The late Alex Salmond, an eminent figure in nationalist politics and prior first minister of Scotland, was profoundly influenced by Charles Stewart Parnell, the 19th-century advocate of Irish home rule. One of Salmond’s most notable references to Parnell was during an annual speech at his graveside in Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery in 2016. He drew parallels between Parnell’s unsuccessful pursuit of home rule and the current difficulties faced by the Scottish nationalist movement, which has experienced setbacks along with the political decline of the Scottish National Party (SNP) – a party Salmond had headed for two decades across two terms up until 2014.
Born and raised in West Lothian, Salmond initially achieved recognition as an economist, working within the civil service on Scottish farming matters in London. His career then took him to the Royal Bank of Scotland, as an oil economist. It was during his time in London that he met his spouse, Moira. After that, he become known as a masterful political speaker.
Salmond was an integral member of Scotland’s devolved parliament and a former Westminster MP, after joining the SNP, he emerged as a significant player within Scottish politics. For seven years from 2007, he held the position of first minister and was the SNP’s leader from 1990 to 2000 and then again from 2004 to 2014, including through Scotland’s independence referendum which he brokered with then UK prime minister, David Cameron.
In 2014, Salmond recounted the memorable day when he and Cameron unveiled the referendum agreement in Edinburgh. He organised it in a manner which resembled the ratification of an international pact. A map pinned behind Cameron outlined the political seats held by the SNP for visual effect.
He contended that making your opponent feel insecure was an integral part of political strategy. He emphasised that, along with being a discipline, politics is an art demanding the capability to create illusions. For instance, if sunshine was desired, one had to manifest the sun.
At some point during the 2014 campaign, the nationalists held a fleeting lead but were defeated by a margin of 45% to 55%. Consequently, Salmond passed the SNP leadership baton to his right-hand woman, Nicola Sturgeon. Although the referendum saw them lose, it was nonetheless a turning point in Salmond’s political journey for solidifying the concept of Scottish independence in the UK political discourse.
Salmond later had a severe disagreement with Sturgeon over accusations of inappropriate conduct towards women, charges he refuted. Subsequent investigations indicated that Salmond was unjustly treated during a party probe. In 2020, he was acquitted of several sexual offences in a criminal court, which he alleged to be politically motivated. Eventually, he departed from the SNP and established the Alba party as another nationalist competitor, but it saw minimal electoral success.
Angus Brendan MacNeil, an ex-MP for the Scottish National Party (SNP) originary from Outer Hebrides whose mother hailed from Waterford, has paid tribute to Alex Salmond, calling him an imposing figure in Scottish politics. Despite his departure from the SNP in 2023, MacNeil and Salmond shared a close political kinship. This didn’t translate into MacNeil’s association with Alba, Salmond’s party. Nonetheless, the duo maintained a close relationship, often bonding through phone conversations and exchanges on WhatsApp, right up until Salmond’s passing.
In disbelief, MacNeil talked about the moment he learned about Salmond’s demise, referring to the news as a complete shock and an emotional blow.
MacNeil went down memory lane to the time when he encountered Salmond for the first time during an SNP summit in the 90’s. An episode, where he was tasked with conveying a bomb scare note to a person near the stage, who in turn handed it to Salmond amidst his oration. He fondly remembers how Salmond nonchalantly put the note aside and carried on with his speech.
Despite Salmond’s perceived image as a demagogue in the Unionist UK press in London, MacNeil asserted that Salmond had an affable nature and harboured no malevolence against people, even those he didn’t see eye to eye with. Furthermore, MacNeil believes that Salmond’s deficiencies were hyperbolised and a more accurate portrayal of his character would emerge eventually.
Later in his political journey, Salmond immersed himself in a media career and even hosted a program on RT, a channel funded by Russia. His unwavering interest in Irish nationalism was evident when he went to Dublin in 2018 and interviewed prominent Irish figures including former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, ex-president Mary McAleese, and the new leader for Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald, at the time.
He quizzed McDonald about her background, her political initiation, and her life in Dublin. McDonald respond to him by correcting his reference to her as a “Dublin girl,” to which Salmond responded with a grin.
Similar to his idol Parnell, Salmond passed away without reaching his political life’s mission, with his reputation mired by accusations of sexual misconduct. However, his tremendous contribution to Scottish politics remains unparalleled by his competitors. His potential impact on Scotland’s constitutional fate could be significant if Salmond’s vision of independence is ever implemented by those who follow him. Eight years ago, Salmond invoked Parnell in his funeral eulogy, maintaining that independence would come gradually: “We will not obstruct or prevent those who may succeed us from achieving greater goals than the ones we currently pursue.”