THE acting leader of the Alba Party has sent an emotional letter to members following the death of founder Alex Salmond.
Kenny MacAskill, who is the depute leader of Alba, said in his letter that the news of Salmond’s death – which happened on Saturday afternoon at a conference in North Macedonia – had come “as a shock to us all”, adding that the party would be focusing on supporting his family and returning Salmond home in the coming days.
READ MORE: 'He made Scots walk taller': Historian reflects on Alex Salmond legacy
Prior to his death aged 69, Salmond had made a speech at the Cultural Diplomacy Forum in Ohrid in which he promoted the case for Scottish independence.
Here is Kenny MacAskill’s letter to Alba members in full:
Dear friends,
By now you will have heard the tragic news of the passing of our party leader and Scotland’s former first minister Alex Salmond.
Alex passed away at lunch time on Saturday while he was in North Macedonia at a conference in which he was promoting the case for Scottish independence.
The news has come as a shock to us all and in the coming days our thoughts are focused only on Moira, supporting his family in any way that we can and returning Alex home to Scotland. It will take us all time to process his sudden loss and it is right that we do so.
He was the outstanding Scottish politician not just of his generation but for generations far before. Recognised at home and respected abroad. He was not just a master political tactician but strategist. Yet also a politician who was a superb debater and orator. But one who equally possessed extraordinary charm and a common touch which endeared him to so many in Scotland.
His record speaks for itself in moulding the modern SNP, forming the first independence administration and delivering both an unprecedented Holyrood majority and a referendum on independence. His legacy lives on and has benefitted Scotland immensely with infrastructure and other social and economic gains testifying to that.
A family has lost a husband, a brother and a much loved uncle. I have lost one of my oldest and dearest friends. The party grieves the loss of their founder and leader. Across Scotland people are mourning the loss of their former first minister.
But the dream he cherished so closely and came so close to delivering will never die.
We will honour him.
Yours for Scotland,
Kenny MacAskill
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