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Alex Salmond has died at the age of 69.

Love or loathe Mr Salmond – who was described as a “Marmite man” during his high-profile court case – few would dispute his skill and achievements as a politician.

Under the leadership of the keen golfer and horse racing fan, the SNP rose to power and became a titan party north of the border.

Some would argue if it were not for the political talent of Mr Salmond, there would have been no Scottish independence referendum at all in 2014.

Alex Salmond. File pic: AP
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Mr Salmond. File pic: AP

As the tributes flood in following his death, we take a look at the man who was once first minister of Scotland.

Mr Salmond was first elected to Westminster in 1987 as the SNP MP for Banff and Buchan – a position he retained until 2010.

In 1990, he successfully defeated Margaret Ewing in the SNP leadership contest and would go on to campaign for Scottish devolution in 1997.

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Mr Salmond’s speech after becoming SNP leader in 1990

Former SNP leader Alex Salmond gives the victory sign after speaking at the party conference in 1997. File pic: Reuters
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Mr Salmond after speaking at the SNP party conference in 1997. Pic: Reuters

In 1999, after the establishment of the Scottish Parliament as a result of devolution, he led his party through the first Scottish parliament election and became MSP for Banff and Buchan as well as leader of the opposition – with Labour in power.

From left: SNP Deputy Convenor John Swinney, Vice Convenor Nicola Sturgeon, Leader Alex Salmond and Chief Executive Mike Russell sit down outside the Holiday Inn hotel in Edinburgh after a press conference held the day after Scottish parliamentary elections.
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John Swinney, Nicola Sturgeon, Alex Salmond and Mike Russell in 1999. Pic: PA

A year later, Mr Salmond quit as SNP leader amid a series of high-profile fallouts with party members and was replaced by current first minister John Swinney.

In 2001, he then stood down from Holyrood in order to lead the SNP group at Westminster.

Following a disastrous 2004 European parliament election for the SNP, Mr Swinney stepped aside as party leader with Mr Salmond re-elected with overwhelming support from the party’s members.

Following a highly effective campaign in the 2007 Scottish election, the SNP gained 20 seats, giving the party a total of 47 seats in Holyrood – one more than Scottish Labour.

Alex Salmond and his wife Moira leave the Scottish Parliament chamber after the vote to elect him as First Minister in 2007. File pic: Reuters
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Mr Salmond and his wife Moira leaving the Scottish parliament chamber after he was elected as first minister in 2007. Pic: Reuters

Although the party didn’t have an overall majority, new Gordon MSP Mr Salmond became first minister of Scotland in 2007.

File photo dated 24/05/07 of Queen Elizabeth II meets Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond at Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh. The former Scotland first minister and current Alba Party leader has died aged 69. Issue date: Saturday October 12, 2024.
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The late Queen Elizabeth II and Mr Salmond at Holyroodhouse in 2007. Pic: PA

In the 2011 Scottish elections, the SNP secured the first outright majority in the history of the Scottish parliament, and Mr Salmond won a second term as first minister while MSP for the new constituency of Aberdeenshire East.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hold copies of the White Paper after it was launched at the Science Centre in Glasgow. The Scottish Government has published its white paper on independence, outlining how it believes a Yes vote in next year's referendum could pave the way for a new era for the nation.
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Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon launching the White Paper in 2013. Pic: PA

In 2012, Mr Salmond signed an agreement with then British prime minister David Cameron to hold a referendum on Scottish independence in 2014.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon they launch a paper today at Alexander Denis coach manufacturers outlining the nations key economic strength as an independent country.
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Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon pictured in May 2013 while launching a paper on the economic case for independence. Pic: PA

First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond chats to school children at Strichen Primary School in Strichen, as polls have opened on a historic day for Scotland as voters determine whether the country should remain part of the United Kingdom.
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Then first minister Mr Salmond on polling day in 2014. Pic: PA

The historic event – which would have seen Scotland break away from the rest of the UK – took place on 18 September 2014 and saw more than two million people (55.3%) vote No and 1.6 million (44.7%) vote Yes.

Following the defeat, Mr Salmond stepped down as first minister and SNP leader and was replaced by Nicola Sturgeon.

In an interview with Sky News to mark the 10th anniversary of the independence referendum, Mr Salmond said he started to write his concession speech when the first result was declared.

First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond during a press conference at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh after Scotland rejected independence in the Scottish independence referendum.
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Mr Salmond following the Scottish independence referendum. Pic: PA

Mr Salmond returned to the Commons as MP for Gordon in the 2015 general election but was ousted in the 2017 election by Conservative Colin Clark.

The loss marked the first time since 1987 that Mr Salmond was not in an elected position at either Westminster or Holyrood.

Mr Salmond would go on to launch The Alex Salmond Show on RT, the former Russia Today channel editorially controlled and funded by the Russian government.

Mr Salmond was criticised by Scottish politicians over the decision to host it on RT, with Ms Sturgeon saying she would have advised against it.

a party leader Alex Salmond and Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (left) during a ALBA Special National Assembly meeting of over 300 independence activists at the Charteris Centre in Edinburgh. He said the case for breaking the impasse on independence by forcing a Holyrood election this year to act as a 'defacto referendum' on independence this year rather than waiting for a Westminster election next year. Picture date: Saturday January 14, 2023.
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Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh with Mr Salmond last year. Pic: PA

The show, which also featured Mr Salmond’s protege Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, was suspended following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Not to be stopped, a new show titled Scotland Speaks with Alex Salmond launched a year later via Turkish public broadcaster TRT. The first episode featured an interview with Hollywood actor Brian Cox.

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Sky News’ Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies speaks about Mr Salmond’s career

Before that, however, Mr Salmond resigned from the SNP in August 2018 in the face of allegations of sexual misconduct while first minister.

Mr Salmond said he wanted to avoid internal division within the party amid calls to suspend him.

Denying any wrongdoing, Mr Salmond vowed to re-join the SNP once he had an opportunity to clear his name.

Mr Salmond went on to take the Scottish government to court to challenge the complaints procedure which had been activated against him.

The investigation was deemed by a judicial review to have been “tainted by apparent bias”, with Mr Salmond awarded £512,000 as a result.

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In January 2019, Mr Salmond was arrested by Police Scotland and charged with 14 offences, including two counts of attempted rape, nine sexual assaults, two indecent assaults, and one breach of the peace.

In March 2020, Mr Salmond was cleared of all charges. A jury found him not guilty of 12 charges, one charge was dropped by prosecutors during the trial, while another charge was found not proven.

File photo dated 18/02/20 of Alex Salmond arriving at the High Court in Glasgow for a preliminary hearing in his attempted rape case. The former Scotland first minister and current Alba Party leader has died aged 69. Issue date: Saturday October 12, 2024.
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Mr Salmond arriving at the High Court in Glasgow in 2020. Pic: PA

During a procedural hearing of the case, reporting of which was banned until the end of the trial, Mr Salmond’s defence team claimed the Scottish government and those working there turned to the criminal process to try to “discredit” him after he won the civil case into how the administration handled sexual harassment complaints against him.

Details heard during the trial were devastating to Mr Salmond’s public image, with allegations of bullying and demanding behaviour.

Defence advocate Gordon Jackson KC put it to the court that Mr Salmond was a “touchy-feely kind of person”.

Jurors heard details of inappropriate behaviour, including Mr Salmond admitting that he had a “sleepy cuddle” with one complainer and sexual contact with two complainers, neither of them his wife, Moira.

In his closing speech, Mr Jackson described his client as a “Marmite man” as well as someone who “could have been a better man”.

Two subsequent inquiries into the conduct of ministers and officials saw Mr Salmond asserting his belief that many in his former party had colluded against him in an effort to block any final return to frontline politics.

After being cleared, Mr Salmond vowed that evidence of a plot to discredit him would “see the light of day”.

M.S.P's Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party Leadership contenders) enjoy a special campaign curry made up of a cavier based starter called" Sturgeon and Spicy Dip" (for Nicola Sturgeon) and a salmon based main course called" Imli Salmon Blast" (for Alex Salmond) at the Raj Restaurant in Edinburgh.
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Ms Sturgeon and Mr Salmond during happier times in their friendship. Pic: PA

While once great friends, the sexual harassment allegations and subsequent court case led to the breakdown of Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon’s relationship.

Mr Salmond did not return to the SNP and instead launched rival Alba Party in 2021.

File photo dated 13/04/21 of Alex Salmond during a photo call at Stirling Castle to mark the start of the party's Mid Scotland and Fife campaign, ahead of the Scottish Parliamentary election. The former Scotland first minister and current Alba Party leader has died aged 69. Issue date: Saturday October 12, 2024.
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Mr Salmond was leader of the Alba Party. Pic: PA

He has often been critical of his successors, Ms Sturgeon, Humza Yousaf and Mr Swinney.

When Ms Sturgeon quit as first minister in 2023, Mr Salmond told Sky News that the SNP had “no obvious successor”.

File photo dated 20/10/2011 of SNP Leader Alex Salmond and Deputy Leader Nicola Sturgeon on their way to the 77th Scottish National Party annual conference being held at the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness. Sturgeon is expected to resign as Scottish First Minister, according to the BBC. Issue date: Wednesday February 15, 2023.
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Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon in 2011. Pic: PA

While speaking during an Edinburgh Fringe event later that year, Mr Salmond refused to rule out a reconciliation with Ms Sturgeon and said it would be “sad” if they remained on poor terms.

Despite not achieving his dream, Mr Salmond never wavered in his belief that Scotland would be better as an independent country.

In one of his final interviews with Sky News, he said: “I don’t say that Scotland would be a land of milk and honey, but we would be a land of oil, gas and renewables and that would stand us in good stead.”

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Gatwick Airport evacuates ‘large part’ of South Terminal due to ‘security incident’

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Gatwick Airport evacuates 'large part' of South Terminal due to 'security incident'

A large part of Gatwick Airport’s South Terminal has been evacuated after a “suspected prohibited item” was discovered in luggage and a bomb disposal team has been deployed, police said.

Sussex Police said the explosive ordnance disposal team was being sent in “as a precaution” and a security cordon is in place.

The airport, which is the UK’s second busiest, said the terminal was evacuated after a “security incident”.

In a post on X, it said: “Safety and security of our passengers and staff remains our top priority.

“We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”

It said the North Terminal was still operating normally.

Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of travellers heading away from the terminal building.

“Arrived at London Gatwick for routine connection. Got through customs to find out they’re evacuating the entire airport,” one passenger said.

“Even people through security are being taken outside. Trains shut down and 1,000s all over the streets and carparks waiting.”

Another said passengers near the gates were being told to stay there and not go back to the departure lounge.

Gatwick Express said its trains were not calling at Gatwick Airport.

“Gatwick Airport will not be served until further notice,” it tweeted.

“This is due to the police and emergency services dealing with an incident at the airport.

“At present, the station and airport are being evacuated whilst the police are dealing with an incident. We would recommend delaying your journey until later this morning.”

It said local buses were also affected and would be unable to run to the airport.

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Legal action against MI5 over Manchester Arena bombing cannot continue, judges rule

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Legal action against MI5 over Manchester Arena bombing cannot continue, judges rule

Hundreds of people affected by the Manchester Arena bombing cannot continue legal action against MI5, judges have ruled.

More than 300 people, including survivors and those bereaved by the 2017 attack at an Ariana Grande concert, brought a case to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), claiming failures to take “appropriate measures” to prevent the incident infringed their human rights.

In a ruling on Friday, Lord Justice Singh and Mrs Justice Farbey said the cases could not proceed as they were brought too late.

Lord Justice Singh said: “We are particularly conscious of the importance of the rights concerned… We are also conscious of the horrendous impact of the atrocity on the claimants and their families.

“Any reasonable person would have sympathy for them.

“The grief and trauma which they have suffered, particularly where young children were killed, is almost unimaginable.

“Nevertheless, we have reached the conclusion that, in all the circumstances, it would not be equitable to permit the claims to proceed.”

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People stand next to flowers for the victims of the attack in 2017. Pic: AP
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File pic: AP

Lord Justice Singh acknowledged that while the tribunal “readily understand” why the legal claims were not filed until after the final report from the inquiry into the attack, “real expedition” was needed at that point.

The judge added: “We bear in mind the other matters that had to be investigated and arrangements which had to be put in place but, in our view, the filing of the proceedings was not given the priority which, assessed objectively, it should have been.”

Had the claims gone ahead, the judge noted the security services would have needed to “divert time and resources to defending these proceedings rather than their core responsibilities” – which includes preventing future attacks.

Salman Abedi killed 22 people and injured hundreds when he detonated a rucksack bomb at the end of an Ariana Grande show at Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017.

Salman Abedi killed 22 innocent people
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Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi

Hudgell Solicitors, Slater & Gordon and Broudie Jackson Canter, three of the law firms representing complainants affected, said the ruling was “extremely disappointing” for their clients.

In a statement, the firms said: “Ever since the attack in May 2017, our clients have had to endure continued delays but have done so with great patience and understanding in the hope that by allowing all legal processes to be fully explored, transparency and justice would be achieved.

“It took almost six years for the failings of MI5 to be revealed, confirmed when the inquiry chair published his volume three findings in March 2023, in which he said MI5 had missed a ‘significant opportunity’ to prevent the attack.

“This report concluded that within this six-year period, the security service corporate witnesses X and J gave evidence on oath that had presented an inaccurate picture, and the same inaccurate picture had been presented to Lord Anderson when he compiled his report in December 2017.”

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‘Blood on their hands’: Could MI5 have prevented the Manchester attack?

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The law firms said following these findings, their clients believed the IPT would “provide the route to the formal vindication of their human rights”.

The firms added: “We are disappointed that time is one of the reasons now being used against them to prevent their claims progressing. Seven years have now passed since the atrocity in May 2017 – six years of that seven-year delay was caused by MI5.

“This judgment certainly doesn’t exonerate MI5. There were failings by MI5 and multiple other parties leading up to and on the actual evening of 22 May 2017 and collectively we continue to support our clients in their fight for full accountability and justice.”

Police are seen with members of the public after the attack. Pic: PA
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Police with members of the public after the attack. Pic: PA

The inquiry into the bombing found it might have been prevented if MI5 had acted on key intelligence received in the months before the attack.

The agency’s director-general, Ken McCallum, expressed deep regret that such intelligence was not obtained.

Two pieces of information about Abedi were assessed at the time by the security service to not relate to terrorism.

But inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders said, having heard from MI5 witnesses at the hearings, he considered that did not present an “accurate picture”.

Lawyers for those affected previously said the inquiry found there was a “real possibility” that one of the pieces of intelligence could have obtained information which may have led to actions preventing the attack.

And at the hearing earlier this month, Pete Weatherby KC, for those affected, described the IPT claims as “the next step” in vindication for his clients after the inquiry’s findings.

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Britain faces frosty and icy conditions as Storm Bert looms

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Britain faces frosty and icy conditions as Storm Bert looms

Many areas of Britain faced frosty and icy conditions this morning ahead of the arrival of Storm Bert tomorrow.

The Met Office said it expects the storm to bring “heavy rain, strong winds and disruptive snow to parts of the UK through the weekend” and potentially cause travel disruption and flooding.

Much of the UK experienced temperatures close to freezing last night, the Met Office said, with -6C (21.2F) recorded at Tulloch Bridge in Scotland.

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Snowy conditions in the village of Goathland, North York Moors National Park. Pic: PA
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Snowy conditions in the village of Goathland, North York Moors National Park. Pic: PA

Several yellow warnings for snow and ice were in place across the UK until 10am on Friday, while one covering parts of Scotland will remain in place until midday.

They came ahead of an amber warning for heavy snow and ice in place between 7am and 5pm on Saturday in central parts of Scotland.

The Met Office said 10-20cm of snow was likely on ground above 200m and there could be as much as 20-40cm on hills above 400m.

Several other yellow alerts for wind, rain and snow will also cover much of the UK.

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Met Office weather warnings

Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said: “Through into Friday… snow showers are set to continue mainly around coastal areas though once again still a few feeding inland at times.

“There will also still be plenty of autumnal sunshine. Still feeling cold though, particularly in those brisk winds – once again we’re only looking at highs of around 5C, slightly higher in the southwest around 7C.

“Across the north those temperatures struggling to move past 2-3C.

“As we head into Friday evening, a change is on its way as we introduce Storm Bert moving its way in from the Atlantic. So we’ll see clouds spilling in from the southwest with outbreaks of rain – heavy at times by the time we reach Saturday morning.”

A woman braves the snow in Aviemore, Scotland. Pic: Reuters
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A woman braves the snow in Aviemore, Scotland. Pic: Reuters

“Heavy” outbreaks of rain are likely throughout Saturday, “falling as snow” at times across parts of England and Scotland, Ms Criswick said.

More than 114 schools were shut in the Highland Council area on Thursday because of snow, almost 40 were shut in Aberdeenshire and 12 were closed in Moray.

In England, 89 schools were shut in Devon, 60 in Cornwall and 18 in Dorset, while in Wales 18 were closed in Denbighshire, 10 in Conwy and two in Wrexham.

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