LONDON: Alex Salmond, the former First Minister of Scotland and prominent advocate for Scottish independence has died at the age of 69.
His death was confirmed by Anas Sarwar, leader of Scotland’s Labour Party, via social media. Media reports say that Salmond died shortly after delivering a speech in North Macedonia.
Salmond, who led the Scottish National Party (SNP) twice, transformed it from a fringe group into a significant political force, achieving an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament in 2011.
He spearheaded Scotland’s 2014 independence referendum, resigning afterwards when the public voted to remain in the UK.
Sarwar described Salmond as “a central figure in politics for over three decades,” emphasizing that his contributions to Scotland’s political landscape are immeasurable.
He expressed that the news of Salmond’s death would come as a shock to many across Scotland, the U.K., and beyond.