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Alex Salmond, the former First Minister of Scotland who for decades championed Scottish independence from the United Kingdom, has died. He was 69 years old.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid tribute to Salmond, calling him a “monumental figure” in both Scottish and British politics.
“He leaves behind a lasting legacy,” Starmer said. “As First Minister of Scotland, he cared deeply for Scotland’s heritage, history and culture, as well as the communities he represented.”
Salmond was First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014, and was leader of the Scottish National Party twice, from 1990 to 2000 and from 2004 to 2014. In the 2014 referendum, he lost, getting 45% of the votes.
Salmond resigned from the SNP in 2018 following allegations of sexual harassment. Later, he created a new party called Alba.
Former UK Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Salmond was “a great figure in our politics”.
“Though I disagreed with him on the constitutional issue, there is no denying his skill in debate or his passion for politics,” Suna told X. “Let him rest.”
