Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who sought Scotland's independence, has died at age 69

Alex Salmond, the erstwhile archetypal curate of Scotland who for decades championed Scotland's independency from the U.K., has died. He was 69.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid tribute to Salmond, calling him a "monumental figure" of some Scottish and British politics.

"He leaves down a lasting legacy," Starmer said. "As archetypal curate of Scotland, helium cared profoundly astir Scotland's heritage, past and culture, arsenic good arsenic the communities helium represented."

Salmond served arsenic archetypal curate of Scotland from 2007 to 2014, and was person of the Scottish National Party connected 2 occasions, from 1990 to 2000, and from 2004 to 2014. Salmond, arsenic past person of the Scottish National Party, led the independency run successful the referendum successful 2014, but lost, gaining 45% of the vote.

Salmond resigned from the SNP successful 2018 successful the aftermath of intersexual harassment allegations. He subsequently formed a caller enactment called Alba.

Former U.K. Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that Salmond was a "huge fig successful our politics."

"While I disagreed with him connected the law question, determination was nary denying his accomplishment successful statement oregon his passionateness for politics," Sunak said connected X. "May helium remainder successful peace."