The Giant
It’s hard to write an obituary for someone you can’t quite believe is dead.
But we must look the truth in the eyes, and it is so.
Alex Salmond would have wished to die, some decades from now, in the country he fought for all his days, and preferably not before it had recovered its independence. But if he was to depart this life in a foreign land, where could be more apt than Macedonia – the birthplace, after all, of Alexander The Great?
Or to be more precise, North Macedonia, because as everyone who ever spoke to him would tell you, Salmond’s command of historical detail was as meticulous as his grasp of political detail. He loved to share his knowledge of history, which was as deep as it was wide, with anyone in earshot. You could passingly mention some obscure figure and then be treated to an extensive and captivating lecture that would be the envy of any professor of the subject, and it was best to abandon any hope of getting a word in edgeways for the next half-hour or so.
I would not presume to elevate myself to the level of his friend. We met in person only four or five times, when he interviewed me for his TV show and at last month’s “10 Years On” event in Glasgow, and over some long lunches in Bath’s grand Royal Crescent Hotel and the city’s equally fancy Ivy restaurant. Alex loved the finer things in life, none more so than good food and drink in company, and if he took you to lunch it was advisable to write off the rest of the day.
But he treated everyone as a friend either in fact or in waiting. In truth he just loved people. In the hours since his passing we’ve been retweeting innumerable personal anecdotes from those who knew him well or met him in passing, and he treated everyone in the same warm and courteous way, be they the great and the good or a random stranger, and whether an ally or an opponent.
He had countless opportunities and ample justification to retire quietly and enjoy his remaining years relaxing in the leafy peacefulness of the Aberdeenshire countryside. Instead he tirelessly dashed around the country and the globe, talking to anyone who would listen, in grand metropolitan theatres, international institutions or wee church and village halls in the middle of nowhere, in any circumstances and at any hour.
(It wasn’t unusual to get a phone call from him well past midnight, often from a car on the way to or from yet another far-flung engagement, with some dramatic revelation or tip-off, or the details of an ingenious new plan or project.)
Nor was it from a lack of options. Salmond was what we Scots call a “lad o’pairts”, who succeeded in every field he entered throughout his life, from oil economist to politician to live chat-show host and TV presenter.
His “controversial” RT show – controversial only because the small-minded and visionless drones in control of the country’s domestic broadcasters failed to provide it with a more mainstream outlet – invited figures from every part of the political spectrum and gave them the space to speak properly in a way long since lost to current-affairs TV, because he believed in the ideal of open and civilised political discourse.
Much of the commentary since his death has been focused on the assertion that he was “divisive”, a criticism of extraordinary idiocy to make about a politician. Division is the key intrinsic nature of politics – the voting chambers of the House Of Commons are actually called the Division Lobbies – and as such is inescapable, but it was in reality the polar opposite of Salmond’s approach.
He sought consensus and co-operation at every turn, seeing it as the only basis for a healthy future, even to a fault – I had a good few arguments with him that it was time to withdraw Alba’s olive branch to the SNP, but he exhausted every last possibility of unity, however remote, in the face of the most extraordinary provocation.
His fortitude, of course, in the face of the grotesque, evil conspiracy against him which formed much of that provocation, was perhaps the most heroic achievement of his life. As someone subjected to only the tiniest fraction of what he endured by way of false accusation, I can attest to the huge stresses it places on you, and a lesser man would have been crushed to ashes not only by the pressures of a trial but by the heinous and painful betrayal of his former protegé and unworthy successor (whose name and face will not soil this article), and his treacherous former colleagues.
The SNP had the breathtaking audacity to weep crocodile tears on Twitter about their “former leader” – a fact nobody reading the party’s website would know, since every trace of his name was erased from it years ago.
The SNP’s current caretaker, who also issued a minimal generic acknowledgement through gritted teeth last night, would doubtless approve of our redactions of the above image, because he’s been at the very heart of the subsequent desperate attempts to conceal that betrayal.
Indeed, Swinney’s last act in relation to Salmond was a cynical attempt to use the Scottish Government’s monetary muscle to crush his civil claim against them before it could be heard in court, knowing that Salmond had been financially ruined by the cost of his defence against the false allegations assembled by the party.
But were we to list the full catalogue of gross, unforgivable and criminal injustices done to Alex Salmond by the SNP in the last years of his life (and which surely contributed to shortening it so cruelly), this article would never end, and it is the eternal fate of those who achieve true greatness to be stabbed in the back by jealous failures.
And let’s be in no doubt that we lived in the presence of a true great. We should not let familiarity and contemporaneity dull the fact that we shared a timeline with someone every bit the equal in Scotland’s history of Wallace and Bruce. Alex Salmond spilled no blood, but changed the nation in ways that will never be undone, however wretched the machinations of the pygmies who inherited and squandered his legacy.
I am hugely proud and grateful to have known him even a little. We first spoke when he stepped in after the BBC had had the Wings YouTube channel closed down, publicly intervening with no less than the corporation’s Director General and swiftly bringing about the channel’s restoration when all other avenues had run into a brick wall.
It was an act wholly typical of a man who also offered public and private support of all kinds to numerous other campaigners, including Craig Murray and Dave Llewellyn, and to countless worthy causes.
Again, we’ve retweeted many testaments to that effect since yesterday afternoon. He was never slow to come to the aid of those who needed it, seeking neither credit nor quid pro quo, and never scared to say unpopular things if he thought they needed to be said or to champion unfashionable causes, not just those currently in the fancy and favour of the chattering classes.
He wasn’t infallible and he wasn’t a saint, nor did he ever claim to be either. Those who have qualified their memorials with weasel words judging him by the pious standards of a different and less honest time deserve only our contempt. The road Alex Salmond walked had no mercy for the weak or hesitant, and every one of those critics would have fallen whimpering by the wayside after half a dozen steps in his shoes.
But strength was only one facet of his personality. His humanity – a vanishing quality in politicians – was a greater one, as were his indefatigable positivity, his phenomenal intellect and perhaps most of all his irrepressible and generous sense of humour and fondness for some good old-fashioned Scottish flyting.
(I remember one late-night phonecall with him and his ever-present right hand Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, where we were pondering some events or other and he contemplated aloud if there was a graver error for a politician than resigning too soon. “Coming back too soon?”, I replied, and he laughed uproariously for about three minutes.)
I can’t begin to offer comfort to all those who had the good fortune to know him far better than I did, and who will be feeling his loss even more acutely than the rest of us – most particularly and obviously his wonderful wife Moira, who I finally had the great pleasure of meeting in Glasgow last month – save to say that Wings will do everything in its power in the days and weeks and months to come to help secure the justice and vindication that he didn’t live to see for himself.
He was very fond of quoting that other mighty and world-renowned Scot Robert Burns, and someone sent us some lines last night that are all we have left to say about his sudden, tragic and unbearably untimely passing.
“An honest man here lies at rest,
As e’er God with His image blest:
The friend of man, the friend of truth;
The friend of age, and guide of youth:
Few hearts like his, with virtue warm’d,
Few heads with knowledge so inform’d:
If there’s another world, he lives in bliss;
If there is none, he made the best of this.”
Goodbye, Alex. Our hearts are sore without you.
I can’t believe it either. There must be a fair bit of rejoicing going on behind a lot of these po-faced expressions of sympathy and condolence.
Hi Morag I wouldn’t let those fuckers in to my mind right now when grieving for Alex.
Unacceptable disrespectable language.
Alex Salmond was a Christian ,a member of the Church of Scotland
“Unacceptable disrespectable language.
Alex Salmond was a Christian ,a member of the Church of Scotland”
And he swore like a trooper when the occasion called for it.
which was often :).
a wee free
Piss off
Some what ignorant reply.
I imagine my language regarding the Sturgeonista and woke filth in the SNP would be very similar.
Thank you. Still can’t believe it and the tears are never far away but your words give some comfort.
?No words
R.I.P. Alex Salmond
A Giant amongst pygmies.
RIP Alex Salmond.
Nicely done.
A sair day.
“…to say that Wings will do everything in its power in the days and weeks and months to come to help secure the justice that he didn’t live to see for himself.”
Good.
Put the GRR stuff on the back burner because now we have something really worthwhile to fight for and we need someone to lead the fight.
IMO, that someone is YOU.
the right for women to exist IS something worth fighting for.
The man himself knew that women’s rights are a ‘really worthwhile’ thing to fight for. Like all decent people, Alex could campaign on several things at once.
Perhaps making contact with David Davies MP – a great friend and supporter of Alec – would help in the campaign to get to the bottom of the conspiracy
I spoke to David this morning.
Good to hear: I thought he came across well on R4 this morning. He obviously has the bit between his teeth to see justice is done.
If Alba and Kenny MacAskill have any sense they’ll make it a central plank of their 2026 campaign to ensure they promote the things Davis was recommending:
I read that David Davies was trying to repatriate Alex with the help of the RAF? Don’t know if this is true but it would be great to give him a state funeral.
It’s now up to the rest of us to ensure AS gets the proper justice he was denied. Crowdfunders, legal submissions, rallies, whatever it takes.
I’m heartbroken. A great tribute to a giant of a man. I and I’m sure many others will join you to ensure that he receives justice.
Love the Burns quote, quite the tear jerker…
A lovely tribute Stu. The best politician of our age and he will be much missed.
Beautifully said, Reverend.
And “his unworthy successor (whose name and face will not soil this article)” . Thank you for that.
Well put. RIP
I read this and I agree
“It’s time for the rest of us to step up”
Fine piece
I never knew the man, but feel he’s a grievous loss to Scotland. The towering figure in Scotland’s drive to independence.
I hope his dream is fulfilled.
R.I.P. Alex.
Thank you.
A lovely tribute to a great man, Glad to hear that you’re still on board.
Beautiful words. God bless him.
Apologies for the repost.
The biggest piece of work right now is to ensure that Alex Salmond (if the family will allow) has a state funeral that both reflects the greatness of the man, and enables the full expression of respect and national grief that people have the right to express.
MMW, there is deep resistance to this. Anything which is likely to visually and inarguably demonstrate the scale of national respect and engagement with the issue of independence that exists is not in the interests of our overlords.
There will need to be campaigning on this. I don’t often go in for hyberbole, but there are people who would very much prefer that he and his legacy just quietly disappear.
Scots have a right to mourn and pay respects to Salmond, and they have a right to do that collectively and publically.
I would ask, if Stuart were willing, that we use Wings to that effect.
Am I alone in thinking Alex should be given whatever the Scottish state can muster by way of expression of national grief and respect?
Let’s keep the British state well out of it
There isn’t a single spine left in the Scottish government who could declare a state of mourning with any sort of legitimacy.
You can’t feign respect for someone you tried have imprisoned until death with false charges dreamt up by munter fantasists.
The truth is that there currently is no Scottish state, and to be honest I mistrust anyone who thinks they need some permission from the state to do such a thing as grieve.
I’m not asking permission to grieve I just think the collective expression of grief and respect should be wholly Scottish
Wholly Scottish, sure, but I can’t see how any involvement of those who put an attempt on his life and liberty can leave anything but a bad taste in the mouth.
Anyone in a position to offer Salmond a state funeral would do so out of joy, relief and celebration, not mourning.
To be clear, by state, I mean Scottish state. Think about it.
Yes, the state that not too long ago attempted to imprison Salmond for falsified crimes, the stress of which undoubtedly accelerated his death and soured at least half of his final years.
The killer should not organise the funeral.
The people can mourn, but there is no Scottish state representation of the people at the moment, so any state involvement in mourning would amount to little more than an expensive jig on the grave of their enemy.
Decision should rest with his family
But if it is to be a public or ceremonial affair then I let’s keep it away from the Union-jackery of the British state
I understand your reluctance to allow those who tried to put him away to benefit but they would also be forced in to a very public acknowlegement of the man and his greatness and in the eyes of the public that would be a step towards his exoneration and some rehabilitation of his reputation
Those of us with sense know he was innocent, those of us who are blethering morons think he wasn’t, and unless brain transplants really take off sometime soon, I don’t see any of those blethering morons changing sides.
“Maybe if those people see Swiney and Kranky at the funeral they’ll finally get it.” If such a person exists, they are not worth convincing of anything except their own need of a brain transplant.
Let NO one ever forget, Alex Salmond was exonerated by a jury of his peers in the highest court in our country.
The hypocrisy of the conspirators and their collaborators who actively sought his political demise to the extent of committing perjury at his trial knows NO bounds!
Alex Salmond was a man of the people, let the people show the way and cast the hypocrites to the furnaces of Hell!
As a Unionist and a Banff and Buchan resident I had a lot of respect for Alex Salmond as a politician and he had many friends in Westminster of all political persuasions.
He certainly deserves a state funeral- but if that means Dishonest John attending then no.
Absolutely! The family will no doubt want space and time to mourn in private, but if there is an opportunity for the Scottish people to gather together to show their respect, I’m sure they will line the streets. RIP Alex
Maybe AUOB could do something? At least it would keep the tractors away.
I would like to see both a funeral that members of the public can show how much Alex Salmond meant and that is fitting for the finest First Minister Scotland had seen however that is a matter for the family.
I would also like to see a march for Alex Salmond from the courts to Holyrood in the hope that some of the banners highlight the injustice and start to build some pressure to see justice done. Not sure if AUOB are up organising that but if not hopefully others with more reach are.
I stopped going to marches as I couldn’t face being lectured by nuSNP or Green grifters. For Alex Salmond I would walk the length and breadth of Scotland.
A political opponent. A giant of a man. RIP. Condolences to his wife
A lovely tribute
Such sad news. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and many supporters.
Even for those who may not have agreed with his politics, Salmond was a rare form of politician in these times. Capable of galvanising a party with belief and purpose. Able to express his views with genuine belief , passion and statesmanship.
As sad as this news is, it would be sadder yet if those behind his victimisation from his former party escaped justice.
(posted on other thread but more fitting here)
Beautifully put. A fitting eulogy for a fine man.
Have nothing but contempt for the current SNP. I welcome the ground that’s coming up to meet them.
RIP Alex. Scotland’s best friend.
I’m deeply saddened that Alex never lived to see the dream he campaigned and advocated so hard for his whole life realised.
He also never got the justice and vindication he so rightly deserved.
His contributions to Scotland can’t be denied. I hope the name ‘Alex Salmond’ goes down in the history books and he’s remembered for many years to come. Will we ever see his like again?
Brokenhearted. Platitudes from those unfit to tie his shoelaces won’t be forgotten, nor will the lies they told. They’d have seen him die in jail. I hope most sincerely Rev. that you can take up the mantle in place of Alex to finish the fight on his behalf. Not only did those toom tabards betray him, they bured independence in the process.
So sad, He was unique among politicians in that what he tried to do was for the benefit of the people of Scotland and not for himself or his cronies….He’ll be sadly missed….
Thank you for writing this. We owe him a great debt for changing so much for the better. This cannot be the end.
<i>He sought consensus and co-operation at every turn, seeing it as the only basis for a healthy future</i>
Possibly the last major UK politician to do so, & in fact few politicians in the UK in my lifetime have done so successfully. Blair did for a time, Charlie Kennedy did post Iraq til his party got rid of him, John Smith tried to but mostly it’s empty platitudes about ‘creating consensus’ from the likes of Cameron, Sturgeon & Starmer.
Salmond was also the last time a social democrat sat in the office of First Minister. True, he had major flaws such as his pandering to Trump over the golf course he wanted to build. Still, that period of his minority government & then up to 2014 is extraordinary for transforming Scotland. He understood how devolution worked, its limits & how to work within them to get the most out of what he had while at the same time, putting massive pressure on Westminster parties to get more. Taking the opportunity given to him by Cameron to make the referendum a binary question rather than including a Devo Max question was incredible. Taking support for independence from the low 20% to 45% was astonishing, and had he had a workable answer to the currency question I’m sure that Scotland today would be independent.
Hindsight’s a wonderful thing but I wish he’d never quit. He had to though having put everything on the result, and for a short while it seemed Sturgeon might kick on and build upon what Salmond did but sadly, we know how that turned out.
His death is a tragedy & he’ll be missed. I only hope now that David Davies uses his position & his power in the Commons to push on trying to get to the bottom of the conspiracy against him & finally Salmond gets some sort of justice.
And as for all those people crawling out the woodwork to call Salmond all the names under the sun, many of them care nothing for independence or even care about what he did. Hell, a decade ago many of them were still in primary school, but they knew they couldn’t defame him when alive but now he’s dead they can get away with it. These are Sturgeon/SNP/Green/Trans activists or loyalists & the gloating over Salmond’s death is something I hope comes back to haunt them.
Shedding tears all day
Every time I read another tribute
What a loss
When we will see his like again
That fought and died for his wee bit hill and glen..
And we all know who stood against him
From the might of the British establishment to the minnows who, for the moment, will remain nameless
Started off gutted last night, now moved onto heartbroken. As someone else said in Twitter, he was the only person I can call my hero, despite my generally cynical heart…
That’s beautifully put.
A true son of Scotland
Thank you, Rev. In my house we felt gutted at the news although we never met Alex – we recognised his greatness. He truly is on a level with Wallace and Bruce.
Like them he achieved a great deal. Scotland’s escape from the Union is at the centre of all politics and in all our minds. Because of Alex, it is no longer a fringe cause.
May I suggest that, if not already happening, you and the other doughty fighters set up regular meetings to construct a powerful process that will achieve our escape.
A very brilliant article as ever! RIP Alex Salmond
Very sad time.
Excellent tribute Stu. The Burns’ poem was very apt.
My heart was so warmed after watching the video of his chat with you at the IMAX a few weeks ago, and I was hopeful for the future of the Alba party with him at the helm.
How sad it is this day to realise what we as a nation have lost.
RIP Alex
A great man in every way. His death a dreadful shock.
The last few years have been very depressing. I had given up on seeing independence in my time and was reduced to waiting impatiently for those who conspired against Alex to be exposed and publicly disgraced. Now I fear even that hope is knocked.
To Alex Salmond, every ‘disaster’, somehow became an opportunity and a challenge.
As a student of history, in a situation such as this, he would no doubt have told of the Scottish martyr Patrick Hamilton; burnt at the stake; the ‘reek of’ whose untimely demise in fact ‘set all Scotland alight’, for his cause!
Or humourously pointed out that William Wallace wasn’t just dead, he was chopped to bits and scattered far and wide! – And that didn’t prevent Scotland going on to regain her freedom, under Robert The Bruce.
The wives of both James II and James V outlived their husbands by some time. And in an era of male dominated leadership, one razed to the ground, the stronghold her husband had been besieging! While the other led Scotland to considerable political success.
We are presented here with an opportunity, setting Alex’ example before us, to spur us on to Independence.
Well said Rev.
A fantastic tribute to the greatest Scottish patriot.
As fine and worthy an obituary of this great man that I have had the privilege to read.
And as true and portentous a promise to secure justice as I could hope for.
Every power to your keyboard.
? I listened to ‘Scotland Speaks’ this morning, aired just before he passed. Tasmina’s ditty about people no longer with us brought a tear to my eye. RIP ‘Eck. ?
I’m generally the sort of person who is ambivalent when somebody I’ve never met dies. However, this time it has hit me in a way I just don’t really have the words to express.
I only wish I could have met him.
Lovely tribute, Stuart.
A great man much maligned. Cried when I heard the news.
Thank you for this tribute Stu. Finally a fitting one for the great man. RIP Alex.
Thank you for this fitting tribute. We will not see his like again. I was glad to have been at last month’s event in Glasgow, now doubly so. He was equally adept and at home dealing with top flight politicians and discussing farming with Doric speaking locals in the North East, (where I am from). Feeling so terribly sad today.
Drinking Jura and crying. Scotland will be running out of hankies and whisky. All the best Eck. We will try to get justice for you, and independence for Scotland, with all our hearts.
Was just absolutely devastated when I heard the news, I wish I’d had the chance to meet the man. I never bothered with voting until the referendum but Alex gave the country a new confidence in itself and pride. It will be impossible to replace him and yesterday I felt as though the dream of independence might have just slipped out of reach without him to hold the SNP accountable and show there’s another way. I’m sure he has inspired a whole generation along with myself and I will do what I can to keep the dream alive in his memory.
A devastating loss Stu. Thanks for this tribute x
Time to rename the Queensferry Crossing?
Independence first.
link to change.org
Just seen Stu’s post about what Jo Maugham has posted. Apart from the horrible gloating, he shows no understanding of how trials work or the concept of being found not guilty in a court of law.
link to x.com
Maugham, like many TRAs, are loving Salmond’s death. They saw him not just as a hate figure but a threat as after all, he was one of the few UK politicians willing to call out trans ideology.
However I’m unsure whether a lawyer acting like this is a wise thing. True, he’s a tax lawyer but seeing how the Good Law Project is nothing more than an enormous grift to scam money out of people, including Trans men and women I only hope it all comes crashing down for Maugham sooner rather than later.
On Saturday afternoon a particularly bright rainbow suddenly appeared over this part of Scotland.
I remembered an hour later that ‘great politicians make the (political?) weather’. I also noticed it had no multi-coloured triangles or circles in it…
As the song says: ‘And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye!’
Jo Maugham should be told to ‘take a hike’ (along the high road, presumably).
A really good summary Stuart. Condolences to those who knew Alex as a friend as well as his family.
Thank you Stuart for a magnificent and heart-felt tribute to a peerless man! I recall my surprise upon seeing Alex, out campaigning on the platform of Partick undergound station.”Hello, I’m Alex Salmond”, smiling warmly and proffering his hand to all. There were no cameras, no cynical hacks, simply Alex at his best and we all smiled in appreciation. It was clear this was a man of people like us……. No airs and graces, no arrogance, simply decency, openness and intelligence. Rest in Peace Sir.
An obituary worthy of the man. Thanks for writing this, you’ve done him proud. His loss is unfathomable and heartbreaking. He was one of us in so many ways. RIP Alex, and thank you for everything.
Thanks for saying this, Stuart, because I just don’t have the words to express the enormity of this loss. May those who hounded burn in their own helfires.
We’ll never see his like again, more’s the pity. His name will never be forgotten.
Perfectly put Stu. You captured the essence of our friend so well in these few paragraphs.
RIP Alex.
A true lad o pairts. I never met the man but today I feel as if a fond member of my family has died. This is a loss to the independence movement but I feel we must redouble our efforts. Alex, Winnie Ewing and Margot MacDonald and others will live on in our hearts and our memories. We owe it to Alex and these other icons of the independence movement to continue the fight.
Very well said Alisdair; as you say, we owe it not only to those who have in the face of adversity given so much, such as giants like Alex, but to those who will follow us, to redouble our efforts. The fight goes on. RIP Alex.
Thank you.
“Scotland is a Country not a County”.
Alex’s last public words for us all to read.
Scotland has lost a true champion and I’m not ashamed to admit, I just can’t stop crying, I never thought his sudden death would have hit me so hard, I only met the man once and what an experience that was.
Deepest condolences go to Moira, to his clan and life long friends,
We mourn with you.
He’s indeed “A man’s a man fir aw that”.
That was a beautiful tribute. I’m devastated. Independence was the best of times, the very best. Where everything seemed possible. No flowers of Scotland were born to bloom unseen, he said in his book. Rest in peace Alex Salmond. Alexander the great.
Beautifully put Stu
Good lad Stuart. Excellent.
Thank-you for this, Rev Stu. A sincere and beautiful tribute, very touching to read.
There is a youtube video of Alex’s speech yesterday, testament to his statesmanship and humanity and also the high regard in which he was held.
Hopefully this youtube link will work. Very poignant to watch so here is a transcription of his summing up.
OHRID CULTURAL DIPLOMACY FORUM
Leadership, Cultural Bridges and Legal Frameworks in Post -Cultural Reconciliation
“To reconcile differences, you need a legal framework. You need a situation where people are prepared to say ‘that is the treaty or agreement or understanding’.
You certainly need leadership because usually to get that framework in place requires the leaders of various parties or countries or factions to go beyond their own particular interest and try to understand the interests of the other side.
And I do think very strongly you need the cultural bridges, and Northern Ireland, which we might come to later, would be a very positive example of how cultural understanding has helped promote a peace which seemed so elusive for so long.
My general message is: respect for legitimate democratic aspirations leads to good outcomes. Disrespecting it in one way or another, and often surprisingly, can lead to bad outcomes for everyone. Thank-you.”
Alex Salmond 12 October 2024.
youtu.be/KfzhzVw0Ghg?feature=shared
(from 15:30 minutes in)
Don’t know what is harder to take in. Have watched those videos, and it still doesn’t feel like it really has happened, even a day later. I can’t grieve because it really does feel like he can’t be gone. That there is nobody to follow him, given what that video shows he still was representing: — that, if it is possible to say this, feels feels almost harder. We, not just we in Scotland, but Scotland and England both, as he was starting to hit home at that conference, , are at never a more perilous juncture now if the people who know who they are manage to rewrite his legacy to their own ends — and if nobody who can pick up his mantle in the right way, steps up. It is almost inconceivable to begin to realise just what every one of us on all sides has just now lost.
Fitting words Stu, thank you… Alex Salmond was a collosus of our, and to be fair, all of Scotland’s time…
He will be very fondly remembered and very sadly missed…
RIP Alex and thank you for giving us hope and for daring us to dream
Thanks for giving us all a dream that will never die. Hail Alba
I had the great privilege of seeing you both in action, last month, at Scotland Speaks. You were both in sterling form. He was my hero and it pains me to see and read the utter p**h coming out of the keyboards of those who sought to end his days, in a jail cell. They brushed his numerous achievements from the history of the SNP, a disgusting act if ever there was one. I hope that legally, in some respect, the court action can continue. If not, there’s obviously parliamentary privilege in the shape of his good friend, David Davies. I hope he uses it to expose the whole cabal, if he needs to!
RIP Alex, yi were a bonny fechter. ?
A very fine and heartfelt tribute to A.S. from the Rev. Yes, Alex was great, a giant.
Yesterday the doors to Walhalla opened for him, yesterday he became immortal.
All of us who saw the inestimable qualities of Alex Salmond, now in shock at his untimely departure are on the brink of such a witnessing of affection and gratitude which will surprise the world.
Alex Salmond never plotted against anyone in all his life, of that I am sure. He plotted for and gave his last breath to obtain freedom, acknowledgment and peace for Scotland and for our people. My gratitude will never dim for all he achieved.
The first sentence of that is my prayer. The most worthy appreciation of a deceased countryman, is to complete his work.
As he would say: “Forward! Forward to Independence!”
But who would lead us once we are independent now? I don’t trust any of them to set up a fair and decent society, the Scottish government is as corrupt as the Westminster one. Alex is a huge loss, I can’t see how we could do it without him.
I believe our collective efforts for Independence would, in itself achieve more. Revealing and honing a generation of leaders and representatives up to the task.
Countries whose Independence is won in battle, emerge with the basis of a military defence force.
There seems to me, no reason why Independence won via peaceful, but active, civil and political means, will not result in a rudimentary but effective civil and diplomatic force. Such a successful process being, as it is, the very antithesis of a gravy train.
I am finding it hard to find fitting words.
I met him at a fundraiser for independence in 2013. He was kind, warm and so impressive.
He deserves Justice. His name will live on while the names of his accusers wither.
There are many descriptions of the word hero, but perhaps the most apt is that he was a man who made history, rather than just watching it happen around him.
A monumental loss to us all.
Thanks for this Stuart. Whilst I have never met you or Alex, I get the feeling that he liked and respected you and I believe your words would mean more to him than those said or written by 99% of his political peers
Alex’s passing has hit me more than that of anyone else that I didn’t know personally. A titan who should be remembered by all Scots. No other Scottish politician has come close to him in my lifetime
A most poignant, and heartfelt eulogy for someone who deserved such a honest testament. No words today except – thank you. But I send my deepest condolences to you who I believe WAS recognised by this man as ‘your friend’.
You were a very HUGE part of his fight for freedom from this dishonest union. In his parley with you on stage, it was quite obvious he was grateful for your contribution to IndyRef1. You’re too modest to dare call yourself a friend, but given his attitude to you, I’d suggest you were – and more.
I feel such a sadness for his family and those who were close to him. They will be devastated. As will those outwith his family but who knew his humanity & his personal tendency to help where he thought he could. Many, many people will be TRULY mourning his passing and I’m so very sorry that such a good person is lost to you and to Scotland. Requiescat in Pace, sir.xx
A fitting tribute to a man who always played fair no matter how rigged the game was.
The SNP truly does have a death wish. Around me a see branches closing with no office bearers and no quorums but still they think they have a chance in 2026. They think Swinney is their saviour!!
Their only hope was unity with Alba now i see no chance and they want none.
I can only assume those plants are working to strangle the party and in return they hope to receive a seat in the HOL for their efforts at some point in the future.
They may well destroy the party as required but the UK has a reputation for not paying debts.
I guess Alba is now the only choice and a lot of work.
I look forward to an indy scotland with a statue if Salmond overlooking the parliament.
“I look forward to an indy scotland with a statue if Salmond overlooking the parliament.”
That is a vision to be reckoned with, and maybe to be inscribed with the words “The dream will never die”, for because the need for those words also never dies, knowing history as he did.
God speed Boss. The fight goes on.
[…] The Giant […]
Very well said Stu – even though it must’ve been a very difficult one to pen.
An excellent and moving tribute to a great man.
And great to hear you plan to keep the pressure on those who tried to taint his name
Thank you, Rev.
It is surely quite remarkable that there was so swift and genuine a tribute from the Duke of Rothesay (aka the King, in England) to this great Scottish statesman who spent his lifetime campaigning to end the United KINGdom.
Any of the third-rate malevolent entities who tried to crush him and who would deny him a state funeral in Scotland, or a fitting memorial, should bear that in mind.
Nice words Stu. We honour him by continuing, by never letting the dream die.
Beautiful piece, thank you.
Thank you..
Scotland has lost its most formidable politician ever, a leader who can rightly be named amongst Wallace and Bruce. Too many have died before Scotland has regained its rightful place in the world but this one hurts and hurts sore. To the end he was talking about and praising Scotland and that is how we should remember him. A true patriot, a colossus of a politician and a man to whom we owe so much.
The dream will never die. Scotland is a Country, not a county.
And again, his laser-sharp focus on Independence for Scotland, has paid off!
Every global media outlet quoting ‘his last words’ or ‘last speech’ (despite him being given zero notice that ‘this one will go global’), found themselves reporting that:
“Scotland is a country not a county”
and a speech about what OTHER countries had lost, by obstructing Scotland’s aspirations.
This brought me to tears. Beautifully put.
A lion amongst lice. A thinking, breathing emotionally intelligent colossus compared to the second rate dullards who tried to destroy him. They tried to pull him down and he rose above them. Stu I have read so many snide obituaries of our greatest leader that I thirsted for your take. My broken heart was healed somewhat by your reference to the fact that our great Alexander died in Macedonia speaking up for Scotland while his and our snivelling betrayers turned up to glorify Starmer’s sop taking shop. Alexander the Great versus Dugdale the dafty, Swinney the snide , and Sturgeon the sellout. I say all this as someone only convinced to vote yes by Salmond’s advocacy of the case.
Just for context, I’m an Englishman who thinks that Scotland’s futures is best served as part of the Union. But I strongly feel that it’s an issue that should be decided by Scots, and Scots alone.Having said that I mourn the death of Alex Salmond, arguably the most complete and accomplished politician of the last fifty years. His treatment by the SNP is beneath contempt. Hopefully, they will all get what is coming to them.Alex Salmond – a giant amongst pygmies.Rest in peace.
Who would want a state funeral organised by an unloved state apparatus. Let his family organise the funeral and let the people line the streets.
Even then Police Scotland would stick their noses in.
Great tribute!
I too was absolutely disgusted by that SNP ‘tribute’ which I saw posted on Facebook, and in my comment on it I used similar words to yours regarding the SNP’s ruining of Alex’s reputation, erasing of him from its history and trashing and squandering of his legacy. Absolute hypocrisy on stilts. They haven’t a scintilla of shame.
I just hope someone somewhere decides to carry on with his legal action against the ("Tractor" - Ed)s somehow ( as in you Stu)
I will gladly contribute to any sort of crowdfund for this and for a Scottish state funeral as befitting the man..he was Scotland for all of us … Heartbroken and angry
Such a fitting summary of him as a man, politician, and statesman for Scotland and the world.
Live on in our hearts and the cause he fought so long and hard for.
the Burns is very fitting I dint know it. finally shed the tears that have been choking me since I heard the news. We should remember his constructive positivity as we go forward as the best way to honour his work for Scotland.
From your lips to God’s ears Stu. We should all resolve to use our sense of deep sorrow and outrage at what was done to Alex and support the campaign to ensure justice is not only done but seen to be done in relation to the wretched political pygmies and ingrates within our own movement who contributed to this.
I’ve never cried over the death of a politician before but Alex was a good man! He was a giant! Let’s hope the truth will out soon. RIP
Thank you for always being honest and highlighting the evil that Alex was up against and for always protecting his honour from viscious lies .
I have followed Alex’s political carreer very closely from the early 70’s and proud to say he never gave me cause to doubt his honesty or his commitment to Scotland ‘s cause .
Your tribute to him on the page could not be more fitting or said more elequently .
That is a comfort to myself and I’m sure many others who knew the worth of Alex Salmond and are now heartbroken.
For me he has been and still is Scotland’s rightful leader.. and in his memory I hope many wrongs can be righted !
Although I’m disbarred from connecting with you on X, Rev Stuart. This is a beautiful tribute to Alex, may he rest in peace ??
I hope you will be able to co-operate with David Davis to get some justice for Alex Salmond against those who conspired to try to jail him.
Well written, fitting tribute.
Sadly the world is again at war. The powerful global elite against the rest of us, even though they work tirelessly to try to make us hate each other.
Very much looking forward to this:
“…secure the justice and vindication that he didn’t live to see for himself.”
PS: Just today after hearing the news, I thought Craig Murray would have achieved so much more if he had just come straight out, all guns blazing, naming names and shaming right in the faces of the guilty. What’s the worst that they could have done to him? Put him in jail? And what percentage of the public still has no idea who the real villians are.
It feels like a death in my own family.
I’m awa for a greet.
A lovely tribute Stu and the choice of poetry at the end has words so utterly apt.
We were so very lucky to have him.
Craig Murray ends his obit with a sentiment that uplifts the spirits somewhat: “Heaven just got more fun. At least Alex will never have to worry about seeing his perjured accusers there,”
A dark day. I was in my local shop when someone mentioned it yesterday. The people around me weren’t pro-indy types, but all did seem to acknowledge him as something of an icon.
i never met him, but his political acumen was inspiring, and he certainly motivated me to vote YES in 2014. Sincere condolences to Alex’ family and close friends.. ?
Tragic. The last 5 years must have taken its toll on him. Gone , but like Wallace, Bruce, Burns and Winnie, never ever forgotten.
Never. A giant among rascals. It must have been torturous for him and Moira. God bless you Alex.
Bellacaledonia – “his shadow side!!!” A pox on you
When I think of Sturgeon, Swinney, Loyd and Robertsons I smell sulpher.
Small is just that. I as woman who was active in my younger days there was not a sniff of impropriety. We tell each other. He was a decent man who will be very sorely missed.
Transcription of the Afshin Rattansi tribute, as broadcast last night on RT.
Off-Topic Scotland | Alex Salmond – a tribute by RT’s Afshin Rattansi (offtopicscotland.com)
Informational comment: cross posted from the previous thread.
If people are not aware, it is technically quite easy to continue watching the banned and blocked online TV channels like RT.
The simple technical solution is to find one of various proxy sites that operate for free.
So your browser can connect to the proxy, then the proxy relays the content from somewhere else, in this case from RTs servers.
So for example one might search for Afshin Rattansi s name thus:
link to odysee.com
And chose to watch the piece thus:
link to odysee.com
I do not think we will see his like again. He was a political giant and all we are left with are a bunch of grifters, who would struggle to get a job in real life.
Way back in 1982 I found myself at a Scotland vs East Germany match (we won but it was dire) and in the same seating as us were John Smith and a host of labour up and coming aspirants.
Just along from that was a 20-something economist who looked like he’d escaped from a young tories conference he was so out of place.
My dad asked someone “who’s that?” and got the reply from John Smith – “That’s Alec Salmond, he’s a man to watch”.
Not wrong.
“Wings will do everything in its power in the days and weeks and months to come to help secure the justice and vindication that he didn’t live to see for himself.”
I’d be very happy to contribute to any funds needed. Thank you for this heartfelt tribute Stu. My tears had just begun to dry but now in full flow again.
A fitting tribute. An incredible loss for Scotland.
We must continue the fight.
The Gaffer was a true giant, certainly in the top 3 greatest ever Scotsmen. Those who tried to destroy him would struggle to get themselves noticed on Lilliput in comparison. History will remember him while at the same time saying, “John who?… N_____ Who?…”
R.I.P Alex.
For all their weasel words let’s see if the SNP Government now comply.
His leaving Holyrood left us with a government of incompetents who were unfortunately also liars desperate to stop him from coming back. He was a man to be admired and is irreplaceable. He was the best of them
I was at York races in 2000 and pointed Salmond out to a friend. He must have heard my accent, because he walked up, offered his hand and said “Alex Salmond, had any winners?” We talked about horses for about 10 minutes and a few minutes on football too. Not a word about politics, never looked at his watch. He was one of us.
Well done Stuart, am just greetin.
I’ve seen quite a few folk posting in various places that they hope one of the consequences of Alex’s untimely death will be that pro-independence forces will begin to re-unite again.
I have to say I’m horrified by the suggestion. Maybe it’s still too raw, too unexpected, but I’m just not ready to forgive and forget.
Like many others I will never forgive those within in our own movement who by their actions doubtless contributed to his loss.
We will see them brought to justice.
Before reconciliation, there must first be truth, sincere contrition from the guilty, judgement and penalties.
?That should be something we can all unite around.
Your position only makes sense if you are still kidding yourself that the people who tried to take down Salmond and currently run the SNP are “pro-independence”.
It’s not that the pro-indy movement fractured and needs reunited, it’s that a significant portion of it consisted of what is effectively unionist moles that simply needs ejecting.
Exactly.
There was no more evidence of that than them deliberately setting out to divide & conquer the YES movement itself by setting up its own events to deliberately clash & undermine AUOB on the same dates.
Then there was the rejection of Ash Regan. Independence right there on the table – they fell over themselves to see who could row back the fastest across all media platforms.
The NuSNP are unionists. Not independence supporters. They favour devolution which is just a con because they know that’ll never happen either. They even appointed the author of the fucking vow – TWICE.
When the TRA shit took over they even openly bragged to “Fuck Independence” as the pampers brigade constructed a hit list of who they wanted removed from Holyrood & Westminster while Sturgeon ran to get them all a blankie.
That’s the SNP supporters & organisers..
As for MSP/MP they’re just as captured. Ample opportunity to walk, challenge, rebel, show integrity & principles but did nothing. It was only Ash who stood by her principles & stepped down.
Anyone advocating Indy need to put their differences aside with the NuSNP is not anyone serious about independence. It’d be like asking Indy to embrace & welcome the Tories to run our campaigns. Instant kiss of death to any endeavor.
What a beautiful obituary, Stu. Thank you!
Thank you for this superb tribute.
My heroes are Gerry Rafferty, Leonard Cohen, Gordon Lightfoot, Kris kristofferson, Alex Salmond and Stuart Campbell I wept reading your tribute.
I weep for Alex and cry for Scotland that’s how important he was.
If the last ten years has told us any thing its that our modern politicians don’t have the skill our the will to see past their own greed and if they did they’d notice there’s an even bigger treasure trove at he end of the tunnel.
When Alex spoke only a fool never listened, for me the SNP is full of fools.
Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.
Thank you Rev for these beautiful words and thoughts. Gutted at his passing. Thank you as well for saying you will help secure the justice and vindication that he didn’t live to see himself.
Thank you.
That’s the most heartfelt tribute I’ve read all day
I knew I was wishing for nothing when I wanted the shower of shits to piss off with their mealy mouth tributes
And as for that little bitch who wanted to see him die in jail I wish her the longest of lives in jail or hell ,whichever comes first
You did him well, you did him proud and in humanity ‘yous’ share. Awerabest & Thanks Rev Stu
Fiona M Brown
Thank you for this tribute. My heart is sore, sorer than it was on 19/09/14
RIP to a great Scot, indeed a giant.
Well done Stu, that can’t have been an easy piece to write. Thank you for doing it so well for the rest of us who maybe can’t express it eloquently
.
To Moira and Alex family and friends my heartfelt condolences. Scotland grieves with you, but your lost will be more keenly felt.
I’m not ashamed to say I’ve shed at tear or two, especially over Burns words at the end of the article.
Goodbye and thank you for everything Alex. You will not be forgotten.
Excellent tribute, thanks. For those who have not yet read it here is the link to Craig Murray’s excellent fighting tribute: link to craigmurray.org.uk
Beautiful tribute, Rev.
Indeed we have lost a giant. The finest politician and First Minister Scotland has ever produced. An irreplaceable figure.
Rest in Peace Mr Salmond. Your passing was far too soon and has left a huge vacuum in statesmanship in Scotland that will be very difficult, if ever possible, to fill.
We should continue the fight. Now with more energy than ever. We cannot let all the work and dedication of this man to the cause of Scotland’s independence go to waste.
I don’t often leave comments but felt I had to add my voice to this.
Alex Salmond, you ignited the imagination of a Nation and lit a fire that still burns bright. I can’t imagine a Scotland without you in it, but I must. You stand shoulder to shoulder with the greatest heroes of our Nation.
I hope to meet you in the next life and shake your hand.
Thank you and goodbye, you will be missed!
A great obit. I feel and share your pain. If we stand on the shoulders of giants then they surely are his. The minions running around his feet trying to climb up deserve stood on and crushed, and as for she/her/whatever we should never mention her name again. Until she is held accountable. It would be nice to start with the alpha betties. RIP Alex and condolences to your wife and family.
When he lost his seat in 2017, he said, “You’ve not seen the last of my bunnet and me.”
Well, we have now.
You horrible person , a family have lost their husband and father
I honestly despair of humanity given you are an example
Aye what a fucking arse.
Wo! I didn’t read that as a negative. I read that as a cry of pain and sad honest truth.
Very sad news, Scotland really has lost one of the greats we were fortunate enough to have as a Scotsman.
Izzie
Izzie so very sorry. I saw him work a room at Dynamic Earth Edinburgh during a conference break we delegates were mixing with the general public families on a day out foreigners all were eating out of his hand. A giant of our cause
I am completely unashamed to admit that I cried when I heard the news. Never met him personally but, via my mum, he wished me all the best for my uni finals in 1992. Never forgotten that!
A fitting tribute Stu in such difficult times.
I’m numb & keep greeting. That gut wrenching sinking feeling like that experienced on September 19th 2014 when he stepped down but this time there’s no coming back..
Scotland has lost a giant, a mentor , a font of all knowledge & a true statesman no matter where he was & he’s irreplaceable. A real man of the people, as you say, regardless of whether it was a grand town hall or just down the pub. Fae diplomats & dignitary to Indy dugs & weans.
He gave the Unicorn a good shake & woke it from its long slumber – for a split moment in time a majority for YES took the red pill & there was no going back. Scotland was bouncing with optimism & hope – for the first time in 300 yrs we’d actually something to vote for. The summer was hot & the Commonwealth games were on. Scotland was buzzing. Alex Salmond did that. He did it all with one mandate too & a handful of MPs, as shown by later yrs – he did it all on his own with a bunch of backstabbers & bad actors waiting to capitulate back to London rule the moment he stepped down & kill off all the good work he had done & return us back into our box & the hum drum of our shite state of affairs.
RIP Alex, gone but will never be forgotten. Sincere condolences to his widow & to all of his tue friends of which there are legion xx
I’m reminded of this from an interview he gave a while back to the Big Issue. He regretted resigning. I believe we’d be independent by now if he’d stayed on …
In typical Salmond style, though, it’s a moment of peak hope he chooses to dwell on. “For me, 2014 was the best of times and the worst of times,” he recalls, a tad dreamily. “The worst because of what happened in the end. But there was a wonderful day when I realised we were in with a real chance. I was in Dundee and I saw a big queue of folk standing in the sun beside the statue of Desperate Dan.
“I asked a guy why he was queueing and he said he was waiting to register to vote. I asked why he wasn’t on the register and he said: ‘Listen, I haven’t been on the register since the poll tax. We’re here because for the first time there’s something worth voting for.’ That was a real moment. That was a real manifestation of something. I knew, despite the commentators and charlatans, I knew… we had a chance to win.”
link to bigissue.com
The Burns’ quote to finish fairly did me in. A beautiful article capturing the true man.
As a Yoon up until the referendum I always thought that the SNP were a capable government. After Alex left the Nu-SNP began a scorched earth policy which AS would never have done. Another thanks I would like to give my fellow Hearts supporter AS is a big thank you for stepping in and writing to Lithuania asking them to forego on the valuation they were putting on Hearts therefor allowing the Hearts to be free of them over there and start again fresh in Scotland. For that alone I thank Alex Salmond. RIP and we pray to god he in some way gets justice to the terrible injustice put on him by his so called friends. It is absolutely sickening but not surprised by the guff coming out of all their mouths.
I concur, well said.
Thank you for writing that Rev.
I was hugely impressed with the way Alex Salmond conducted himself when he came to Orkney in 2014. He went off script on the radio and invited the whole of Orkney to lunch. 150 people turned up and he answered every question he was asked, completely off the cuff, and made an obvious effort to speak to every person in the room (including the staff). He clearly understood all the local issues and had a genuinely inspiring vision of the future. If only that future had come to be.
I took a publicity photo of him with a group of young voters for Yes Orkney, and at the last second he uttered a zinger which made everyone laugh and surprised me so much I nearly forgot to press the shutter!
Massive respect to Alex for never giving up. We should follow his example.
Gutted he’s gone.
Great and fitting tribute for a great and greatly wronged man.
Think I have shed more tears this weekend than I did for the Indyref1 result.
Oh and our Sober for October which was going so well has collapsed in an unexpected but much needed bout of self-medication. Hopefully we will get back on track and do the lost days in November.
I did not know him personally, only in the briefest of encounters during election campaigns.
However, I was planning to finish sculpting a golf marker which would have been cast in silver, for his 70th on Hogmanay as a personal tribute. On the back it was to be inscribed Scottish Hero Forever.
Alas, not to be.
Fear not, it shall be the prototype for the first issue of the Scottish Smackeroony.
As you can probably tell by looking, I tend to work from top to bottom, putting surplus material on and then ‘scraping back’ to requirement so the bottom half is material applied but not worked on.
“Think I have shed more tears this weekend than I did for the Indyref1 result”.
Bearing a clan name, I feel Scotland’s pain and sorrow.
Mr Salmond died swiftly in a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
Ireland’s 1916 leaders died swiftly (in a volley of English bullets).
Lift up your hearts and stride on towards Independence. That’s what he would have wanted.
That’s what we did!
I am a Unionist in Scotland but will miss Alex dearly. He was the greatest leader we ever had and a rare example of a politician who genuinely respected and understood the average Scot. Most importantly, he knew how to debate and disagree with others respectfully and without any hint of moral judgement towards his opponent – this I believe was actually his most subtle but effective persuasive power. It is a quality that is so badly needed now, particularly in Holyrood. Scottish politics has become the home of political discourse that is so dreadfully mediocre by comparison and those who have come to occupy his shadow owe a greater debt to Alex than they will ever admit. For Scotland, his influence and character will be desperately missed.
‘Most importantly, he knew how to debate and disagree with others respectfully and without any hint of moral judgement towards his opponent…’
Absolutely.
Yesterday, in his speech at the Cultural Diplomacy Forum, Alex explained why this respect is so important. He ssid:
“You certainly need leadership because usually to get that [legal] framework in place requires the leaders of various parties or countries or factions to go beyond their own particular interest and try to understand the interests of the other side”.
His final words spoke volumes:
“…respect for legitimate democratic aspirations leads to good outcomes. Disrespecting it in one way or another, and often surprisingly, can lead to bad outcomes for everyone”.
Thanks for sharing these words – amazing to hear that he embodied this spirit to the end of his life, what a wonderful legacy for the man to give us. We badly need this kind of respect and ‘tolerance’ (in the true meaning of the word).
Can’t believe this has happened. Big shoes for someone to fill,if they can. He is irreplacable.
*irreplaceable
Yes
I don’t have much to say that hasn’t already been said above. Lovely piece Stuart and glad you redacted any mention of that witch. May she burn in hell.
Wonderful piece.
Thank you very much for your heartfelt words, Stuart. Your, to my mind, very accurate description of Alex, brought back many pleasant memories of the man. A true gentleman. Irreplaceable.
When will we see his likes again.
Around 2013 I was driving up from Yorkshire, up the east coast to the Orkney ferry and turned on the radio which defaulted to BBC Scotland and Alex Salmond was being interviewed. Like most English I think, to that point I had not taken a huge amount of notice of the independence question but on the whole thought the ‘better together’ idea made sense and the nationalist politicians I had heard did not appeal, in the same way people like NS never would. My first though was oh, here will be another ‘nationalist’.
But there was Alex coming across as a thoroughly likeable man, the sort you could have a great talk with no matter your view on Scotland’s autonomy. I was very impressed by him including his arguments and general worldview but also his attitude to England and the English which was clearly very friendly, and I liked him thereafter. I came across a few other Scots on that trip and in summer 2014 in Galloway who were also up for a genuinely friendly chat about the matter and having heard Alex, it made me more open too. I remember one couple in a hotel who I got on with great and wished them success in the referendum. I subsequently changed my view to being a supporter.
That’s a fine eulogy Mr Wings.
Thanks.
That’s a beautiful and fitting tribute Stu. Simply cannot believe he’s gone. Seems surreal to think that the Ayes Still have it was so recent… and that he was in such good form for it, the show was brilliant, conjuring up the mood that’s been missing since 2014 to be quite frank. He asked me “have you commented yet?!!” I had and told him I thought the whole concept was brilliant, and the show was just superb! Fergus Ewing especially was really on fire! I truly hope that Fergus’ words come true and that those responsible for so much underhand goings on will be held to account and that Alex’s name and character will once and for all be completely cleared. And I feel certain that you will play your part in that given time… you are so right, our hearts are indeed sore without him.
Absolutely we owe it to Alex’s family to carry on the fight.
It has been a terrible weekend. RIP Alex.
Even though I live far away, Alex Salmond has been part of my life since I became aware of this website and the campaign for an independent Scotland.
I always enjoyed and looked forward to every episode of the Alex Salmond Show. The positivity and unwavering commitment always shone through.
We never met, Alex, but thank you for being such good company over the years. I’m sure history will be on your side.
Wonderful tribute to our greatest hero and Scottish son of modern times, Rev. Broken hearted. Taken far too soon. We are all going to miss him so much. Condolences to his wife, Moira, and the family.
Words… none that replace Alex Salmod but his legacy is that independence is a serious goal rather than a fringe fancy. The SNP is rubbish but eventually another party will arrise and get the job done – the tangible goal continues, that is his legacy.
Read Bella Caledonia piece and unsubscribed.
Me too.
Thank you for this fine tribute, Stu. If I’m picking you up right, it sounds like Alex’s friends have plans to ensure his enemies don’t profit from his all too convenient death. I for one would dig deep if there’s an appeal for legal funds to finish what he started.
I would imagine around 50% of the nation would support that idea.
I would also like to see everyone who attends his funeral carry a Saltire, if the family allows.
You might be surprised, I am unionist through and through but would certainly support an appeal for legal funds. His memory deserves justice and the Horrors should not be allowed to get away with what they have done. I suspect there are many on the same ‘side’ as me who would feel the same.
A rather bitter piece showing the measure of Kenny Farquarson, in today’s Sunday Times. Completely tasteless and lacking in any decorum whatsoever while the Salmond family comes to terms with their raw grief.
Equally , I am unsure how to take the cartoon in the Guardian today . I find it tasteless at this time but maybe it is just me.
If I have to be honest, I am interpreting the cartoon in a positive way:
Mr Salmond’s face looks at peace in the cartoon, with his cheeky smile. So the cartoon portrays him as enjoying himself. In his element.
The leaflet he is handing out says “Independence of the United Kingdom of Heaven”. So it assumes he is in heaven, which is also positive.
The fact that it says “United Kingdom of Heaven” it means Mr Salmond has moved on to an even bigger cause to pursue now. In other words, the man was and will continue forever in our minds as somebody who relentlessly and indefatigably pursued independence no matter how big the obstacles put in front of him were or how crazy the idea was perceived by others to be.
The other thing the cartoon shows is flocks of angels coming to pick up the leaflet, which is being avidly read by, at least the Scots Angels (portrayed as wearing kilts). In other words, he has already found himself a suitable audience.
To me the cartoon says that Mr Salmond was and will always remain as one of his kind.
The cartoon is, to my view, not pejorative at all but rather one that appears to put him under a positive light, praising his character, his neverending energy, the robustness of his principles and his ability to communicate with and engage others. These are, in today’s political environment, qualities difficult to find. But having them all at once, like Mr Salmond did, is a rarity.
Maybe it’s just the timing that puts me off.
Alex Salmond was a great man .I encountered him quite a few times both during the referendum and as a member of Alba but I remember him most in 2015 when he spoke in st Mary’s cathedral in Edinburgh to a packed and rapt audience about the great hero Thomas Muir ,who was transported for demanding manhood suffrage in 1793.
Alex spoke for two hours without notes and when asked at the end where he would have been if he had been around when Muir was deported to Australia after a trumped up trial,he said ‘ In the boat with Thomas of course’.
Thomas Muirs speech from the dock August 1793
‘I have devoted myself to the cause of the people.It is a good cause.It shall ultimately prevail.It shall finally triumph’
That was a wonderful occasion. AS also called for a permanent memorial on Calton Hill to Thomas Muir, I think? Time for a memorial there to Alex Salmond, too.
Thank you for this excellent heartfelt obituary. Even saying ‘obituary’ feels wrong. Can’t believe he’s gone.
Just to say thanks to Stu for this tribute,…I am no wordsmith, I never met Alex or had the chance to shake his hand and thank him.
What I can say is that I admired ,and yes I will say it I loved this man…he was and is a “Great Scot”
Only shame for his betrayer,s…and from me only disgust
for their follower’s…
How many great Scot’s have been betrayed by their own?
and for WHAt?
Lastly, every citizen of the UK? (not only Scot’s}should mourn his passing…They have lost a genuine friend…
Unfortunately, I know what’s coming
good night,…and thanks again to (REV) STU.
Our modern Wallace is dead. RIP
Now where is our Bruce?
Fly high Boss gone but never forgotten R.I.P and justice will prevail x
Statesman, Ambassador?
Mere words seem inadequate to describe the nation’s loss.
His passion, presence, intellect and dignity shone bright.
It’s hard to accept he’s no longer here.
The tears are in full flow now…
It’s hard to imagine anyone filling his shoes, politically, but the next generation hankers after Independence and it will happen.
Alex will be properly honoured come that day.
RIP Sir.
He did more for our people and our nation than many will ever know. He is a generational man – an epochal man. Name another Scottish politician whose accomplishments could match his. He is beyond that. He is in the realm of national heroes, and in time, we will make damned sure that the lies and the smears and the falsehood are washed away in a deluge of truth.
Martin Luther King was despised at the time of his death, for his socialism, for his private life, for daring to upset the social order. Then, when he died, all of a sudden everyone was outpouring their sorrow & grief – people who not a few days before were making salacious & unfounded accusations, now suddenly writing hagiographies. It makes me so furious, so heartsick, to see the equivocators & thoughtless turn so many people against him – but then, does this not put him in the finest company?
He should have lived well into old age, enjoying his patronage of the many Scottish institutions which owed him so much. He should have lived to see the work done. But he will have to make do as a martyr, a symbol for the cause. The bones of El Cid were carried into battle to lead his people to victory: we’d do well to figuratively carry his memory forward too.
To those who turned their back on him, who betrayed him: we will do everything in our power to make sure you never do this again. He has becoke more powerful than you could possibly imagine.
For the irony was that as long as Alex Salmond was alive, he was extending the olive branch, even to those with poisoned blades at their backs. And we respected his decision, for his sake after all, who has greater cause against the phoney Scottish Government than him?
Now that he’s gone, any hope of salvation for you is gone too. The full might of Scotland’s justice will be delivered upon you, and there will be no way for you to escape it. We will not be criminals, or thugs, or perjurers; we will not hide behind innuendo or leaks or any of the weapons you employed. We will use only Scots law and Scots justice, against which every Scot must weigh their heart.
Alex Salmond may have forgiven you. But we never will.
First have to separate judiciary from Government
“The full might of Scotland’s justice will be delivered upon you, and there will be no way for you to escape it.”
The tone of this is ill-judged and is contrary to everything Alex stood for. This is a time for mourning his passing, not for attempting to radicalise.
Seeking justice is not radicalisation. Alex Salmond himself was seeking justice for the wrongs taken upon him.
I am a pacifist. I am a man of peace. I advocate unilateral nuclear disarmament. I oppose war & violence & mob justice.
Pacifism is nothing without the nerve & steel to stand up for & fight for what is rught & just, regardless of “tone.”
I’m heart broken. And it’s only a few weeks since he wrote an article on here.
We must fight on to clear his name for Alex sake but also for our country our people and institutions.
A fitting tribute Stu. I still can`t believe he is gone.
Like us all I am gutted and heartbroken and I have no words.
I went around by his house yesterday morning to leave some flowers. STV was already there and asked if they could film me laying the flowers and interview me to understand what he meant to me. I declined of course and made a hasty retreat as other similar vultures were arriving.
The famous YES sign is still there, despite attempts to have it taken down and the Saltire is at half mast as is mine.
I would like to send a card but I dont know where to do so
I’m sure if you address it to Mrs Salmond, Strichen, Fraserburgh it would be delivered.
Correct Sarah, everyone knows where he lives.
How far the SNP has fallen when this obit written by Brian Wilson of all people is more balanced and sincere than anything they have uttered.
link to theguardian.com
I missed that yesterday , an excellent piece.
Well spotted and how ironic that Brian Wilson is the author.
Good for him.
Just don’t read the piece from Severin Carrol and Libby Brooks – disgraceful. When the moral high ground on anything related to Scottish independence, never mind Alex himself, is taken from you by Brian Wilson then you should by ashamed of yourself.
ALEXANDER OF CALEDON…who dared slice through the tangled knot of petty Scottish politics, a knot which lesser mortals would seek to retie.
Great was Alexander of the Caledonians!
He has bequeathed a world to conquer.
Wonderful tribute, Rev. I always liked the fact that he and his wife kept their private life out of politics. Back in the day when they got married, such an age gap was much more controversial than it would be today. I’m sure they had to put up with lots of abuse. He honoured and protected her. I never believed the accusations for one minute, a pathetic attempted honeytrap by his enemies in the SNP. He will always be the greatest Scottish politician of my lifetime.
What I’m afraid of, as an English Nationalist, is that your cause will die with him.
RIP.
It won’t . A sad loss , a grievous loss ; but Alex would be the first to say …..the Cause of Scottish Independence is greater than any one individual . And indeed it is . The Dream & the Struggle will continue .
I’m still in a bit of a daze – if only he hadn’t resigned…
Maybe this’ll force th indy movement to stop hoping for the return of King Arthur and allow us to procede.
?
A fine tribute to a fine man . Thank you Stu . Gratifying to know you intend to continue the fight to clear Alex’s name of the vicious calumny smeared on it by those low-lifes who parasitically clung to him in his prime and queued-up to stab him in the back in his hours of need .
We’ll support you in this honourable endeavour in whatever way we can .
STV Claim veteran Tory MP wants the RAF to bring Alex Salmond’s body back.
Personally I wouldn’t like any Westminster controlled body near Alex. I don’t know if an autopsy will be carried out here but who to trust with doing it.
It’s David Davis. A dear friend of AS.
I’m sure Alex would be just fine with that arrangement.
I think if even Larry the Cat had died there would be respectful coverage on the BBC, minor drug addicted celebrities have had more coverage after their sudden death than the Champion of Ages – Alex. It shows you the importance of Scotland and the Establishment machine against that recognition till they make it a Desert before our very eyes… British Energy Freeports etc. We must follow where Alex leads…
Six months ago they went on for days about some TV quack that died on a Greek island.
Very disappointed with comments from most media. I’ve read Cook and Campbell on the beeb website and am very unhappy with wording. Jo Cherry also had to correct a media guy (not sure who) about throw away lines. I do notice that no-one so far has used the words falsely accused! He was a legend, I’m not sure what I expected from the BBC, but they got it wrong again.
very sad times.
Thanks Stuart.
Feels like I have lost a close friend. But it is far worse.
What a loss to Scotland. Such a brilliant guy and such a decent human being. A rare combination especially in politics.
Consistently brilliant every time I watched him dismantle one media hack after another, for decades. It was him I believed in, not the SNP.
One of the good guys. Feels like Scotland has lost a Guardian. It really does.
People in Scotland are going to realize just how much they have been relying on Alex Salmond to ‘have their backs’ for a long time now.
They say you don’t really know what you had until it’s gone and that is something I think a lot of people will be feeling now. I feel it and I thought I knew his worth…
A king brought down by a rat. Someone he trusted, who betrayed him and all of us. Both their legacies are now set in stone.
Alex is going to leave a massive hole in all of our lives. I am truly gutted, hollowed out. What a loss.
RIP Alex.
BBC line seems to be, loss if a very divisive character!!
Some very nice english voices on the radio . I have to wonder how they would feel if we included oll these illegals turning up in boats on a referendum on whether to keep the monarchy or move to a republic
References to «the dream» of Scots independence.
Salmond was no dreamer, he was a realist with a bold imagination, the mark of pro active leadership.
Dreaming time is surely over.
Agreed , T . The ” Dream ” reference is mostly figurative ; ” Aspiration ” is more accurate .
Goal
I shook my head in disbelief at the outpouring of grief when the Queen died. I get it now, it’s the first time in my long life I’m genuinely grieving for someone I’ve never actually met.
What it feels like is what George Galloway alluded to in one of his tweets (I think). The ‘Calvary’ of Alex Salmond..
Alex Salmond was in a way crucified in front of all of us. That is what the stitch-up was… the slow methodical public crucifixion by a corrupt media and corrupt judiciary of a decent, honest, good man, betrayed by a Judas, a former disciple.
During that horrendous ordeal, he faced it all with the same amazing dignity, same calm composure that he always had. I don’t know how he did it. It was on his body and face that we could see the price he was paying, the stress inflicted upon him.
I thought he was a dead man walking, and then along came a jury… it felt miraculous, that he had somehow defeated a dragon, twice, and he had, but at a price…
So in a way he also died for us. I said on the previous article he is a martyr and he really is. And that is how he is going to be remembered.
The story of Alex Salmond is truly epic. A true Scottish hero.
If I have to be honest, there is a part of me that does not believe and will never believe that this was simply a matter of “natural causes” and his health taking its toll. He was about to bring down the whole rotten edifice and this brings back memories of Willie McRae, who was too just before he died.
How quickly some pundits in the British establishment have rushed to portray him as a “divisive” figure, their relentless attempt to gaslight us all and their sickening attempts to make some culpability stick to him despite the ruling of innocence by the jury, makes me think there might be a little bit more about this than a simple case of a, convenient, accidental death.
There is something else. Unionist pundits are rushing to claim that Alba is finished without him. This is odd. In some ways, Alba may benefit from having a different leader to Mr Salmond over whom they cannot continue to ping the rubbish of the criminal case. My perception is therefore that these bastards are still bent on destroying his reputation and getting Alba out of the way.
There is no denying that hIs untimely death was wonderfully convenient for the British establishment, the UK civil service and the disgusting human detritus who conspired against him, stabbed him in the back and who are now hiding like the cowards they are within the ranks of the SNP, Scottish gov, UK civil service and secret services.
But it was also convenient for other reason: the Holyrood 2026 election. This is less than two years from now and it may be sooner than 2026. The SNP is in free fall and decoupled from the independence movement. There is no doubt about it. And it is only going to get worse. We all know it.
It is obvious that the establishment wants a labour government in HOlyrood in 2026. The SNP has been helping them with this pursuit by inflicting self-destruction and controlled demolition over their own party.
But there is a huge threat to this pursuit: the fact that hundreds of thousands of SNP ex voters are refusing to transfer their vote to any unionist party. The turnout in one of the council by-elections in Dundee recently was only a meagre 22%. That is no longer democratically representative. Almost 80% of the electorate in that ward refused to engage with politics. That is a sign that the system is falling. With turnouts like this, they can no longer claim they have a mandate.
There is a huge proportion of the electorate that is disenfranchised. If re-enfranchised, they will become the biggest threat to any political party. The worse that can happen to frustrate that aim of having labour in control is if those ex-SNP voters transfer their vote to Alba/ISP. Then the British state is fucked. They might be able to hide spoiled ballots as “invalid”. But they will not be able to hide hundreds of thousands of votes for Alba unless they actively rig the polling boxes.
When you see things from that perspective, then you start to understand why they are so obsessed with (actually desperate for) writing Alba off.
The question for me is: are they incompetent people attempting to make predictions, or are they paid for propaganda mouthpieces actively disinforming us to put us off from voting from Alba? In other words, are they predicting what will happen, or are they managing expectations by “telling” us what will happen beforehand?
They conflated the SNP with the pro-independence movement. So, their idea was that if the SNP was politically dead, so would be the independence movement. That strategy failed.
Now they are trying to conflate Alba with Mr Salmond and make us believe that, without him, the party cannot exist so it would be a wasted vote.
The recent death of Mr Salmond may actually boost the number of votes Alba gets as a sign of respect for Mr Salmond and as a pay back to the conspiring human detritus hiding within the SNP ranks. I wonder if the British state is anticipating this and, to neutralise this effect, it has already deployed its propaganda mouthpieces in full swing.
An overweight man of 69 who liked his food and drink , probably didn’t do much – if any – physical exercise and – in Alex’s case – had endured a couple of years of extremely stressful uncertainty re his future freedom , had his name , character and achievements dragged publicly through the MSM sewer would not be a surprising candidate to suffer a fatal heart-attack . And that is exactly why he would be an easy candidate for assassination .
We don’t KNOW if the * official * version is true , and have no way of determining if it is ; but , like you , I’m deeply suspicious of this * official * version
How easy it would have been given the location in a ” friendly ” country to slip something into his food either by placing an agent amongst the kitchen/restaurant staff , or simply employing a compliant local . Spooks are always happy to do the dirty work for other spooks , as long as they are on the same side .
It’s all just too much of an extremely fortunate convenience to take at face value .
I’m not buying it
The body of Alex Salmond is hardly yet cold and already you’ve managed to twist the tragedy of his death into a new imaginary grievance.
Well done to you and Mia both.
I bet you’ll be nursing that one to keep it warm for the rest of your lives.
And as for the grief and distress of his widow, family, friends, acquaintances and sympathisers of all political allegiances and none, should they have the misfortune to stumble on your fabrications, what do they count when compared to your narcissistic, “look at me”, self-indulgent self-importance, eh?
As I have told you several times already, your poor attempts at whataboutery do not impress me. Your faux grievance above is impressing me even less.
Change the record.
You are a unionist troll. You spout nothing but stinking anti-Scottish bilge. Few people have less claim to speak on behalf of Alex Salmond’s family than you do.
Whatever.
If you want to join Mia & Robert Hughes in marking Alex Salmond’s passing by fabricating an un-evidenced allegation of murder, nobody is stopping you.
Just don’t expect to get a free pass from everybody else.
Don’t expect that no Scot will ever say “WTAF are you on?”
Labour will be despised by the next election when all the cuts and tax rises are frittered on illegals and woke causes without generating any benefit.
The SNP must finally have been officially stamped as corrupt.
The Tories will have managed to fall out with themselves again no doubt with at least two more leaders.
There will be everything to play for.
“There will be everything to play for”
Absolutely. There is a large proportion of the pro-independence electorate that is crying for a political party to vote for.
There are people in the yes movement that want to vindicate Mr Salmond and that Holyrood election may just be the ticket.
If the human filth behind the disgusting conspiracy against Mr Salmond are exposed before 2026, and a link between that conspiracy and the security services/British state apparatus is made public, that election will get really interesting.
Mia, you shouldn’t buy into discredited and debunked conspiracy theories about state actors poisoning their political opponents. Such things never happen, cockup, maybe, but never a conspiracy.
(NOVICHOK ENQUIRY STARTS TODAY)
& Farage has fallen from grace.
A Thatcherite who already appears to be a busted flush. Not much of a splash at WM (when he turns up) no plan for government at Reform conference & was bigging up his love for Maggie in Malaysia. More deregulation, more privatisation, more tax cuts for high earners.
Another eejit that can’t read the room. What is it with Tories continually harking over the past?
Just another Tory. In a MAGA hat tho cause he’s off to help Trump instead of the ppl who elected him to get stuck in at WM.
Already clocking up the Airmiles… Malaysia & the US. Nice time of yr for it..
A one trick pony = immigration.
Running a government? = Circa 1980s..Zzzzz
There is literally no one to lead the UK. Scottish elections will indeed be interesting.
Farage is 7/1 to become UK Prime Minister before 2035 according to William Hill.
Farage is also a Huguenot.
It is too soon Mia. But Yeah.
Yes Mia it all seems to fit a pattern of an agenda when you look at the prosecutions of prominent independence supporters and the almost deliberate self destruction of the SNP all beginning immediately post the 14` referendum.>
We need something in Scotland named after Alex Salmond – to remind us of his endeavours to free Scotland from this illegal union.
Christ knows there’s enough stuff in Scotland named after a certain English Queen.
Very sad to hear of the sudden passing of Alex Salmond. Unfortunately I expect, over the coming months, some of his enemies to exploit the fact that defamation laws do not apply to the deceased in an attempt to protect their own positions/reputations.
So we have two English nyaffs on ten Today Programme to talk about Salmond “the disrupter” on how “he tried and failed to break up Britain” – one of them Phil Collins, war-criminal Tony Blair’s speech writer solemnly intone that:
“He (Salmond) appealed to the Scottish people and the reasons why Scottish identity is important for WHAT THEY THINK OF AS A NATION”.
It is this kind of sleekit, vicious propaganda that the cesspit BBC pumps out that we are up against – and why they hated and feared Alex Salmond in equal measure.
Our best memorial to him will be that Independent Nation.
Heroes are few. But Alex is a contemporary, and has been part of my life as it has been for us all and without him, I despair as to the future of the movement. Who will emerge to take up his mantle? My anger at those who backstabbed him will never dissipate. There’s a cold place in hell for them. RIP Alex, a mighty man.
A great man – I say that as someone who did not share his politics.
In power he did what the rest of us thought you should do – make the trains run on time.
Rest now Alex.
This morning on the radio Kenny MacKaskill was inspiring and right on the mark countering the BBC narrative of Salmond was “divisive”.
Completed my alba application and looking fir. Abranch
Even in death there are some scabs in politics and the MSM,who still try to subtlety stick the knife in.
Severin Carrell and Libby Brooks.
“In March 2020, Salmond was prosecuted on 13 charges of sexual assault, including sexual assault with intent to rape. He was acquitted of every charge yet the trial heard some complaints were dealt with quietly by some of Salmond’s officials; some complainers admitted they downplayed their experiences at the time to avoid undermining Salmond’s independence campaign.
Even his lawyer described Salmond’s “touchy-feely” behaviour as “inappropriate”.
?One confidante suggests he remained unwilling to reflect on his own part in this, and still believed strongly the charges were the result of a conspiracy.”
The Guardian today. I’m not going to link to the scum.
It was repugnant. Brian Wilson is vehemently anti independence and was no fan of Alex but they should read his piece and feel shame at their own. But like she who will be REDACTED, they are incapable of it.
When the truth comes out I hope these beings reflect on their posts
Thank you Stuart for this wonderful tribute to a great man whose loss is immense. Thank you for redacting her face and words, she who kept twisting the knife into Alex, even after he was found innocent, adding insult to injury. I cannot thole the sight or sound of her.
I will contribute, in a heartbeat, to any funds needed to continue the fight for justice and vindication for Alex.Just like we did, with lightning speed, when Alex needed our help for the judicial review.
I hope that Alex’s “ silent evidence “ , disallowed at his trial, will be exposed, shining a bright light on all those who conspired against him and caused him immense harm and suffering. Bring it on.
Craig Murrays remarkable fortitude and persistence has resulted in some of this evidence, such as it can be, to be available to read in deminished form (redacted by the courts).
Clearly the authorities did not wish to acknowgledge its existence.
Craig Murrays affidavits
Tbh I’m devastated. He fought for his country unlike his successors and those at 10 Downing Street over the last couple of decades.
Of all the very many fine tributes bestowed upon Alex, this is, in my opinion the finest. At a time when your readers feel so bereft, your words bring some comfort in our hours of collective grief.
Part of his considerable legacy should be to guide our way in the future, to carry forward the movement. “What would Alex have said?” To honour his memory we must realise his/our shared dream.
As someone else said when Wallace was betrayed by Menteith and slain, Bruce realised the dream. Do not lose hope. Slava Alba.
I was thinking about John Mason being expelled from the SNP & what Salmond would have done. He’d have engaged in a debate. He may not personally or politically have agreed with Mason’s position, but he’d have welcomed the discussion within the party.
Now the SNP are a Stalinist hive-mind where any wrong-think results in expulsion as Swinney, etc are terrified of 20-something ‘activists’ who don’t give a single toss about independence, social democracy, or making lives better. They just want unquestioning obedience & the SNP leadership are far too scared to tell them where to go. Of course, when the party loses what it has now in 2026 these people won’t take any responsibility for what they’ve done not just to the SNP & Salmond’s legacy, but to Scotland as a whole.
On the nail, John C. What has been done to Scotland and the Scots by our own, down through the centuries to the present day, scarcely bears thinking about, so rich in toom tabards are we.
Sic a parcel o’ rogues in a nation.
If anyone thinks Alba aren’t bent too, then they are in for a shock.
Alba’s constitution is basically a carbon copy of the SNP’s constitution that concentrated all power in the Murrells and their cronies.
Even then, the Alba party leadership did what they wanted, even if the constitution did not allow it.
I was expelled from Alba, without a fair hearing, for defending other members who were bullied for speaking out against vote rigging.
I do not believe that posting such opinions on this thread and at this time is, in any way, appropriate.
But FWIW, I agree with you entirely.
That is very sad to hear. I hope the fact of several independence parties in existence now [ISP, SSP, New Scotland Party, I4I, will mean that any party behaving dictatorially will have to reform or lose their members to the other parties.
You can’t help yourself can you
You bitter ex Alba mob need to form your own party and STFU
Correct John
They will simply jump ship to whichever party is in power, and like cuckoos in the nest destroy ITS future from the inside out.
We sadly live in an era of unparalleled parasites (except for perhaps the Byzantines)..
Independence has to come from a route other than politics.
Uncomfortable yes but we didn’t make it that way.
Remember what that proto fascist Churchill called Ghandi?
“A seditious faquir”!
And they love him for it..
Engerlund is morally fecked and we need a divorce and a deep clean.
I’m utterly heart broken. God bless you Alex. You are undead one if our greatest heros!
Thank you MR Campbell fir such wonderfully apt words.
I spent time with him in 2014 and attended the Edinburgh Tattoo at his right hand side, I got myself in hot water with the Senior Royal Navy and Defence types, meh it was referendum year!
The evening I spent with him was sublime, he was good humoured, the consummate host to all guests, some family and long time friends and I felt included and special. We sang many Scots songs from my childhood and had a dram or three.
I am heart sore for his passing, I mourn the loss to his loyal wife Moira, for those he mentored, lead and crafted into better individuals. For those he was friends with and those he tholed!
We’ve lost a giant amongst lesser individuals. The boots to fill are “Jynagerous” and it may be some time before we see his like again.
One thing I hope is that he gets the send off his family want, the recognition of the significant contribution he made to Scottish politics and life.
I am better from spending time in his company, I will silently weep on the day he is buried and hold a dram high in his honour.
Come all ye
Very sad news in what are already very dark and sad days.
If there’s any silver lining at all, I wouldn’t be surprised if the prosecutions against Murrell and, hopefully, she who shall not be named, will move ahead apace now, given Alex cannot any longer present the threat of leading the nation to independence once they’re dealt with. Scottish politics is well and truly fucked…..RIP.
The Dream shall never Die, Scotland is a Country, not a County; When will we see His like again!?!
Alex Salmond did more than anyone else in recent years to fight back against the Scottish Cringe. His natural ability and self-confidence was inspiring.
To end the cringe we would need a Scots Language Act wi oor ain Scots langage lairnt by Scots bairns in schuil. The SNP have aye run a mile from that aspect of our human rights. Sae lang as English Studies is the colonial norm a doun-hauden fowk’s cultural creenge and colonial mindset will continue.
You’re an engineer, Alf. But you want to be a social engineer too. Why not push to pilot your idea in a few deprived areas: Dennistoun, Niddrie, Torry and Raigmore come to mind?
Flagship initiatives geographically spread across rundown Scottish cities. Run them for ten years and monitor the results.
If you’re right, we will see more confident, motivated, better achieving kids. Parents all over Scotland will be clamouring for the chance for their kids to learn Scots and be given the same advantages. Then we will know that your idea is a winner.
Perhaps we will see new centres of grassroots Indy support growing in these places too.
If you’re wrong, we will know not to waste any more time and money on forcing reluctant kids to formally learn a language they have SFA interest in.
Obviously I’m a skeptic. But I’m willing to be persuaded, and a controlled “experiment” is how engineers should do these things – even social engineers.
Facts, chiels, etc.
Here’s a weather forecast for you ya cringe ridden droll troll bawbag.
link to youtube.com
Past discussion on the difficulties Scots language faces.
“Deprive the people of their national consciousness, treat them as a tribe and not a nation, dilute their national pride, do not teach their history, propagate their language as inferior, imply they have a cultural void, emphasise their customs are primitive, and dismiss independence as a barbaric anomaly.”
(Heydrich quote)
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Yes Dan, continued English language domination (and hence Scots language subordination) is a major impediment holding back independence. This gives the people a confused British identity which is a cultural illusion and forms a key element in the colonial hoax.
The cringe and a colonial mindset is the outcome, which normalises the racism and internalised racism involved in colonial domination.
The first thing a liberated people grasp is their ‘rusted tongue and moribund culture’ (Fanon).
I guess we must just ignore the simple fact that English is the most spoken language in the world, and willingly surrender the post-Indy economic and political benefits that go with being fluent in it.
Ha. That’ll be my colonised cringe speaking there. Who would want prosperity or influence for our post Indy Scotland anyway?
Take our favourite wee country, Norway, for example. I’ve been there a few times and have found it to be almost a certainty that you can stop the first stranger you meet on the street and find he or she can converse in English.
You need to work on your logic, Alf. If Fanon is correct, and post-liberation the first thing we will grasp is our rusted tongue, etc. then your “major impediment” obviously cannot be overcome pre-Indy.
Shame. I thought my idea for some pilot projects to verify if teaching Scots provides the advantages you claim was a good one.
I would prefer the pushy parents carrot to the Pol Pot stick, but maybe I’ve got that wrong, and most Scots are indeed yearning to be forced to become fluent in Scots.
You could be right there Hatey, although it is difficult to attain accuracy for those who can speak English as a native language plus second plus third etc.
The current guesstimate for world wide English speakers is 2 billion.
However when it comes to native speakers only….
Mandarin is no. 1.
Hispanic is no. 2.
English is no. 3.
Just fyi.
Good point, Zander. Damn those statistics!
It’s the different answer resulting from phrasing the question differently online.
“Which is the most spoken language in the world?”
English 18.8%
Mandarin Chinese 13.8%
Hindi 7.5%
Spanish 6.9%
“Which is the most spoken native language in the world?”
1 Mandarin Chinese 918 million
2 Spanish 460 million
3 English 379 million
4 Hindi 341 million
Being an idle barsteward myself, I prefer my question to yours, as your question would have me learning Mandarin.
That’s not gonna happen. Too much residual Covid resentment in the way.
Norwegians are mostly bi-lingual, as are most Europeans – i.e. they learn and are taught to respect thair ain mither tongue whilst also learning another useful language.
Loss of native language means loss of national identity, and most independent nations ken this fine; as do many colonised peoples whose identity is in the process of perishing or has already gone through colonial linguicide.
Scots have clearly yet to figure out the importance of oor ain braw mither tongue. Yet peoples in self-determination conflict are always linguistically divided. Colonised peoples are also subject to a cultural division of labour which is language based.
‘Take our favourite wee country, Norway, for example. I’ve been there a few times and have found it to be almost a certainty that you can stop the first stranger you meet on the street and find he or she can converse in English.’
Exactly Hatey- you are making the case for Scots first and English second- well spotted.
Not quite following your logic, but never mind. 🙂
I’m going to be much more accepting of the drive to use the Scots language when more posters start posting in it.
Right now though, with the exception of Alf Baird, it’s “do as I say, not as I do”.
In fact, if we leave Alf Baird out of it, there are more Gaelic posts on here than Scots.
And a good morning to you too, Dan.
Can I assume you’re not a fan of the late Alex Salmond’s life-long belief in engaging positively and in good humour with differences of opinion?
No need to answer, Dan, nor to answer the other obvious question your post brings up:
How come you’re not posting in Scots?
Hard to believe it was eight years ago since Capella quoted that admirable description of the kind of thing we experience daily in Scotland, and have for centuries.
Despite a good few efforts I was unable to find the original German quotation or even if Heydrich ever actually said or wrote it. It can be very difficult to pin down the origin of some of the most powerful sayings because they often get “recycled” or misattributed by others.
However, there is no doubt who said, just before his end, and as Callum and Liz have reminded us:
“Scotland is a country, not a county.”
And shame on John Swinney for getting his pathetic foatie at Keir Stürmer’s pretendy Council of The Nations and Regions.
Someone should frame Alex’s words and stick it on Our Glorious Leader’s office wall.
Hallo Tinto,
I can remember that with Capella and you about Heydrich, still have the discussion in my archive. 🙂
I have/had a lot of Heydrich’s speeches but nowhere could I find that particular quote, I even had help from a local in Prague, no luck.
Opinion seems to be that he quoted it at some kind of general meeting, it was noted but never used in speeches.
As for Alex, they could plaster every wall at Holyrood with his sayings and it still wouldn’t be enough to understand his magic and genius.
Hi, Graf von Nebelhorn 🙂 !
Good to hear from you. That’s very interesting that it was possibly something that was said and noted but not published. I suppose it might even have been at the infamous Wannsee conference. He was assassinated five months later.
Only been to Prague once but chanced upon various memorials to local people executed against a wall by the SS, including one of a priest close to my hotel.
Without independence I wonder how much of our culture, distinctive history and native languages will be left for my grandchildren to appreciate by the time they are fifty.
There still are a lot of those of Heydrich’s mind in the UK today and our present Scottish “Government” representatives seem more interested in their pronouns than our heritage.
It’s been bittersweet in the last two days to hear people I’ve talked to suddenly discovering what a great man Alex Salmond was but let’s hope we can build something hopeful and positive upon his memory.
Let it never be forgot –
What Scotland had, and now has not.
(James Hogg, on the subject of the Scottish Parliament I believe.)
That is lovely Stu, I had the pleasure of meeting him twice and both times were a joy. I am absolutely heartbroken and still can’t believe our best has gone. Sincere condolences to his wife Moira and family. I hope those evil scum get their comeuppance. RIP Alex.
Stuart, please consider writing a biography of Salmond, because you’re an excellent writer, and Salmond deserves a good biography. The one by David Torrance is rubbish and out of date and it’s important that somebody sympathetic to Salmond establishes the narrative because there are others who might fill the gap with nonsense. It could make a bit of money too.
Perhaps in conjunction with Moira Salmond?
Donald that would be a great idea , as you said rev Stuart is a excellent wordsmith and story teller, just to think that Stuart could enlighten and illustrate the openness, vision, empathy and humility that Alex had and the desperation of a cult of perverts and deviants committing open unpunished deliberate perjury in a FAILED attempt to destroy Alex’s reputation of honesty and integrity
Male life expectancy in Scotland is 76,
male life expectancy in Norway is 81,
both were about the same before oil was found.
It is a crushing blow. He was one of those politicians you wanted to listen to whether you agreed with his position or not – he was just interesting.
In the end, I think he won against his betrayers. He gets to rest in peace when they wanted RIP to mean rot in prison.
RIP big man.
Well said. Gone far too soon.
A Moving tribute.
RIP
A good man who will be sadly missed. RIP Sir.
So sad. A true patriot of Scotland. What now. Wonderful words.
“What he endured – the apparatus of the state turning against him – would have broken many people, but not Alex.”
Coming from the senior partner at Levy & McRae it is very clear that they all knew exactly what they were dealing with.
It is an absolute scandal what was done to this man. It changed my perception of the UK irreversibly. What a squalid rancid shithole of a country run by utter fucking scumbags. Fuck them forever.
To Mia’s point above, yeah it is all very convenient and given that they already tried to effectively kill him by sending him to prison (during a pandemic) you’d be crazy not to be suspicious here.
They have so many ways to kill you, induce heart attacks, cancers… it is a big part of what they do. And yeah these services all do each others killing for them, that is part of their dirty little secrets. If MI5/6 can’t do it on UK soil they enlist Mossad, the CIA to do it for them.
That court case was a problem for them. And Alex was a thorn in their side that they tried and tried to remove but he would not go away. Bless him.
Yes he was looking very unhealthy but that just presents more of an opportunity. Perfect timing…
We will never know Mia but I for sure have my suspicions. Given what was done to him, how could you not. So bloody convenient for them…
I occasionally forget he is dead and then it pops back into my head and it is awful all over again.
I did not realize Salmond suspected the repulsive Liz Lloyd of being MI5. Makes a lot of sense.
When you see the ridiculous infiltration by MI5 going on of utterly trivial activist groups (e.g. protecting hedgehogs etc) you realize that the SNP must be hoatching with them. All political parties…
Democracy in the West is a sham. The treatment of Alex Salmond and the Scottish independence movement taught me that. I will never forgive and I will never forget what they did to a great and decent man who tried to play by their rules…
I tend to think Alex died from natural causes. He was carrying far too much weight and the pictures of him at the conference included some where he had a particularly grey hue.
However if you wish to entertain assassination by poison, consider. Mossad don’t assassinate Iranian scientists using their own citizens, that is contracted out to their happy little assassins cult, the Mojahedin-e Khalq. Once a legitimate political movement facing down the Shah, this morphed into a cult of personality who would take sides with absolutely anyone opposing the government in Tehran.
After losing the patronage of Saddam Hussein (another ripple effect of the invasion of Iraq) they decamped with the CIA’s assistance to Albania. North Macedonia of course has a substantial land border with Albania.
Mossad, the Mojahedin-e Khalq, and the CIA. That should cover most bases.
It’s only a year or so since the MSM was covering the conveyor belt of illegally immigrating criminal Albanians into England. Which of course, has a substantial land border with us.
What are the chances a delayed-effect substance was administered here, in the knowledge it wouldn’t take effect until the victim was overseas?
It might be a mixture of the two, natural and unnatural. I really don’t know and don’t pretend to know. But given the pattern of trying to take Salmond down, and how much they would have wanted this outcome, and the convenience of it, I can’t help but feel suspicious. Like I say you’d be crazy not to be at this point considering everything that was done to him.
Stitch-up attempt #1 was defeated at the Court of Session. Stitch-up attempt #2 was defeated in the criminal court. Note the massive escalation between stitch-up #1 and #2. So what happened then, did they go, “oh well let’s just call it a day lads” or did they say “let’s try something else”. And if yes, what was ‘attempt’ #3?
Plus I look around the world right now. It’s wild what is going on. They came within a blonde bawhair of blowing the orangeman’s brains out. Everything is a lie.
These folks are out of control IMHO and have been for a while. If they figured out a way to exacerbate an existing medical condition or cause a complication with a medication are they capable of doing it. What do you think.
This could be a very bad portent Vivian. We will see…
The logic of Alex Salmond being take out makes so much sense.
He ran the Brit state close, closer than we may think back in 2014 and that is without a shadow of a doubt how the Brit state played its part in trying to bring him down.
Scotland is a jewel economically and militarily and whatever neds to be done gets done when it is needed. Anyone who thinks differently lives in a fantasy world.
But the court prosecution did not go as planned, Salmond was exonerated, won damages and with his current court action was moving towards exposing the state conspiracy against him. That was something that could not be allowed to happen.
Dr David Kelly tried to expose the line an out WMD and died in mysterious circumstances. Robin Cook’s death was similarly suspicious and of course nationalist lawyer Willie MacRae died in the strangest of circumstances following it being believed t h at he was going to bring down the Thatcher government with exposure of a paedophile ring at the heart of her government.
So, although no one can say, there has to be great suspicion about his tragic passing. Especially since the last thing the British establishment needs is a resurgent independence campaign as Britain gets ever deeper in its various theaters of war around the globe.
Alex Salmond was a democrat and a political giant. His passing at the weekend is a bitter loss for us all. He will be missed but his dream has not died. Far from it and his legacy has not gone and his detractors have most certainly not won.
History I believe will regard him as being one of the greatest Scots ever and we were lucky to have him. Like the spider he never gave up and neither will we.
We will win and that will be Alex’s legacy.
If one wants to create a conspiracy theory about Salmond’s death (I don’t, BTW), it’s obvious that the one party that would most want Salmond eliminated would be the SNP leadership. They would have the most to gain by his death.
No sh1t Sherlock, not exactly keeping up with current affairs are you?!
The question you need to move onto is “why?”
Therein is the murky water.
Take a deep breath now..
I remain fairly despondent regards electoral politics. We live in a Spookocracy where an elaborate Kabuki theatre is performed at the behest of Thames House and Vauxhall Cross to convince a mostly politically somnolent populace that a functional democracy exists.
For electoral politics to deliver real change, a perfect storm scenario must materialise. Sinn Féin came out of nowhere to take advantage of a geopolitical crisis in WW I which saw the Sauron’s eye atop Big Ben distracted.
These geopolitical cataclysms occur infrequently. The collapse of the American, unipolar empire approaches. The SNP as it now exists is incapable, indeed unwilling, to grab a once in a lifetime opportunity. In this respect, Alex remained a threat.
Hi, Viv.
I always find your “bigger picture” comments on the forces ranged against us fascinating.
What do you know and are willing to share about the shadowy and creepy Chatham House?
The more I learn about such organisations makes me think we were never going to win 2014, irrespective of the actual votes cast.
re. “…to deliver real change, a perfect storm scenario must materialise…”
Yeah.
Smirk: Material: Total Reality:
“‘Cause life don’t come easy
(I got nothin’ to show)…”:
link to tinyurl.com
The Wanderer: The Perfect Storm: I Am One:
“All of life comes to me
With ease, joy and glory
I am one with all there is…”:
link to tinyurl.com
The collapse of the American, unipolar empire approaches. The SNP as it now exists is incapable, indeed unwilling, to grab a once in a lifetime opportunity.
I wish you’d tell us when this is going to happen – I’d put a tenner on.
It’s remarkable too. Not even a decade since the last “once in a lifetime opportunity”, Brexit.
Seriously though, if or when the American empire collapses, Scotland, along with the rest of Europe, will look back on the first quarter of the twenty first century with fond nostalgia.
Because everything will be an order of magnitude worse than it is now. It’s the first rule of imperial collapse throughout history – what follows ain’t pretty.
So I’ll put a tenner on that too.
All Empires collapse.
Sooner or later..
As I believe you like saying facts and awkward chiels and all that..
Sure.
And it’s going to collapse when? November? After WW3?
Will it take the PRC down with it?
Will the EU collapse first? That’s already looking ominous, with the abandonment of Schengen and the ramping up of sealed external borders.
None of this is predictable. To blithely assume the aftermath will be better for Scotland, in the face of all the historical evidence to the contrary, seems foolish to me.
I’ve always been convinced by the advice that came out at the end of the Soviet era:
Get yourself some arable land and plant tatties.
You’ll always have something to eat, something to ferment, and something to trade.
Nostrovia!
Well said!
I do hope swinney and sturgeon turn up at the funeral. I am sure we will all welcome them
Robin McAlpine has said how fitting it would be if Moira issued a short list of the people not invited to his funeral, oh but that she were radical and fearless enough to do so without him by her side.
My thoughts are with her
He is on record describing her as more radical than himself. A claim she agrees with. As for fearless, who knows.
I disagree
They should stay away
I hope they’re not officially invited but told they can join the crowds if they wish
The last thing we need is grandstanding from that bitter wee cow
I presume Shug is joking. Unfortunately it’s difficult to convey humour and irony in this medium.
bring an egg
If Sturgeon, Swinney, Murrell and all the rest had any moral fibre or common decency, they would stay away completely.
But Sturgeon loves the cameras. She adores the attention. She will do anything to be in the news and on our TVs. She has already forgotten that she stabbed her “mentor” in the back and crucified him on the cross of a corrupt Scottish legal system and a compliant British Main Stream Media.
Remember well Sturgeon’s words at the Holyrood inquiry:
“I don’t know, I can’t remember, I wasn’t there and I’ll have to look that up.”
Alex Salmond was on the wrong end of the worst miscarriage of justice ever.
And still they all walk free.
Well lets hope that Alex’s family tell all these backstabbers that they are not welcome and must not come to the funeral. I would be willing to throw the out myself if they had the brass neck.
Rotten eggs at the ready.
Kit
Just boo them like happened to Johnson.
Simple, they can’t turn that around, even he couldn’t.
So when we read and hear some of the awful things said about Big Eck it makes me think about how “he decided opinion” it’s brutally obvious that parts of the media didn’t like him. The problem is that these poor journalists have the ear of the nation. Their poor judgements and opinions are regularly fed to the general public, who are continually told, no smoke without fire, etc.
more power to you Stu and the other free thinking, truth telling sources.
what I like about you and Posey Parker – You’re never wrong!
im so glad I gave up my TV license.
My own view Mia is that things have happened since that mean we must reexamine what really happened in 2014.
What we know now is that the 2020 US election was rigged. And the main method they used to do it was postal votes.
If they are prepared to rig a US presidential election there is zero doubt they would rig the Scottish referendum. And they used the same modus operandi…postal votes. It worked once so just do it again.
Once you remove the suspicious postal votes the referendum was much closer than 45/55. ..a dead heat almost. It may even have been a marginal YES. It really did not take much to swing it.
I think this ‘true result’ in 2014 is what actually signed the death warrants of the SNP, the independence movement and ultimately Alex himself.
That is why they crushed and destroyed everything even after their ‘comfortable’ 55% No vote win.
Because it wasn’t comfortable at all. We scared the living shit out of them and we did not even know it at the time because they had their thumb on the scales.
This is why they went after Alex like psychopaths post 2014. Not because he lost, because he won.
Look at what they have done in the 10 years since 2014….Everything is a smoking ruin. That is not bad luck or a coincidence. That is enemy action.
It feels like we have had our future stolen from us. Somehow the death of Alex has really brought it home.
“What we know now is that the 2020 US election was rigged. And the main method they used to do it was postal votes.”
When you start with a proven lie, why should anyone continue reading that huge wall of text?
Trump lost, he’s a convicted fraudster found liable for rape who tried to overturn an election. Not sure why you would even bring it up on a post like this?
I still have screen-shots of the numerous on-line polls prior to the referendum showing huge majorities for ‘Yes’, even in unionist newspaper and pro-UK web-sites. If there was really majority support for ‘No’, where were all the marches and rallies for ‘No’? Why was the ‘No’ campaign a fake astroturf campaign with no evidence of grassroots support? Why was Jim Murphy totally ignored on his soapbox tour? And how was it that the turnout in the referendum was lowest in the areas with the greatest support for ‘Yes’, when all the enthusiasm and grassroots commitment came from the ‘Yes’ side? It simply doesn’t add up.
No was the default position for those disinterested in politics and those who consumed mostly traditional media, it required no effort or rallies.
Instead of conspiracy theories, we need to focus on the arguments for independence and how we convince the next generation that Scotland is a country and not just a county to be administered from London.
Can downvote it all you like, but Salmond never once criticised the legitimacy of the result. Its shame a shame to see this Trumpist approach to democracy sliding into Scottish politics now.
It’s easy to convince people to stick with the status quo, even if it’s shit because the unknown is always scarier.
Alba needs to work to show people that Scots are the only people who should be making decisions about Scotland and that the UK is in decline.
The 2014 result should have been declared void following the interference by London such as briefing business owners and ‘bankers’ at Downing Street against Scottish independence, inviting foreign leaders to speak against us and of course the constant meddling and propaganda peddled by the UK i.e. English media and the State Broadcaster.
The Big Man stated if/when Indyref 2 happens such interference should void the process.
Alex would never of criticized the result as leader get a grip.
But let me relate what happened to me on the day of the referendum. I was doing polling place duty in Bathgate, all day from noon till the polls closed.
On reaching the Yes hub we were assigned our duties, the first thing we were told to do was conduct “No exit poll” which I thought was very odd!
I ignored this and conducted one anyway, the result was two to one in favour of Yes.
Yes that was just one polling station but you knew who was voting Yes that day by their demeanour, believe me!?
The next generation are already convinced according to the polls?
Independence is decolonization. Might be worth explaining tae the fowk.
That doesn’t make sense, does it? Why would people who had no interest in politics and who were unwilling to demonstrate their support for the UK be more likely to vote than people who were passionate about independence and campaigned and rallied for it? I’m not denying that gullible people were swayed by the media, but it’s not a conspiracy theory to say there was very little evidence of popular support for ‘No’. It was conspicuous by its complete absence.
I was at the count in Buckie as an agent for WoS. It was obvious that we were going to lose even before the boxes for votes cast on the day were even opened.
The postal vote was overwhelmingly ‘No’, 75%+
The boxes coming in from the polling stations were nip-and-tuck between ‘Yes/No’. I left at 2:30am dejected.
It’s no surprise there were no exit polls.
Pensioners overwhelmingly vote conservative and are the largest group voting by post.
It’s not surprise that the postal votes skewed heavily towards unionism.
Theres no conspiracy.
(And yes I know not ALL pensioners, before one of you chimes in).
I have the feeling now Unionists and the SNP leadership have much more to fear from Alex Salmond’s untimely passing than hoping he would slowly fade from view.
Alex Salmond gave us a vision of an independent Scotland secure in its foundation, sure of its future and playing a positive part in a troubled world.
Those following in Salmond’s wake now have a huge responsibility to make that reality happen.
”Scotland is a country, not a county” – Alex Salmond
Incredible last words from an incredible man
Thank you Stu, your words have brought some comfort to me and many others at this time of grieving for Alex….Scotland is forever in his debt, let us honour him and his legacy by continuing the fight to re-instate Scotland’s Independence.
The Burns quote, “ Epitaph on my own friend, and my father’s friend William Muir of Tarbolton”….is perfect for Alex.
I am a little annoyed reading on the net, ‘the dream will never die’ : Salmond made it a political project, not a dream – time to realise that project.
It was the title of his book, not a party manifesto.
The following are excerpts from the closing pages of both English and Gaelic versions of the book ‘THE DREAM SHALL NEVER DIE: 100 Days that Changed Scotland Forever’ by Alex Salmond (2015) –
« For all my political life I have believed in Scottish independence. Since the referendum campaign this year [2014] I have believed it to be a matter of when, not if.
« There are a number of situations which could provide the circumstances. There are a number of events which could precipitate the next opportunity. There are a number of variables which will dictate the timing, a timing which ultimately lies in the hands of the people.
« And that is the point. The YES side lost the vote but the referendum changed the nation. The people who emerged from the 100 days’ campaign are different from those who embarked upon that journey. That changed nation will both create and secure future opportunities for progress.
« The means and the procedure are now set. The Scottish people can, if they so wish at any Scottish election, vote for a party or parties who wish to put the issue to the touch once again.
« After all, everyone deserves a second chance.
« Every person and every nation.
« ~ Alex Salmond MSP
Strichen, March 2015 »
(‘THE DREAM SHALL NEVER DIE: 100 Days that Changed Scotland Forever’ by Alex Salmond, published by William Collins 2015, p 256).
* * *
« Tha mise air a bheith a’ creidsinn ann an neo-eisimealachd na h-Alba fad mo bheatha phoilitigeach. Tha mi air a bhith den bharail, bhon a bhòt sinn ann an 1997 airson Pàrlamaid na h-Alba a stèidheachadh, gun robh e na bu choltaiche gun tachradh i. ’S i a’ cheist a th’ air a bheith orm bho àm an reifreinn an-uiridh ge-tà — an àite ‘Saoil an tachair i?’ — ‘Cuin a thachras i?’
« Tha uimhir shuidheachaidhean a dh’fhaodadh tachairt a bheireadh cothrom dhuinn. Tha uimhir thachartasan a dh’fhaodadh èirigh anns an nochdadh an ath chothrom sin. Tha uimhir chùisean ann a bheireadh buaidh air clàr-ama, ach ‘s ann an urra ris na daoine a tha an clàr-ama sin.
« Agus ‘s i sin a’ phuing chudromach. Chaill BU CHÒIR an reifreann ach dh’atharraich an reifreann an dùthaich. Tha na daoine a dh’èirich às an iomairt 100 latha gu tur eadar-dhealaichte an coimeas ris na daoine a bh’ aig toiseach na slighe sin. Thèid barrachd chothroman airson adhartais a chruthachadh agus a dhìon anns an dùthaich ùir seo.
« Tha na dòighean-obrach agus am pròiseas stèidhichte a-nis. Faodaidh muinntir na h-Alba, ma thogras iad fhèin aig taghadh Albannach sam bith, bhòtadh airson pàrtaidh no phàrtaidhean a tha airson a cheist a thogail a-rithist.
« An dèidh sin agus na dhèidh, tha a h-uile duine airidh air cothrom eile.
« A h-uile duine agus a h-uile dùthaich.
« ~ Ailig Salmond BPA
Srath Eachainn, Am Màrt 2015 »
(‘MAIRIDH AN DÒCHAS: 100 Latha a dh’Atharraich Alba Gu Bràth’, le Ailig Salmond, air fhoillseachadh le William Collins, 2015, td 284)
One of the highlights I have, on this journey to Indy… a small victory, but a sweet one, was when Alex did a crowdfunder for his legal defence. Like everyone else I contributed as much as I could, then kept watching, as it smashed all records for contributions… as it neared closing, it was almost there, I burst the bank once more, just to get it over the line…. as did quite a few other folk lol. Never been so pleased to pay out money in my life.
Alex’s body will not be left in Macedonia, like lost luggage. The Brits can treat him right and bring him home decent. Or there will be another Crowdfunder that breaks the records for donations. And the Yes movement will rally once more. Alex would like that.
Also, we had his back then, and we’ll be having him back now.
RIP to the greatest Scotsman in centuries
Let us rise up off our knees and finish the job he started.
I had some issues with the party political path being followed of late but the overall picture is just as put by Stu
The Giant
RIP Alex
*is there any news on funeral arrangements
It must be a fitting send off
In my culture the funeral of a national hero would be an «event».
An opportunity for the people to demonstrate their respect and their love.
Heroes ought not to go too quietly to their final rest.
He leaves behind him a very shallow pool of ineffectual narcistic political minnows and he’s well rid of the shadowy grasping nails of Nicola Sturgeon – a modern Scottish backstabber if ever there was one.
We will never see his like again.
Might well be my last comment on here,
I am very angry (and suspicous)of peple like the indytruck davy guy…I am a very long time supporter of Scottish independence,a very long time!
An ancient wrong that must be righted as Alex himself might have once said,
That truck guy has been hiding behind a scottish folk song since saturday,,and made no comment onthe passing of a very special Scotsman.
He is snp of course,and proud of it..he should be feeling very ashamed of himself and some of his comments regarding Alex over the last few years.
Lastly,,,Fuck off indytruck davy…Scotland will leave this union and be an independat country again…In the meantime thesnp is in the way of that happening, and so are people like you…for god’s sake keep up your silence indefinately……………………….and…………….bugger off!
I used to listen to his podcasts in the beginning as well as indy car Gordon about indy but they turned out to be nothing but poisoned dwarf and snp sycophants and apologists,indy car Gordon is not as bad as he was he even sometimes criticises the dwarf and the snp but the Davy guy is as much a indy supporter as PayPal Paul the grifter and his snp fantasists
They’re all self aggrandising attention seekers
”Scotland is a country, not a county” AS.
Swinney, the knee-crawler in chief is the:
“Coward of the Country”
According to the BBC, the RAF will not be involved in the repatriation of Alex Salmond’s body to Scotland.
I guess they’re too busy transporting weapons to Israel to help the IDF with their ongoing slaughter of men, women, children, babies, journalists and aid workers in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon.
What a shite country we live in. And before you ask – both of them.
Scotland should consider decreasing its contribution to the maintenance of those RAF planes. There is no point for the people of Scotland to continue paying for them if we are not allowed to use them because the warmonger of the day installed in number 10, comfortably living in the pocket of a rogue state in the Middle East, insists in putting the interests of that rogue state ahead of those of Scotland.
“slaughter of men, women, children, babies, journalists and aid workers”
Whoops, you must have been in such a hurry to post you left off an important category – murdering, raping, torturing, kidnapping, nihilistic terrorists.
They’re absolutely slaughtering them too, in their thousands. In their tunnels. Under their human shields. In their palatial overseas redoubts.
Something else you forgot to mention. The murdering, raping, torturing, kidnapping, nihilistic terrorists lob rockets and missiles, tens of thousands of them, at Israel. And they don’t care who’s on the receiving end, whether they be men, women, children, babies, journalists or aid workers.
Crucial, for the sake of balance and fairness, we correct your inadvertent omissions, eh? Wouldn’t want the casual reader to get the impression that Israel’s men, women, children, babies, journalists and aid workers have it coming.
But yes, agreed, war is shite.
“slaughter of men, women, children, babies, journalists and aid workers”
You left off the terr-or-ists from your list. They’re being slaughtered too.
You know, the guys that lob rockets in the fervent hope they will slaughter as many men, women, children, babies, journalists and aid workers as they can.
They’re being slaughtered in their thousands. In their tunnels. Under their human shields. In their palatial overseas redoubts.
I now see you are an IDF Fanboy, Hatey.
Disappointing.
BTW, the IDF cleared out the tunnels months ago. They have since moved onto schools, hospitals etc.
Do keep up dear boy.
Careful, Zander, you’ll be calling me playground names next. Once you give up on the facts, that’s always the final destination.
There are people lobbing relatively unsophisticated rockets, thousands of them, in one direction. They don’t much care who they will kill if they get through – men, women, children, babies, journalists, aid workers, whatever. They don’t much care what they will hit either – schools, hospitals, etc. They can’t care about any of it – their rockets aren’t that accurate. So it’s point them in the general direction and fire, and then pray for maximum mayhem. Allahu Akbar!
And then there are other people trying to take out the launchers of the rockets.
Around 100 hostages remain, whether in tunnels, holes in the ground, basements, etc. whether under schools, hospitals, homes, puppy sanctuaries, etc. nobody really knows.
Apart from their kidnappers, obviously.
Anyway, Zander, thems the facts. Be brave and face them without flinching, ducking, or seeking refuge in lies.
On the contrary my dear Hatey. Why would I resort to “playground names”, when you have assigned a playground name to yourself?
Hatey McHateface indeed.
A IDF Fanboy hiding behind a “playground name”.
Says it all really. Does it not?
Touche.
My “playground name” is inspired by the Scottish Government’s Hate Crimes legislation. ScotGov is not a serious administration, and so neither, if you believe in democratic responsibility as I do, can it be said that a majority of the Scottish electorate are serious people.
Hopefully that situation will improve, but for now, we are where we are.
But full marks for your deflection, or whatever it is. I pointed out an omission from your original list of those slaughtered – terrorists.
You’ve had ample opportunity to fess up, so we can now conclude you don’t see any terrorists being slaughtered.
The scum who dragged the lassies into the tunnels, to rape, torture, mutilate and murder them, are “freedom fighters” or whatever. The baby burners too.
Glad to have cleared that up.
Glad to have gleaned that insight into your strand of grassroots, pro-Indy sentiment and sympathies.
Both sides wear black hats in the Gaza conflict, neither is better than the other.
I’ve just seen the piece Adam Ramsey did for Novara and well, it’s a piece that could only be written about a dead man as if this had been published while Salmond was still alive they’d have been sued out of existence.
link to archive.is
What I’m seeing from the likes of Ramsey is a joy that finally, they can rewrite what they see as a mistake as they wanted Salmond convicted but that pesky jury system got in the way along with the complete lack of evidence. For these people, Salmond was to be convicted, then condemned & any threat he posed to Sturgeon, the SNP, Trans ideology, etc would be snapped out.
All these middle class, wealthy members of Scotland’s new establishment want to cement their position as after all, one of the worst things to come out the wake of the referendum was that these people saw an opportunity and ran with it. Ramsey talks of a ‘new independence movement’ emerging, but that’s nonsense. The tenuous unity we saw in the run-up to 2014 is gone, the SNP are a neoliberal shadow of what they were, & their Stalinist tendencies have chased away old and newer independence supporters by the hundreds of thousands.
I’ve no idea where things go now, but we’re never going to get independence if the likes of Ramsey & his weird, creepy mates are leading the charge.
I could agree with you more…..The creep. The man was cleared. He is not fit to the AS a shoelaces never mind insult him.
BBC’s obit was bad enough, but Ramsay’s piece is literally vomit-inducing. Those poor, poor perjurers. Thank you for sharing.
We must remember that Adam neither understands nor likes real men. His sympathies are with men who pretend to be women.
Better not be too hard on this millionaire ‘socialist’ or he may have to sulk in this ‘small castle’ in Perthshire, occupied by his posh family since the 14th century.
His kind is best ignored.
I see he’s on ‘paternity leave in Hanoi’.
Why would a new dad go alone to one of the prostitution capitals of the world?
Ask Geri…
A truly despicable piece of work, that, which shows how much they still fear Alex Salmond as they continue to smear him baselessly even after death. When I read the first line to Mrs Chiel she almost self-combusted.
Unfortunately for them, I suspect none of the Unionists’ synthetic stakes or silver bullets are going to kill off a politician who is loved by so many here.
Has Engerland got any politician they can actually love and respect rather than merely thole? Hint: neither Stürmer nor Wishy-Washy Rishi need reply.
What would one expect from Adam Ramsay…
link to wingsoverscotland.com
When you read that certain individuals are trying to ping dirt on a dead man who can no longer defend himself, you realise they are nothing but pathetic cowards who would have never found the balls to do it when he was alive. Then you immediately wonder what could possibly be that these pathetic characters have to win by disgracing themselves in this fashion.
Is it money?
Have they been promised a plum job in some useless quango or as a “special adviser” somewhere?
Are they somehow related to the conspirators and perjurers? In what way?
Or are they another secret service plant working against Scotland?
One wonders how many members of the secret services were involved in the conspiracy against Mr Salmond and how many have been redirected since his death to the unedifying and embarrassing task of throwing dirt to a dead man hoping some will stick.
Mr Salmond has still not even put to rest, and yet these sickening individuals feel they cannot possibly miss a second in restarting their tarnishing reputation campaign against him. It is sickening.
It is the perceived urgency, desperation and intensity of it that I find telling. It hints to there being a need, somewhere, for someone, that Mr Salmond must remain a tarnished man even after his death.
Who/What can possibly be the source of such need?
An what is it that they are so desperately trying to deter us from?
Well, it is ironic, because for me, the more I read the sickening garbage spouted by unscrupulous idiots like this and the more I notice their desperation and urgency for moving opinion against Mr Salmond, the more I want to go with a tooth comb through all those court cases and evidence, the more I want to understand the links of all those individuals and the more I want to find out what exactly it is that these people are so desperate to hide.
What/Who are those whatsapp messages exposing that they had to be so forcefully suppressed from the public?
If I had to hazard a guess I would say that what they are hiding might be a direct connection between the conspiracy against Mr Salmond and the higher echelons of the deep British state.
Needless to say, that the more I see propaganda mouthpieces throwing dirt at Mr Salmond, the more convinced I become that Mr Salmond did not lose the 2014 referendum.
What is evident is that these idiots remain terrified of him even after his death. And even after his death, Mr Salmond continues to run rings around them all.
Isn’t that something?
Every single on-line poll put ‘Yes’ far ahead of ‘No’.
Not a single on-line poll had ‘No’ in the lead, even on pro-UK web-sites.
Are we to believe that ‘No’ voters were uniquely incapable of voting in on-line polls?
The ‘No’ campaign had overwhelming public support and drew huge crowds everywhere it went!
So who were all these ‘No’ voters that somehow materialised out of thin air on the day of the referendum? It’s a mystery to me.
Adam Ramsay, sadly is one in a long line of insignificant wee jobbies who know sweet f*cl all about Scotland. Paid to cause division in the independence movement. A pathetic wee rich boy, with nothing better to do. Knob.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Why the f*ck is the English RAF – being lobbied to bring back Alex Salmond’s body – do we really want to see Salmond’s coffin, exit a RAF plane covered in the Butcher’s Apron.
Salmond is a national hero – a national hero of Scotland not the UK – which he, you, and I want to see broken up – so why on earth, is it being negotiated with the countries FCO, that we want desperately to be shot of to return the body of our national hero.
The above emphasis starkly – that Scotland is so f*cked up in this illegal union – that we don’t even possess an official aircraft to bring home a national hero.
Send the plane the Scotland team used. don’t let the Brita get a day or hide any evidence
“Send the plane the Scotland team used”
Aye by the looks of things they’ll no be needin it fir a while.
Scotland doesn’t even need to own an official aircraft. They could just rent one. Since the political fraud took over the gov of Scotland in November 2014, public money has been wasted, haemorrhaged actually, in all sort of stupid, narcissistic things, useless paper ministers, all sort of manner of unnecessary court cases and her useless echo chamber quangos. They can pay for an effing plane to bring Mr Salmond back. It is our money that they are using at the end of the day.
What is missing here is not the money nor the opportunity to bring Mr Salmond to where he belongs. It is the will of this useless, pathetic and corrupt “Scottish” “government” to do so. They are a disgrace.
A doun-hauden fowk cannae expect verra much fae a colonial administration.
“What is missing here is not the money nor the opportunity to bring Mr Salmond to where he belongs. It is the will of this useless, pathetic and corrupt “Scottish” “government” to do so.”
Even in death – they loathe and hate Alex Salmond -he will/is remembered as a national hero (A Wallace or Bruce) – most of them won’t even be remembered – and the ones that are, will be looked upon as treacherous b*stards.
Oh I think the political fraud will be remembered alright. She will be remembered as the most undemocratic, vindictive, dishonest, disloyal, corrupt, betraying, pathetic, useless, incompetent, wasteful and coward First Minster Scotland ever had the misfortune to endure.
She will be remembered as that who, against all odds, managed to squander every single opportunity for independence put at her feet and that, instead of progressing Scotland towards more autonomy with all the mandates she was given, somehow, and against all odds, managed to regress it instead.
She should be remembered as the Benny Hill of Scottish politics. A ridiculous and laughable character.
That’s an insult to Benny Hill.
I’m old enough to remember this series on The State Stenographer Corporation, co-written by Douglas Hurd, surprisingly, where the state tries to place a Union flag on the coffin of the Scottish patriot and a GTF moment occurs: link to en.wikipedia.org
Shades also of The Douglas Affair by Dr. Alistair Mair, for those who can find a copy. (Spoiler Alert: the attack on an important character on the Switchback in Bearsden resembles the attempt on AS’s life in 2014 which was largely ignored by the MSM).
And even as I write this, the head of the FDA (First Division Civil Servants) continues to smear Alex Salmond in the most outrageous and cowardly fashion on STV. Remind me: who is head of the Civil Service in Scotland?
To Ian Brotherhood’s question below: I don’t think you can libel the dead in Scotland but a big crowdfunder might stimulate some “creative” legal action.
“And even as I write this, the head of the FDA (First Division Civil Servants) continues to smear Alex Salmond in the most outrageous and cowardly fashion on STV. Remind me: who is head of the Civil Service in Scotland?”
Yip I had the misfortune to see that clip – on STV – now ran by ITV – hence nae Scottish content – the whores that pass for the Scottish media – just can’t stop doing their best to smear Alex Salmond even now that he has passed
Any legal people reading – is the Adam Ramsay piece actionable or not?
No. There’s not a thing legally anyone can do about it as you can say what you like about the dead. Hence why Ramsay and Novara ran with it now as if they’d tried anything like that first paragraph a week ago they’d have been sued out of existence.
However, it does now shine an even stronger light upon Ramsay & his weird clique of oddities over in Edinburgh. I only wish now that David Davis pushes ahead once the funeral, etc is done and uses his powers to start naming names.
Thanks for the reply John. I didn’t realise it was as cut and dried as that.
I will never vote for the Unionist and Woke SNP. A plague on their diseased house.I will never forgive them.
I am pleased to see so many commenting on here again at this time.Myself I am with Mark Hirst in that the rage can wait but for now I will honour the memory of the man and his life. The funeral details are down to the wishes of the family and that is as it should be. Once the dust has settled on the passing of a great man we can get on with making good his dream. RIP Mr Salmond.
STV news tonight declaring that now that Salmond is dead, there should be a more balanced view of his life and career.
To this end they regurgitated the usual stuff with the added new twist of producing some Trade Union official who stated that Alex was a bully and as such was “unfit to be First Minister”.
The Scottish and UK media continue with their new favourite pastime of kick the corpse of Alex Salmond.
What a bunch of cunts.
Anger is an energy…
There are way more of us than there are of these lowlife smearing cretins.
So simply use the energy these despicable individuals and organisations generate with their tarring of Alex and his achievements, and utilise that energy as motivation to speak to and inform as many people as you can of the real story.
You can use word of mouth or share links to spread the truth to as many people as you can.
The link in my last post shows Adam Ramsay for what he is.
And I’ll re-post the link to July’s article with David Davis.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
And the direct link from the blue hotlink in that article’s first sentence in case folk don’t see or know about the blue hotlinks in the text.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
And there are so many other articles and snippets of information that we can all spread far and wide.
“If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”
The trade union official was Dave Penman of the Amalgamated Union of Shitheads – or something
You got that, everyone? Dave Penman
Thanks Oneliner. We got that.
First Division Association i.e. top ranking civil servants’ union.
Still so sad that many of his last years were ruined by the party that he had led to the top! Could his family ban all the conspirators and their accomplices from attending the funeral, probably listing the alphabettees without calling them such.
Whether we like it or not – and I certainly don’t, Scotland is an essential component part of this United Kingdom. At the time of his death Alex Salmond was still a member of His Majesty’s Privy Council, so still a man with some clout.
Scotland pays its share (and Morfe I woukld suggest) of the running costs of the RAF. So that arm of the UK armed forces ought to be charged with promptly repatriating his remains to his family and to Scotland.
If they don’t, it’s just another example of England shiting on Scotland.
And on his coffin should be spread the Saltire.
If possible the dark blue version not the weak looking light version.
Dark/navy blue stems from the Union Flag, which had adopted the darker shade simply for durability on the ensign of RN vessels.
In heraldry, any blue is blue, but given the legend of how Scotland got its flag, a blue more closely related to a sky blue is considered more appropriate than the “dark blue version”, hence Pantone 300 is the officially recommended shade.
See here for example of that used during the funeral of Pte Kevin R.A. Elliott. (Saltire draped coffins are traditional for serving Black Watch servicemen and women).
We will never see his ilk again. Sadly, in 2015 the 56 MPs did not take the road of UDI and went to London to collect their wages when they should have went to the parliament in Edinburgh and claim our right as a nation. That peak will never be reached again. He was the greatest politician Scotland ever had. God bless you Alex and may your legacy be that your memory grow by the year till we see your Dream and our dream as a nation, a reality.
Alex’s sudden and untimely death shocked us all to the core and I can’t imagine how awful it’s been for his family. However, the reaction to his loss has been unprecedented and may just be the catalyst needed for the independence movement to shake off the shackles of the corrupt SNP and find a way through the maze to gain independence. Alex was such a bold and creative thinker. How would he use this opportunity to awaken our nation to reality? He would seize the mood and use it to galvanise the movement and make independence happen before the opportunity’s lost for the foreseeable future.
Watch five lessons from sir humphry of Yes Prime Minister around 11.17. It outlines what they thought they were doing to Mr Salmond. Plants may well have proposed it to the simple minded chumps in the SNP. They all miscalculated as his reputation was more important to him and he did not bend to their will. Then the civil service stepped in and formalised it by involving the police.
Net effect they destroy Salmond and have the chumps on a hook for conspiracy and perjury.
Having said that they want to destroy the movement so they keep going getting the plants to lie and falsify and redact until their position is untenable and nobody believes a word they say.
This uk committee has some smart folk in it no doubts.
I can’t believe the repatriation of Alex Salmonds body is taking so long. For years the Scottish Government has spent hundreds of millions on pet social projects. The North Macedonians are saying we are good to go. Get it organised. I could have done that in a couple of hours. A hopeless Government under investigation in 4 cases. Operation Koper. Operation Broadfoot. Operation Branchform and Operation Perjury. But we can’t get a former deceased FM home to his family? Absolute incompetence.
The RAF could have had him home to Dyce by now.
The Scottish and UK Governments could not care less and did not give the order.
Moira will just have to wait.
As usual, a political decision from Westminster and their acolytes in Edinburgh.
A complete disgrace and yet another punch in the face to the people of Scotland and the memory of Alex Salmond.
Shameful.
Cost of a private jet from North Macedonia to Edinburgh 190000 Euros. So say £15k. Cost of Michael Matheson Ipad charges £11k. Cost of Scottish Government incompetence £2 billion. Google search 30 seconds.
These are disgraceful comments about Alex Salmond from STV News and union official David Penman. Shocking to see the passing of a much admired politician being treated in this way.
link to x.com
Thanks for the link . My husband was incensed by the STV coverage and he was not a fan of the SNP. I had missed the actual broadcast but now feel that complaints should be inundating STV and any other snide , spiteful, lying oafs or harpies that feel the time is right to air their opinions.
David Penman has form on this matter. According to highest civil court in Scotland senior civil servants acted unlawfully and with bias in pursuing a flawed complaints process against Salmond. Penman refused to acknowledge that.
link to civilserviceworld.com
We also have to remember that police are investigating a senior civil servant over accusation over false statements under oath.
link to civilserviceworld.com
Finally David Penman conveniently forgets that Alex Salmond was found innocent of all charges of sexual assault that may have involved senior civil servants in procuring false accusations from alleged victims.
link to civilserviceworld.com
David Penman should be reminded that senior civil servants have sinned more than been sinned against.
For information yesterday in the House of Commons David Davis paid a tribute to AS. He read a note from Alex’s legal council and clearly stated that AS suffered attacks from Scotgov, the civil service and the British state.
It’s about time the RAF flew out to collect him, rather than flying typhoons in close formation over Caithness and scaring the sheep. This “there’s no protocol,” nonsense is a whitewash. Just go, that’ll do as a protocol.
link to hansard.parliament.uk
In case it’s not here already.
What was done to Alex Salmond is perhaps the greatest scandal in (at least modern) uk political history…and the print and broadcast media of the uk are absolutely complicit.
But that’s not the worst of it,in fact that’s another nail in the coffin of the sham union.
The worst of it is the true independence supporter’s who were and still are quite happy to see that man crucified if meant the achievement of an independant scotland.
Because WHY?
Because to them (lazy arsed bastards} the snp = scottish independence
\this just in…THE SNP WILL PLAY ABSOLUTELY NO PART IN THE RESTORATION OF SCOTLAND TO THE STATUS OF AN INDEPENDANT NATION!
That is a FACT!
Please start from here…It means u have to start over…
this is the end (of the beggining).!……………………………………that is another fact!…………..RIP big man!..
Two working days have elapsed and the John Smith Centre (“Let’s build a better politics”) is yet to comment on the passing of Alex Salmond. Surely such a seismic event in the political world should be memorialised. The new Director, Eddie Barnes has a background as a professional journalist and can and has written articles for the website since he started a couple of months ago.
Barnes transferred from a Gordon Brown associated think tank, Our Scottish Future. In a non-alphabetical list of regular board members for OSF, the first entry included employment by Hakluyt in his biography. Why does that name keep cropping up with regard to John Smith, Gordon Brown, and the University of Glasgow?
I’m willing to bet that the passing of Alex will go without reflection at the JSC. Alex was the antithesis of everything the JSC stands for. Someone with a successful career outwith politics who chose to commit his very life to a cause, out of principle rather than some tawdry means of extracting a comfortable, middle-class sinecure.
We should not be surprised at JSC’s reluctance to contribute to the current narrative. In no time at all we would be questioning the decision(?) to bury a bit part player like John Smith on Iona, among the kings and queens of Scotland.
No, in the eyes of Central Control, Alex Salmond is receiving too much attention by way of positive comment. Intervention by a state asset is required, so stumbling into the frame comes House Jock Dave Penman. The timing of his contribution is so overtly weighted that either he or his handler(s) would appear to be entry level spooks.
Not really surprising but par for the course for JSC. They are a blight on the Scottish political scene. They should be renamed Yoon Central.for they are really invested in bitter politics.
Perhaps the SNP token Board member of the John Smith Centre could raise an objection. Who would that be? Oh, former MP for Glasgow South and fellow of the Woodrow Wilson School for International Scholars, Stewart McDonald. A widnae haud ma breath.
The foreign government, in the foreign country of England – have rejected calls to bring home our national Hero’s body – that of Alex Salmond – saying that he’s a private citizen – thank f*ck for that.
Instead it looks like the our Holyrood Parliament will fly Alex Salmond’s body home – having agreed to charter a flight to get him home – no exact time of when this will happen has been released yet.
Its the least our parliament can do for our National Hero – who in my opinion deserves a Scottish state Funeral with all the trimmings.
RoS, it’s up to the family what type of funeral there is , but if we all know the timing perhaps we could organise places to gather all over Scotland to stand in silence for the duration with a rousing full voiced chorus of Flower of Scotland at the end.
Here in Glasgow I was thinking a good gathering point might be at the STV/BBBC studios and the squinty bridge, overspilling into various bits along the Clyde.
I wonder who decided, and why, that Scot Gov will pay to repatriate Alex.
In a way, I would have preferred that we, the public, had been allowed by the family to help.
In a «crisis» it is a serious mistake to be British.
Ain’t that the truth! I remember in 2012, I got a message from the UK Embassy in Seoul, where I was residing… At that time, tensions between the Koreas were high and the message from the UK embassy said in no uncertain terms that they would make no effort to repatriate UK citizens in event of a war breaking out. US citizens, Canadians, Australians all got reassurances. UK citizens got told to go spin on it. Charming.
Just heard that a private individual is paying to bring back Alex by private charter.
John Swinney paying privately for the repatriation flight, according to one of the less reputable news sites.
I would doubt he can talented head out of his backside long enough to think about it never mind pay for it
Say it isn’t so – that would be like rubbing salt into a wound. Mind you – the media whores lie profusely.
Lunchtime STV news now claiming, that a private individual is paying to charter a plane to bring home the body of our National Hero – Alex Salmond.
‘These stunted, disappointed libertines form lifelong connections which are cemented using a diabolical glue formed of bodily fluids, alcohol and god only knows what else. They have the dirt on one another and that, in itself, functions as a form of insurance. None dare speak the truth because it condemns them all to immediate charges of hypocrisy, a fatal accusation for anyone whose livelihood depends on the ability to virtue-signal and finger-point on a daily basis regardless of whatever they were up to the previous night.’
Off-Topic Scotland | ‘Publish and be damned!’ (offtopicscotland.com)
A great loss to one of Scotland’s Greatest men ? I hope n pray NONE of the snp leadership are invited to his funeral Mr Embezzler n Mrs Fraudster n Swine Eh have a brass neck with their faux shock n horror Hopefully the court case goes ahead n show the people who hounded him in the past years RIP Alex Salmond sleep well
The wickerman was on the other night; love that movie, the music, the acting, the scenery – it is a pitch perfect shocker and the occult stuff is well observed – the thing about karma and you have to -tell- the victim what is to happen …
Someone should adapt Marc Antony’s speech for Caesar as a eulogy for Alex – making pointed reference to all the “honourable men” (and women)
For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men–
And Sturgeon was an honourable man … (your list here, add that miserable vicious cunt, Ramsay)
then we burn all the honourable men in a giant wickerman in front of the crags – I will be Lord Summerisle and lead the singing
– summer is a cumen-in …
I mean, you do want the “indy harvest” to succeed next year?
o7 O Captain, My Captain
We’ll not see his like again.
I cant believe that a private anonymous donor has had to pay to repatriate Alex to Scotland!
This should have been the first order of business for the Scottish Government and its shockingly disrespectful that they did not immediately organise his repatriation to the country he loved!
RIP Alex Salmond
The Scottish government are a disgrace.
So where to from here for the independence cause?
On a related note: I saw a Youtube sketch a couple of nights ago, from Not the Nine O’Clock News, in which two politicians are fighting each other tooth and nail until one of them drops dead, at which point the surviving politician changes his tone utterly, and makes out out what a close personal friend he was of the deceased. It came to mind reading some of the tributes.
Off topic, but “Scottish Government pledges £12.5 million in aid for African education initiatives”. Why are they doing this when our own education and welfare systems are dismally underfunded.
A fitting and lovely tribute. He will be mourned around the world. That verse by Burns could have been written for him!
[…] The Giant […]
He was World famous. People knew about him in different nations.
Still cant quite believe he has gone. Thank you for sharing your personal and fitting eulogy and the work you continue to do. Cant wait to see the treacherous pygmies held to account in the not too distant future. They tried to destroy his reputation and continue to do so with snide references to heinous and scurrilous charges they engineered against him and lost. Why wait for hell, may they rot in life for their act. Thankful to have met him once at a Homeless World Cup event in Edinburg, a witty, generous and inspiring man. RIP Alex Salmond, thanks is such a small word to acknowledge all he did to inspire so many, so glad his inner light shone until the end.