Former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond dies
Former first minister of Scotland Alex Salmond has died aged 69.
Mr Salmond, who led the Scottish National Party between 1990 and 2000 and then again between 2004 and 2014, was a prominent figure in the country’s nationalist movement.
The second time around he used his mandate as first minister to hold a referendum on Scottish independence in 2014.
The “Yes Scotland” campaign was defeated and he resigned as a result.
At the time of his death, he had been the leader of the nationalist Alba Party since 2021.
Reports in Scotland suggest he collapsed after giving a speech in North Macedonia this morning.
Alex Salmond at the Ohrid Cultural Diplomacy Forum. Pic: Gjorge Ivanov / Facebook
A Facebook post from the page of Gjorge Ivanov, former President of the Republic of Macedonia, showed Mr Salmond at the Ohrid Cultural Diplomacy Forum, held in Ohrid, North Macedonia.
The Ohrid Cultural Diplomacy Forum. Pic: Gjorge Ivanov / Facebook
‘A titan of the independence movement’
Mr Salmond’s former party, the SNP, said in a statement on X that his “leadership brought the SNP into the mainstream and the Scottish Government. He was a titan of the independence movement.”
Alex Salmond greets “Yes” supporters as he campaigns for Scottish independence on 17 September 2014. File pic: Reuters
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Mr Salmond “leaves behind a lasting legacy” and was “a monumental figure of Scottish and UK politics”.
“As First Minister of Scotland he cared deeply about Scotland’s heritage, history and culture, as well as the communities he represented as MP and MSP over many years of service,” said the PM.
Salmond ‘fought fearlessly for the country that he loved’
First Minister of Scotland John Swinney said: “I am deeply shocked and saddened at the untimely death of the former First Minister Alex Salmond, and I extend my deepest condolences to Alex’s wife Moira and to his family.
“Over many years, Alex made an enormous contribution to political life – not just within Scotland, but across the UK and beyond.
“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.
“There will be much more opportunity to reflect in the coming days, but today all of our thoughts are with Alex’s family and his many friends right across the political spectrum.”
Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also paid tribute, writing on X: “Alex Salmond was a huge figure in our politics. While I disagreed with him on the constitutional question, there was no denying his skill in debate or his passion for politics. May he rest in peace.”
Alex Salmond after conceding defeat in Scotland’s independence referendum. Pic: AP
Anas Sarwar, the leader of Scottish Labour, wrote in a statement: “Alex was a central figure in politics for over three decades and his contribution to the Scottish political landscape can not be overstated.
“It is right that we recognise Alex’s service to our country as First Minister and to the communities he represented as both MP and MSP.”
‘We disagreed on almost everything’
“We disagreed on almost everything, but I always respected his intellect and political nous,” wrote former leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson on X, and sent her “sincere sympathies” to his wife and family.
Douglas Ross, another former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said Mr Salmond had a “huge impact” on the whole of Scotland.
He added: “While we had opposing political views, he was a towering figure in Scottish politics which he dominated for many years.
“My thoughts are with Moira and his family and friends at this difficult time.”
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Palestine Action can still challenge the decision to ban the group under anti-terror laws after the government lost an appeal.
The group was “proscribed” in July, making it illegal to show any support or affiliation for it, following incidents that included breaking in to an RAF base.
The Home Office appealed after a court granted the group’s co-founder a judicial review and said the ban disproportionately interfered with freedom of speech and assembly.
A woman is led away by police during Palestine Action protest on 6 September. Pic: PA
It said the government should also have consulted the group first.
Despite the ban, nearly 900 supporters were arrested at a single protest in London last month.
The judicial review of the ban was scheduled to begin on 25 November and Friday’s Court of Appeal decision means it can still go ahead.
Palestine Action called it a “landmark victory” and said co-founder Huda Ammori had also been granted permission to appeal on two further grounds.
Reacting after the court’s decision, Ms Ammori called the ban “absurdly authoritarian” and “one of the most extreme attacks on civil liberties in recent British history”.
She said 2,000 people had been arrested since it was outlawed and arresting “peaceful protesters” under the Terrorism Act was a misuse of resources.
The group’s vandalising of aircraft at Brize Norton in June – with two activists reportedly entering on electric scooters – prompted a security review of UK defence sites.
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Supporters of the group vandalised aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in June
Its supporters have carried out numerous protests in the UK, with many involving vandalism and violence.
Last year, it smashed windows and sprayed red paint on Barclays branches and this summer vandalised a Bristol defence technology firm, allegedly assaulting staff and police.
Multiple rallies for the group have taken place in London since July’s ban, with hundreds detained for showing support.
A protest at the start of this month saw another 492 people arrested despite calls for the event to be scrapped after the Manchester synagogue terror attack.
The King will become the first British monarch to pray publicly with the Pope since the Reformation 500 years ago during a state visit to the Holy See next week.
The King and Queen will meet the new pontiff Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace, his official residence, next Thursday during their trip to Vatican City.
In a highly significant moment in relations between the Catholic Church and Church of England, of which His Majesty is Supreme Governor, the King and Queen and the Pope will attend a special ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel celebrating the ongoing work towards unity and cooperation among different Christian churches.
The decision for the King and Pope to pray together during the service will be the first time a monarch and the pontiff have joined together in this type of moment of reflection in the 500 years since the Reformation when, in 1534, King Henry VIII declared himself as head of the Church of England and broke from the papal authority of the Rome Catholic Church.
In another historic step, the King will be made “Royal Confrater” of the Abbey of St Paul’s Outside the Walls.
The abbot of the community and the archpriest of the basilica wished to confer the title and received the Pope’s approval to do so. To mark the occasion a special seat has been made decorated with the King’s coat of arms.
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King and Queen meet Pope Francis at the Vatican
The King will use it during the service, after which it will remain in the apse of the basilica for future use by His Majesty and his heirs and successors.
English Kings had a particular link with The Papal Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls until the Reformation. It is also known as the Papal Basilica where reconciliation, ecumenism and relationships across the Christian faith are celebrated.
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King to pray with Pope
A spokesperson for the Church of England said: “The royal confrater title, whilst it confers no duties or obligations on the King, and makes no changes whatsoever to the formal, constitutional and ecclesiastical position of His Majesty as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, it is a tribute to his majesty and his own work over many decades to find common ground between faiths and to bring people together.”
The trip comes during the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee year. Held traditionally every 25 years, “Pilgrims of Hope” is the theme of this jubilee.
The King and Queen met the late Pope Francis in April. Pic: Reuters
The visit will also reflect the joint commitment from both Pope Leo and the King to protect nature and their shared concern for the environment. The service at the Sistine Chapel will have the theme of “Care for Creation” and they will attend a meeting on sustainability.
A spokesperson from the Foreign Office said: “At a time of growing instability and conflict, the UK’s relationship with the Holy See is more important than ever. The Holy See is a key international actor.
“We work with the Holy See to promote human dignity, to promote peace and combat climate change… so His Majesty’s visit will strengthen the UK’s relationship with this crucial and influential global partner.”
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Only in 1961 did Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch since the Reformation to make an official visit to the Holy See.
In April of this year, a royal visit had to be cancelled due to the ill health of Pope Francis, but both the King and Queen did meet him privately while on a trip to Rome. It is understood Pope Leo and the King have been actively engaged in how this reorganised visit will look and the themes it will cover.
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