Scotland's former leader Alex Salmond, a figurehead of the independence movement, has died at the age of 69, the Scottish National Party (SNP) he once led said Saturday. Scotland's current First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney said he was "deeply shocked and saddened" at the "untimely death". That win smashed the two-party system of Labour and the Conservatives, transforming the Scottish political landscape. As a result, Salmond quit as leader of Scotland and his party, handing over the reins to Nicola Sturgeon. Salmond later became leader of a new pro-independence party the Alba Party, but it has failed to match the political successes of the SNP.

Source: The Times October 12, 2024 20:30 UTC