Former Prime Minister John Swinney’s allies paid tribute to Alex Salmond’s “huge contribution” to Scottish and British politics as they mourned his sudden death on Saturday.
Siwiny, the current first minister, said Salmond had had a huge impact on people’s lives by building the Scottish National Party into a force capable of winning consecutive elections and bringing Scotland “incredibly close” to independence.
“Alex has made a huge contribution to Scottish politics,” Mr Swinney told Trevor Phillips on Sky News on Sunday. “I think it is widely acknowledged that Alex Salmond has had a huge influence politically on our public life in Scotland and within the United Kingdom.”
He added that Mr Salmond had an “absolute determination to succeed in his politics” and had the ability to bring people together.
“At the heart of it was real drive and energy. At the heart of the success that Alex Salmond brought was a combination of real drive and strategic thinking.”
Salmond, 69, died of a suspected heart attack on Saturday in North Macedonia, where he was attending a forum organized by the Institute of Cultural Diplomacy with Alba party deputy leader Tasmina Ahmed Sheikh.
According to local media, the man collapsed during lunch and was pronounced dead at the scene.
In his final speech on Friday, Mr Salmond said the course of British history would have been different had Scotland voted for independence in 2014. He said if Prime Minister David Cameron had resigned, that would mean there would have been no EU referendum in 2016.
“At this point it seems likely that Scotland and the rest of the UK will be partners in the European Union,” he said.
Alba’s senior aides are believed to be in Skopje to arrange the repatriation of the body with the help of Foreign Ministry officials.
Former SNP MP Joanna Cherry, who became a close ally of Mr Salmond after he was elected to Westminster in the 2015 election, described his death as “shocking and devastating”.
“Alec was one of the finest politicians of his generation and the best Prime Minister we have ever had,” she told BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show. “Not only was he a strong leader, he also had the ability to reach out to those who disagreed with him.
“He had a hinterland beyond politics. Unlike many modern politicians, he had a profession beyond politics. He was a gifted economist, and if they If I hadn’t been involved in it, I could have made a lot of money and been very successful.”
Former Westminster SNP leader Ian Blackford, who had a falling out with Mr Salmond when he was party treasurer, said he was “completely shocked and saddened” to hear of his death.
“Alex’s talent was extraordinary in leading people, leading government and leading the country,” he said. “There is no doubt that Alex’s strength of character and character were critical to the SNP’s electoral success.”
Speaking at the launch of the Yes Scottish Independence Movement in 2013, actor Brian Cox, a convert to Scottish nationalism, said: “Scotland has been a second class nation for a long time and Alex went to fight for that.” spoke.
He said Salmond “preached the cause with great humanity and deep understanding” of what Scotland should become.
Mr Salmond’s death leaves Mr Swinney as the only substantial figure in Scottish nationalism left in a leading position, with the SNP facing a serious challenge from Labor.
Nicola Sturgeon, a former First Minister and Salmond’s closest ally until they clashed bitterly over Salmond’s independence strategy and subsequent investigation into Salmond’s sexual misconduct allegations, is now a backwards MSP.
There are questions about whether Ms Sturgeon will stand in the next Holyrood election, scheduled for May 2026. Her husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, is on trial for embezzlement and police are investigating her handling of SNP finances. Ongoing.
When Phillips asked Sturgeon if she wanted him to stand for Holyrood representative again, Swinney gave a cautious response.
He welcomed it, but added: “It’s up to Nicola to decide whether she wants to run for office or not.” The party will then go through a candidate selection process to decide who will be the candidate. ”
