Salmond death a shock because so many admired him, Alba Party chairwoman says

A Saltire covering the coffin of Alex Salmond during its repatriation back to Scotland was placed there by Alba Party Chairwoman Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh before it was carried onto a private plane in Orhid, North Macedonia (Jane Barlow/PA) - (PA Wire)

The Alba Party chairwoman has said former first minister Alex Salmond got the send-off he deserved when his body was repatriated from North Macedonia to Scotland following a fatal heart attack on October 12.

In an interview with the BBC Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh spoke of the “shock” that was widely felt at Mr Salmond’s death, and said this reflected the extent to which he had been admired by all those he had spoken to.

Ms Ahmed-Sheikh, who had been with Mr Salmond at the Academy for Cultural Diplomacy conference in Orhid in North Macedonia, said the 69-year-old had been in an optimistic mood about the future of Scotland and the Alba Party, and that people had appreciated every speech and answer he gave.

She told the BBC: “The shock was, of course, because Alex had passed, but also because people had got to know Alex over the preceding days and love him and admire him, and that is why people felt it all the more.

“It wasn’t just a person who had passed, it was a person who had touched them, who had listened to them, understood them, and clearly cared about people and gave them time, because people wanted to demonstrate their thoughts and feelings of the engagement that they’d had with Alex in the preceding days.”

She said that following his death dignitaries including the North Macedonian president had given a great deal of time to ensure the former first minister got the send-off he deserved.

Members of the public left tributes outside the Scottish Parliament following Mr Salmond’s death on October 12 (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

Mr Salmond’s coffin – draped in a Saltire which had been placed there by Ms Ahmed-Sheikh – was carried onto a private plane at Ohrid St Paul the Apostle Airport by six members of the nation’s military, along a red carpet that was flanked by eight other soldiers standing at attention to the sound of a trumpet.

The soldiers, flight and ground crew also observed a moment’s silence before Mr Salmond’s body was carried on board the flight – which had been paid for by businessman Sir Tom Hunter – for its repatriation to Scotland.

A private funeral for Mr Salmond will be held on October 29 at Strichen Parish Church near his Aberdeenshire home.

A public memorial service is expected to take place in the coming weeks.