Former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond dies aged 69

Former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond has died aged 69

Salmond reportedly collapsed after delivering a speech in North Macedonia earlier on Saturday.

He was a big voice in Scotland's independence movement, and resigned from his role following the defeat of the 'Yes Scotland' campaign.

Salmond resigned from the party as a whole in 2018 after sexual harassment allegations. In 2020, he was cleared of all criminal charges.

He formed the pro-independence Alba Party in 2021.

The Scottish Labour Party leader, Anas Sarwar, said: "Sad news of Alex Salmond’s passing today will come as a shock to all who knew him in Scotland, across the UK and beyond."

Sarwar described Salmond as “a central figure in politics over three decades and his contribution to the Scottish political landscape cannot be overstated”.