THIS is the last photo of ex-First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond before he collapsed and died aged 69 today.
Salmond was speaking in North Macedonia at a leadership conference with other politicians, diplomats, and government officials.
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Photos show him speaking on a youth politics leadership panel held by The Club of Skopje in the country’s capital.
He was on a panel with the former President of Malta, former Israeli Minister of Justice, and a Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia & Herzegovina.
A group of 18 snapped a photo outside the conference, with Salmond smiling next to his party’s chairwoman Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh.
He wore a pinstripe suit, blue shirt, and blue with white polka dots tie.
The panel was titled: “Young Leaders for International Cooperation, Cultural Understanding & Peace”.
Salmond is the founder and leader of the Alba Party in Scotland after he split from the Scottish National Party.
Tributes have flooded in from across the political spectrum, including the Prime Minister and current First Minister following his political career.
He was First Minister of Scotland between 2007 and 2014 and was a Westminster MP for Gordon between 2015 and 2017.
He was the leader of the SNP between 1990 and 2000 and 2004 and 2014 before forming the breakaway Alba Party in 2021.
The event was named the Ohrid Cultural Diplomacy Forum 2024 and was held by the President of North Macedonia.
The theme for this year’s event was: “Promoting Democracy, Unity and Peace through Cultural Diplomacy in A New Era of Conflict and Violence.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer shared a tribute to his fellow politico, saying the Scot left behind a “lasting legacy”.
“As First Minister of Scotland he cared deeply about Scotland’s heritage, history, and culture, as well as the communities he represented as MP and MSP over many years of service.
“My thoughts are with those who knew him, his family, and his loved ones. On behalf of the UK government I offer them our condolences today.”
Salmond was also seen in a video posted just hours before his death.
The hour-long clip named Scotland Speaks was his usual weekly broadcast that aired at 10am each Saturday.
Today’s episode features chosen clips from a September live recording of The Ayes Still Have It! Salmond had hosted at an IMAX cinema in Glasgow.
Salmond interviewed broadcaster Bernard Ponsonby while his co-host Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh interviewed three women politicians.
A number of other people associated with his Alba party were also present at the show which was held to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the failed Independence referendum.
Nicola Sturgeon speaks out
By Lewis Mckenzie, Political Reporter
Nicola Sturgeon, who was deputy First Minister to Salmond between 2007 and 2014, said she was “shocked and saddened”.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, she wrote: “Obviously, I cannot pretend that the events of the past few years which led to the breakdown of our relationship did not happen, and it would not be right for me to try.
“However, it remains the fact that for many years Alex was an incredibly significant figure in my life. He was my mentor, and for more than a decade we formed one of the most successful partnerships in UK politics.
“Alex modernised the SNP and led us into government for the first time, becoming Scotland’s fourth First Minister and paving the way for the 2014 referendum which took Scotland to the brink of independence.
“He will be remembered for all of that. My thoughts are with Moira, his wider family and his friends.”
The pair were close political allies for several decades but had a major falling out after allegations of sexual harassment were made against Mr Salmond in 2018.
In a two-part BBC documentary released just last month, Salmond said he “seriously” doubted whether he would ever be on speaking terms again with Sturgeon.
He told the broadcaster “A big regret that Nicola and I are no longer on speaking terms, and I seriously doubt if that’s going to improve.
“Now, that’s a great pity because I did indicate that you shouldn’t say anything’s for ever, but that’s the way it looks and that’s just the way it’s going to be.”
Also discussing their relationship in the documentary, Sturgeon said: “One of the hardest things about the breakdown between me and Alex is the fact that so many of the best moments of my life, he is so integral to, and it’s hard now to look back on them with just unallowed pleasure and joy.”
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