Memorial service held for Alex Salmond in Edinburgh

A memorial service for former First Minister Alex Salmond, held in Edinburgh, saw him described as a “political genius.” Prominent individuals, such as First Minister John Swinney and former prime minister Gordon Brown, convened at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh. Mr. Salmond, aged 69, passed away from a heart attack on 12 October while at a conference in North Macedonia. The service, held on St Andrew’s Day, featured commendations from both political supporters and adversaries, alongside musical acts by Dougie MacLean and The Proclaimers. His burial followed a private funeral service on 29 October, which took place in the Aberdeenshire village of Strichen, where he had resided for an extended period with his wife, Moira. The commemorative gathering was restricted to invited guests, with approximately 500 attendees present. Among those present at the service were Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay, Labour leader Anas Sarwar, and Holyrood Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone. Additional guests included actor Elaine C Smith, football pundit Michael Stewart, and businessman Jim McColl. Notably absent was former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who had a public disagreement with Mr. Salmond in the period following her succession of her former mentor as SNP leader. She had attended the funeral of comedian Janey Godley in Glasgow earlier on Saturday morning, but conveyed that her thoughts were with Salmond’s family and friends. She characterized it as “a very sad day for them but one that I hope will allow them to remember Alec in the way they want to”. The service for Mr. Salmond was officiated by the Rev Dr George Whyte, who previously served as the Principal Clerk of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Mr. Whyte stated that the former first minister’s life had “challenged the status quo,” further remarking: “He called people to a cause in which he believed and for which he would endure the slings and the arrows.” Christina Hendry, Salmond’s niece, along with his close friends and political associates Duncan Hamilton KC and Kenny MacAskill, recounted their recollections of the former SNP leader. Ms. Hendry characterized her uncle as a “political giant” and a “dearly loved” family member. Kenny MacAskill referred to him as a “political genius,” and Mr. Hamilton remembered him as a “leader of courage, vision and intelligence.” Sir David Davis, a Conservative MP and a close friend of Mr. Salmond, recited a passage from John 14: “Do not let your hearts be troubled”. Dougie MacLean performed Caledonia, and The Proclaimers conveyed their “eternal gratitude” to Salmond prior to their rendition of Cap in Hand, which includes the lyrics: “I can’t understand why we let someone else rule our land, cap in hand.” Mr. Salmond served as Scotland’s first minister between 2007 and 2014. His resignation followed the defeat of the Yes campaign in the Scottish independence referendum. He subsequently resigned from the SNP amidst claims of sexual misconduct, which later led to a criminal trial where he was cleared of all accusations. Subsequently, Salmond established Alba, an alternative party advocating for independence. He also presented a talk show on RT, a television channel owned by Russia. The Memorial Service is available for viewing on BBC iPlayer. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.