to a statement from the office of former North Macedonia President Gjorge Ivanov.
Unfortunately, Alex Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland who was one of the panellists at yesterday’s cultural diplomacy forum that was held in Ohrid, died suddenly today.
The ex-First Minister brought Scotland to the brink of independence in the 2014 referendum. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the Labour Party called him a “monumental figure” in both Scottish and British politics.
“He leaves behind a lasting legacy. As first minister of Scotland, he cared deeply about Scotland’s heritage, history and culture, as well as the communities he represented.”
Salmond served as First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014 and was leader of the Scottish National Party from 1990 to 2000 and from 2004 to 2014. His campaign for independence won 45 per cent of the vote, with his long-time ally Nicola Sturgeon taking his place as leader.
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 Salmond was charged with sexual assault and attempted rape in 2019, but he was acquitted after a trial in March 2020.
He won a seat in the UK Parliament in 1987, and in the late 1990s he supported Tony Blair’s Labour government in creating an autonomous Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. Scotland then experienced self-government for the first time since uniting with England in 1707.
Salmond also managed to persuade the government of Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron to call a referendum. Although the pro-independence campaign lost, Salmond’s SNP succeeded in capitalising on its support and has dominated Scottish politics ever since.
However, it suffered a huge defeat in this year’s UK general election, losing an overwhelming majority of seats in the House of Commons to Labour. The next Scottish election is due to take place in 2026.
