Credit:PA
Alex Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland, has unexpectedly passed away aged 69.
The prominent Scottish independence campaigner collapsed after delivering a speech in North Macedonia on Saturday, it has been reported.
Salmond served as first minister of Scotland from 2007. He stood down from the role after failing to secure independence in the 2014 referendum, handing over to his deputy, Nicola Sturgeon.
He began his second stint as SNP leader in 2004, securing power in Holyrood in 2007. That was followed by a sweeping victory in Scottish parliamentary elections in 2011 – the precursor to the independence vote.
Salmond eventually resigned from the SNP in 2018 in the wake of sexual harassment allegations, forming and leading the rival Alba party. He was cleared of all criminal charges in 2020, following a trial.
Anas Sarwar, leader of Scottish Labour, said the “sad news of Alex Salmond’s passing today will come as a shock to all who knew him in Scotland, across the UK and beyond”.
He described him as “a central figure in politics over three decades and his contribution to the Scottish political landscape cannot be overstated”.
