While I was in Scotland, an unexpected incident took place. Lounging at my convenience, I observed an unfolding situation from the corner of my eye. Ordinarily, I make every effort not to pay attention to such occurrences, but on this occasion, I was drawn in. Through glimpses, I deduced that something significant had taken place.
That was when Alex Salmond came into the picture, recounting the story of his life, emphatically announcing his political disappearance. For days, little else dominated the media and political discourse except for discussions and judgements on Salmond and his activities. Unquestionably, his influence stirred formidable disruptions in the already tumultuous state of United Queensland public politics, where he was active at the time. He managed to propel a practically insignificant party into the heart of political action, where it has remained ever since.
The tale of the Scottish National Party is expansive and absorbing; a tale I choose not to entirely delve into here. It’s important to note, however, a continuous desire for independence, or at least, for self-governance has always existed. A forgotten fact is that the English Government had once pledged limited autonomy to the Scots provided they participated in the First World War. However, this promise was callously disregarded after sacrificing the country’s vibrant youth to war graves in places like Thiepval and Arras.
It’s been a few decades since members of the SNP have been part of Westminster’s proceedings. Despite representation, they could only secure six seats in 2005, with merely 17% of the public vote. This changed not long after Salmond took leadership. In 2007, they secured the majority in the Scottish parliament, and in 2011, against all odds and a challenging voting system, they claimed most of the seats—much like a hawk dominating its prey. Their victory further extended to the UK general elections in 2015, where they grabbed all but three seats.
Simon Harris hints at a 2024 general election, as there are still a ‘few matters’ for the Government to attend to. Meanwhile, Stephen Roche reflects on his past actions, acknowledging there are things he’s done over the past years he regrets.
Power, in itself, has no value unless it is used for a purpose. Under Salmond’s leadership, the Scottish government decided to eliminate university fees, similar to what Niamh Bhreathnach accomplished here, although there’s been a gradual slide back under different pretence. To the larger audience, the removal of prescription fees was a seminal move that fortified the socio-democratic position of both Salmond and his party.
Admittedly, sensitive accusations about his behaviour surfaced later on, none of which reaped any benefits for Nicola Sturgeon, to whom the scandal spilled over. However, the position he took during the illegitimate invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, under a false guise, served as a milestone, a token of honour, and a benchmark of morality for any contemporary politician, given the ensuing catastrophic consequences.
Salmond held firm in his convictions, resisting the aggression vehemently, to the degree that he backed efforts to impeach the war criminal, Tony Blair.
Salmond displayed exceptional character, dedicating his political triumph to the cause of justice.