Hoyle: Alex Salmond leaves a deep and lasting legacy

Alex Salmond leaves a “deep and lasting legacy” following his sudden death, Sir Lindsay Hoyle said as he led Commons tributes to the former Scottish first minister.

Mr Salmond, who led the SNP before later founding the Alba Party, died from a suspected heart attack during a trip to North Macedonia.

The 69-year-old was elected as an MP for the Banff and Buchan constituency in 1987 and later represented Gordon.

“He was a tireless campaigner for Scottish independence, securing the UK government’s agreement for the 2014 referendum and playing a leading role in the Yes campaign.

“His final departure from this House was in 2017. It marked the first occasion in more than three decades when he was not serving in an elected role at either here or Holyrood.

“He leaves a deep and lasting legacy behind him. His sudden death at the weekend came as a complete shock and the thoughts of this whole House are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”

Further tributes were paid after defence questions, with SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn saying: “Alex gave all of us in the SNP the belief that what we felt in our hearts was worth fighting for.

“That belief that we could one day become an independent nation, and Alex Salmond took us so very close to making that belief a reality.”

Mr Flynn added: “It’s of great personal sorrow to me that Alex Salmond will not live to see Scotland become an independent nation.

“The challenge for all of us now in the nationalist movement is to make sure that we put good his legacy and deliver the future that he so badly fought for throughout his distinguished parliamentary career.”

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: “He’s left behind an indelible mark on Scottish politics and public life. I know many in the independence movement and beyond will miss him.”

Shadow Scottish secretary John Lamont said Mr Salmond was a “giant in Scottish and United Kingdom politics” while Tory former minister Sir David Davis said of his close friend: “Very, very few people in this House change history.

“Most of us are moved by it rather than move it ourselves. Alex Salmond was an exception to that.”

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, to laughter in the chamber, joked: “The leader of the SNP spoke very well and movingly about Alex’s contribution to life and I think that’s very generous because the SNP clearly treats its former leaders with great respect, and I think that’s a good idea.”

He added Mr Salmond helped make the SNP a “formidable force”, adding: “I think we should just remember Alex Salmond lived life to the full, spoke to the full, was totally involved in absolutely everything he did and was an amazing, very friendly force around this place.”