Readers' letters: Alex Salmond was a giant in Scottish politics and the independence movement

The sad and untimely death of Alex Salmond removes one of the key actors from the play that is Scottish independence.

Whilst one could be at the opposite end of the spectrum from his desire for independence, it would be churlish and small-minded not to acknowledge his enormous contribution, not just to Scottish politics but to UK politics too.

When he became leader of the SNP, support for independence stood at 14 per cent. When he persuaded the incumbent UK Prime Minister David Cameron to hold a referendum, that climbed to 45 per cent. It should be noted that there was no obligation on a UK Prime Minister to hold such a referendum and indeed the past and present leadership of the SNP have singularly failed to repeat that feat.

Alex Salmond in typically combative form during a session of First Minister's Questions in March 2013 (Picture: Greg Macvean)

He had some serious flaws. However, what is clear is that he was a giant in Scottish politics and the independence movement and had he been able to fulfil his desire to return to the Holyrood Parliament, he would have been a giant amongst the pygmies that currently occupy that place.

Scottish politics and the cut and thrust of political debate, whether you agreed with him or not, will be considerably poorer now that he has departed the stage.

Richard Allison, Edinburgh

Debating skills

Though I utterly opposed Alex Salmond's divisive nationalist dogma, I am not going to use his death to launch an ad hominem attack on him – I fully recognise that his, like every death, will be a personal tragedy for his family and friends, and a loss to many of his fellow separatists.

It’s understood he had aspirations to rejoin Holyrood in 2026 as an Alba MSP, and indeed, I would have thoroughly enjoyed watching his finely-tuned debating skills reduce to rubble those ineffectual and frankly incompetent individuals who lead the SNP these days.

Martin Redfern, Melrose, Scottish Borders

Household name

Anyone whom – irrespective of their politics – fails to recognise Alex Salmond as one of the great figures in the history of these isles is a blinkered fool whose word should never be taken seriously again.

Not only did Salmond take Scotland to within a whisker of independence without a shot being fired, but he’s the only Scottish democratic political figure to have become a household name worldwide.

This oil economist was also responsible for proving the viability of wind energy by using his position as First Minister to force its adoption in Scotland, with the rest of the UK following suit thereafter. Now the UK is sixth in the world for renewable energy, and by 2023 29.4 per cent came from wind alone. Salmond did more in practice to reverse climate change than Greta Thunberg, Extinction Rebellion and their ilk put together ever did – or ever will.

Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire

Big shock

Even for those who didn’t support or know him, the suddenness of Alex Salmond’s death was as big a shock as Diana’s, or that of the great Jim Clark. And after Mary Queen of Scots he’ll be the most feted and debated “Black Bitch” son or daughter of my home town, Linlithgow.

The cosy Labour/Lib Dem Holyrood coalition that sat admiring the view for eight years had it coming when he won in 2007 and shook things up, even with a minority. At the time, I was persuadable on an independence whose proposers showed an ability, vision and tested plan to change things for the better.

Instead, after 2011 he used nationalism, populism and grievance to inflate independence support and poisoned the campaign by turning turned a blind eye to anti-English rancour. Without all that he might have won, or honourably lost, but been able to stay on, committing to govern well for another term, build a track record of competence and delivery and show how things would be even better: independence, in the EU, and with a mutually beneficial, co-operative treaty with the UK.

We might still have the Baby Box, but the ferries would have been orthodox and delivered, there would have been no bottle bank fiascos or gender missteps, and Grangemouth might not only have been saved, it might now be the hub of a booming shale industry as part of a pragmatic, far-sighted, just transition.

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

Good example

The late Alex Salmond left office as First Minister of Scotland after seven years in 2014 because a majority of the electorate did not vote for Scottish independence in the referendum he called.

Whatever, Alex will be remembered not only as a pragmatic political economist but as a warm and generous person. On resigning, he arranged for the gifts presented to him when in office to be publicly auctioned for charity and there are many who now treasure the mementoes, books and other artefacts successfully bid for at this auction.

Perhaps the present government and holders of political office would do well to reflect on Alex Salmond’s example in respect of gifts given to them in their representative roles?

Elizabeth Marshall, Edinburgh

Lasting legacy

There is a dreadful sadness as I write on the death of Alex Salmond, while he was on active political service.

When I once met him, shook his hand and shared a bacon roll with him at Newtonmore golf club, he engendered a warm and friendly atmosphere, where fun and laughter were the keynotes.

No matter what, here was a passionate and inspirational leader. He galvanised the people of Scotland and led the independence campaign from a tiny tartan Tory minority into a social democratic majority. To ensure his lasting legacy Scotland must complete its journey to independence.

Grant Frazer, Newtonmore, Highland

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