Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond dies

The Scottish Independence Party announced on Saturday that former First Minister Alex Salmond, a passionate supporter of Scottish independence, has died at the age of 69.

The party wrote on its “X” platform: “He was a giant of the independence movement.”

Party members did not disclose the cause of Salmond’s death, but British media reported that he had fallen ill after giving a speech in northern Macedonia.

Salmond was born on December 31, 1954 in Linlithgow, near Edinburgh, and his career was marked by the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence (which was rejected by 55% of the vote), in which the “yes” camp he led suffered a bitter defeat.

He then resigned as leader of the Scottish Government, a position he had held since 2007, handing power to Nicola Sturgeon.

In 2020, Salmond was acquitted of sexual assault charges, and in 2021, he formed a new party, Alba, to return to power, but his bid failed in the election.

On Saturday, there were reactions from across the UK political spectrum paying tribute to one of the most important figures in modern Scottish history.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Salmond as “a major figure in Scottish and British politics who left a lasting legacy”.

His Conservative predecessor, Rishi Sunak, hailed Salmond as “a major figure in our politics” and said: “His talent for debate and his passion for politics are undeniable. May he rest in peace.”