I am not a hypocrite, nor would Alex wish me to be. I was an ally with Alex in the SNP for a long period, and a critic of his party management for a number of years.  But never at any time did I alter the view I took when first meeting him, young as he was then, that he was something special; nor did I ignore that it was his brilliant leadership of the party that took us from the 14 per cent support for independence when he became leader, to 45 per cent in 2014.

Alex Salmond did that because he was a politician of the first rank, whether judged by Scottish UK, European or international standard. He did what I doubt any future leader of whatever party in Scotland will do in future, beat fair and square the electoral system that is designed to prevent any party gaining an overall majority. In addition, to his everlasting credit, he went on to turn an Executive into a competent government with considerable skill. He made the SNP electable.

When I first met Alex, he was centre of an SNP political storm, because he and others, Roseanna Cunningham, Kenny MacAskill and Margo MacDonald among them, had set up the 79 Group in response the disastrous 1979 election defeat.  The 79 Group wanted a leftward turn. The traditionalists wouldn’t tolerate it. A monumental bust up was inevitable, and Salmond et al were expelled. 

But he didn’t stay in that wilderness for long. The then leader, Gordon Wilson brought them back into the fold once calm had been restored, but the party had started to change under the influence of what the Group had argued for, and it was no surprise that Alex’s qualities saw the party nominate him for the Westminster parliament seat of Banff and Buchan, and rejoice when he won it.

At Westminster Alex found himself in the big league, populated in those days by big political figures who could very quickly sum up the worth of an opponent, and mark either as someone to watch and be wary of, or dismiss as of not account. Salmond was seen as in the first category. He was a trained economist with an acute political brain, and although others in the House of Common repudiated his nationalism, they respected him.

Alex Salmond, 1954 - 2024:

His rise to the leadership of the party was inevitable. You might think that is a bit of hypocrisy on my part as I backed Margaret Ewing, his opponent. He was going to get the job one day, but I thought at the time that, given his young age, that he should wait. If he won he was going to be there for a very long time, and I did not think  the leadership of such a length that was a good thing for any political party. The membership wanted him, and he won easily.  

So far, I have detailed Alex’s qualities. The ones that finally made him First Minister, and become recognised everywhere as a political leader of the first rank. Did he have flaws? Of course he did. As the years went on, as happens when a leader becomes entrenched, he found it difficult to tolerate dissent and become surrounded by career ambitious followers singing his praises. I have someone particular in mind.  They proved to be his undoing, the reason he was pushed to the margins of our political life.

Alex’s untimely death has an important consequence. His case against the Scottish government, if it had gone to court would have flushed out the evidence he had, his lawyer has, Police Scotland has, the Crown Office has, of the malicious actions taken against him that saw him face the daily humiliation of being prosecuted in the High Court, with extreme damage to his reputation despite a jury finding him not guilty on nine charges. Those who know, know that it was all unnecessary.  But damage done, can never be undone.

Age 69 in politics is not old. In politics, today’s ally can easily become tomorrow’s opponent and vice versa. So it has been in recent years with me and Alex. I did not join his ALBA party, although I wished it well, but I have shared a number of platforms with him in different parts of Scotland, and, as I told our friend Alex Neil, he was still at the top, head and shoulders above any other practising politician in Scotland today. 

Watching and listening to him holding an audience in the palm of his hand, explaining complex issues with a clarity that brought them to a complete understanding, and providing the inspiration that is missing today, will be my binding memory of him.