Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who sought Scotland's independence from UK, dies at 69

LONDON (AP) — Alex Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland who for decades championed Scotland’s independence from the U.K., has died. He was 69.

Salmond, who was a divisive figure in British politics and who as the then leader of the Scottish National Party took Scotland to the brink of independence in a 2014 referendum, died in North Macedonia after delivering a speech, according to British media.

Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum, with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the Labour Party calling him a “monumental figure" of both Scottish and British politics.

“He leaves behind a lasting legacy,” Starmer said. “As first minister of Scotland, he cared deeply about Scotland’s heritage, history and culture, as well as the communities he represented.”

Salmond served as first minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014, and was leader of the Scottish National Party on two occasions, from 1990 to 2000, and from 2004 to 2014. Salmond, as then leader of the Scottish National Party, led the independence campaign in the referendum in 2014, but lost, gaining 45% of the vote. Salmond resigned from the SNP in 2018 in the wake of sexual harassment allegations.

He subsequently formed a new party called Alba — the Scottish Gaelic word for Scotland — and was acquitted of the charges.

The current SNP first minister, John Swinney, said that he was "deeply shocked and saddened at the untimely death" of Salmond.

“Over many years, Alex made an enormous contribution to political life, not just within Scotland, but across the U.K. and beyond," he said. “He took the Scottish National Party from the fringes of Scottish politics into government and led Scotland so close to becoming an independent country.”

Former U.K. Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that Salmond was a “huge figure in our politics.”

"While I disagreed with him on the constitutional question, there was no denying his skill in debate or his passion for politics," Sunak said on X. "May he rest in peace.”