Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has died aged 69. It’s understood he collapsed after taking ill.
The pro-independence political leader passed away, reportedly from a suspected heart attack in a crowded room, after giving a speech in North Macedonia.
Salmond led the Scottish Nationalist Party between 1990 and 2000, and then again between 2004 and 2014. In this time he led the country’s fight for nationalism with the ‘Yes Scotland’ campaign.
He later split with the SNP to form the Alba Party following allegations of sexual harassment. He was cleared of 13 charges, including one of attempted rape, and later took successful legal action against his former party.
He posted on social media just three hours before the news was broken, characteristically lauding independence as he urged the First Minister John Swinney to think ‘independently, not subserviently’.
Salmond’s final words in the message were: ‘Scotland is a country not a county.’
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