Ex-Scottish Leader Alex Salmond, Who Nearly Got Scotland Independence From UK, Dead At 69 | rssama.com

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LONDON (AP) — Alex Salmond, nan erstwhile first curate of Scotland who for decades championed Scotland’s independency from nan U.K. and astir accomplished it, has died. He was 69.

Salmond, who was 1 of nan astir divisive fig successful British authorities astatine nan move of nan period and who arsenic nan past leader of nan Scottish National Party took Scotland to nan brink of independency successful nan 2014 referendum, died successful nan North Macedonia lake-resort municipality of Ohrid, section media reported.

“Unfortunately, Alex Salmond, nan erstwhile first curate of Scotland who was 1 of nan panellists astatine yesterday’s taste diplomacy forum that was held successful Ohrid, died abruptly today,” according to a connection from nan agency of erstwhile North Macedonia President Gjorgje Ivanov.

Alex Salmond, nan erstwhile first curate of Scotland who for decades championed Scotland’s independency from nan U.K. and astir accomplished it, has died.
Alex Salmond, nan erstwhile first curate of Scotland who for decades championed Scotland’s independency from nan U.K. and astir accomplished it, has died.

via Associated Press

Tributes poured successful from crossed nan governmental spectrum, led by King Charles III and his woman Queen Camilla. “My woman and I are greatly saddened to perceive of nan abrupt decease of Alex Salmond,” nan king said. “His devotion to Scotland drove his decades of nationalist service.”

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer of nan Labour Party called him a “monumental figure” of some Scottish and British politics. “He leaves down a lasting legacy,” Starmer said. “As first curate of Scotland, he cared profoundly astir Scotland’s heritage, history and culture, arsenic good arsenic nan communities he represented.”

Salmond served arsenic first curate of Scotland from 2007 to 2014, and was leader of nan Scottish National Party connected 2 occasions, from 1990 to 2000, and from 2004 to 2014. Salmond led nan independency run successful nan referendum successful 2014, but lost, gaining 45% of nan vote, and subsequently resigned from nan apical occupation and replaced by his long-time ally, Nicola Sturgeon. Their consequent divided dominated Scottish authorities for years.

“Obviously, I cannot dress that nan events of nan past fewer years which led to nan breakdown of our narration did not happen, and it would not beryllium correct for maine to try,” Sturgeon said aft learning of Salmond’s death. “However, it remains nan truth that for galore years Alex was an incredibly important fig successful my life. He was my mentor, and for much than a decade we formed 1 of nan astir successful partnerships successful U.K politics.”

Alex Salmond pictured during nan 2024 U.K. wide election.
Alex Salmond pictured during nan 2024 U.K. wide election.

Ken Jack via Getty Images

In 2019, Salmond was charged pinch intersexual battle and attempted rape aft allegations by 9 women who had worked pinch him arsenic first curate aliases for nan party. Salmond called nan charges “deliberate fabrications for a governmental purpose.” Salmond was acquitted aft a proceedings successful March 2020.

A twelvemonth later, he created a caller statement called Alba — nan Scottish Gaelic connection for Scotland — that made fewer inroads into Scottish authorities and sought a caller independency referendum travel what may.

The existent SNP first minister, John Swinney, said that he was “deeply shocked and saddened astatine nan untimely death” of Salmond.

“Over galore years, Alex made an tremendous publication to governmental life, not conscionable wrong Scotland, but crossed nan U.K. and beyond,” he said. “He took nan Scottish National Party from nan fringes of Scottish authorities into authorities and led Scotland truthful adjacent to becoming an independent country.”

Salmond had said that he learned to dream of an independent Scotland astatine his grandfather’s knee, and chose to subordinate nan SNP astatine assemblage successful 1973 erstwhile his English woman poked excessively overmuch nosy astatine his separatist sentiments.

Salmond’s world and master inheritance prepared him to go Scotland’s astir economically optimistic and visionary politician. At St. Andrew’s University. he double-majored successful medieval history, reflecting his emotion of a Caledonia lost, and economics.

In his 20s, he worked arsenic an economist first for Britain’s location authorities successful Scotland and past astatine nan Royal Bank of Scotland, wherever he analyzed nan country’s astir move industry, North Sea oil.

He won a spot successful nan U.K. Parliament successful 1987, and wrong 3 years was statement leader. He supported Tony Blair’s Labour authorities successful nan precocious 1990s to create a devolved Scottish parliament successful Edinburgh, a betterment that stopped short of independence, but gave his homeland a sensation of self-government for nan first clip since its 1707 national pinch England. Under that caller settlement, which was ratified by a referendum, nan Scottish Parliament has had a wide array of home powers, including complete policies connected wellness and education, but not connected overseas argumentation matters.

Salmond past had a very nationalist forum to push his dream of afloat independency guardant — his authorities had an array of powers particularly connected societal issues — and managed to person nan authorities of Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron to telephone a referendum. Up until nan results were known, it had been considered a adjacent call.

Though nan independency run lost, Salmond’s SNP managed to capitalize its support and has dominated Scottish authorities since. The SNP has been nan Edinburgh-based authorities since, though it suffered a immense setback successful this year’s U.K.-wide wide election, erstwhile it mislaid a immense mostly of nan seats it held successful nan House of Commons to Labour. The adjacent Scottish predetermination is owed to return spot successful 2026.

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Konstantin Testorides contributed to this study from Skopje, North Macedonia.

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