Former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond seen in video posted hours before his death
ALEX Salmond was the political heavyweight who punched way above his weight and nearly knocked Scotland out of the UK.
“He took me around Linlithgow and showed me where all the great things had happened. I got Braveheart from my grandfather’s knee.” It was there he decided to join the SNP after an argument with an English girlfriend, which ended with her ultimatum: “If you feel like that, go and join the SNP!” Their plans seemed to be sticking to the script when the SNP won just 35 seats to Labour’s 56 in the first Scottish parliament elections in 1999 which saw Salmond step down as leader.resigned as SNP leader in 2004, Salmond initially ruled out a return to the top - before suddenly changing his mind.
1987: Elected as MP for the Banff and Buchan as one of three SNP MPs returned to Westminster. Months later becomes SNP deputy leader.1997: Under his leadership, the SNP increases its MPs from four to six at the general election. He backs the campaign for a devolved Scottish Parliament.2000: Makes shock announcement that he is standing down as SNP leader. He is succeeded by John Swinney.2004: Takes over for his second stint as SNP leader after John Swinney stands down.
2015: Returns to Westminster as MP for Gordon. He holds the job for two years before losing his seat at the snap election called by Theresa May. He recalls: “I was due to meet Her Majesty at Balmoral, but due to bad flooding I realised I was going to be late. On the night of the historic vote he gave a rare insight into his then 33-year marriage, when he told The Scottish Sun: “It’s Moira I’ve been concerned for. She always said she married an economist, not a politician.”But he had clearly lost none of his strut as he famously burst through the doors at Westminster after winning the Gordon constituency during the SNP’s 2015 landslide when they won 56 out of a possible 59 seats.
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