What's happened
Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond's body will be repatriated from North Macedonia on Friday, following his death from a heart attack. A private individual has funded the charter flight, allowing his family to bring him home for a private funeral and public memorial service.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Scotsman reported that a private individual funded the charter flight to bring Salmond's body back to Scotland, with acting Alba Party leader Kenny MacAskill expressing gratitude for this support. The Guardian noted that discussions about using the RAF for repatriation were rejected, leading to the private arrangement. Meanwhile, tributes from political figures, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, emphasized Salmond's significant impact on Scottish politics, as highlighted in multiple sources including BBC News and The Independent.
How we got here
Alex Salmond, who served as Scotland's First Minister and led the Alba Party, died on October 12, 2024, while attending a conference in Ohrid, North Macedonia. His death prompted discussions about repatriation, with calls for RAF assistance ultimately leading to a private charter flight.
Common question
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What are the details of Alex Salmond's repatriation and memorial plans?
The recent passing of Alex Salmond, a significant figure in Scottish politics, has raised many questions about the logistics of his repatriation and the memorial services planned in his honor. As discussions unfold, many are curious about the impact of his political career and the public's reaction to his death.
More on these topics
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Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond is a Scottish politician who served as the First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party for over 20 years, serving two terms, from 1990 to 2000 and from 2004 to 2014.
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Sir Keir Rodney Starmer KCB QC MP is a British politician and former lawyer who has served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition since 2020. He has been Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras since 2015.
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Rishi Sunak is a British politician who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party since 2022.
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North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a country in the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. It gained its independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia.
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Kenneth Wright MacAskill is a Scottish politician who has been Member of Parliament for East Lothian since 2019. He served as Cabinet Secretary for Justice from 2007 to 2014.
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The Alba Party is a Scottish nationalist and pro-independence political party in Scotland. The party was founded by the retired television producer Laurie Flynn, with the former first minister of Scotland Alex Salmond taking over as leader.
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Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a 96 mile border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and w
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The Scottish Government is the devolved government of Scotland.
The government is led by the First Minister, who selects the Cabinet Secretaries, who attend Cabinet, and Ministers with the approval of Parliament.