The shock of Alex Salmond’s death is reverberating around every corner of UK politics
This shock of Alex Salmond’s death is reverberating around every corner of UK politics.
There was not a soul involved in the political life of the past three decades who did not know his name and his achievements.
A Marmite figure, Salmond divided opinion.
But, he was respected as the giant who was instrumental in delivering the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.
‘A monumental figure’ – PM among those paying tribute to former first minister
Even his harshest critics would struggle to play down the fact he delivered a majority government at Holyrood in 2011.
The Scottish parliament is a place set up to avoid one party gaining overall control, but his monumental electoral victory was the catalyst for earning respect from Conservative prime minister David Cameron who ultimately agreed to let Scotland vote on its constitutional future.
Rather than sit in the backseat after his departure from office, Alex Salmond couldn’t shake off the showman inside him.
He basked in the limelight. He thrived on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe and controversially struck a deal to broadcast a programme on Russia Today TV.
His decisions in recent years triggered a bitter falling out with old comrade Nicola Sturgeon and led to splits in the SNP.
It was an extraordinary spat that played out in public – and it still has an impact to this day with staunch nationalists turning their back on the SNP and joining Mr Salmond’s newly created Alba party.
I spoke to the former first minister on the phone in the past month about his hope to air his feelings that “dark forces” were out to bring him down in the Scottish Government around the time of the sexual misconduct allegations.
Salmond was cleared of any criminality by a jury in Edinburgh in 2020.
But, he told me there was unfinished business, with claims of conspiracy to bring him down. Ultimately he believed the “truth would air” one day.
In recent times, he became a thorn in the side of the Scottish Government which he felt failed to push the case for a second independence referendum forcefully enough.
Ever the optimist, the 69-year-old always had a glint in his eye and a story for every occasion.
He would do his infamous chuckle as he regaled tales from his time in office at almost every opportunity someone would listen.
He leaves a giant gap in the future of the independence movement and it is testament to his legacy that figures from across every political colour are paying tribute to someone who was clearly very well respected.