Scotsman Politics: Alex Salmond Memorial Service at St Giles Cathedral

Transcript

00:00Hello, I'm Alistair Grant, the Political Editor of The Scotsman, and I'm here just outside

00:04St Giles Cathedral in central Edinburgh, where for the last hour and a bit I've been attending

00:08the memorial service to Alex Salmond, the former First Minister who died at the age

00:12of 69 in October while attending a conference in North Macedonia. He had his funeral previously,

00:19there was a private service attended by family and close friends, but this was a chance for

00:25people from across the political spectrum to come together in St Giles Cathedral and

00:30to mark the life of someone who made a huge impact on Scotland's political life. It was

00:36a service that I think was very moving for a lot of people inside. There was tributes

00:40from political figures like David Davis, the former Brexit Secretary, Kenny MacAskill,

00:45the Alaba Party politician now but formerly Scotland's Justice Secretary under Alex Salmond's

00:52government. There was a tribute by Duncan Hamilton, who used to be an SNP MSP, and some

00:59quite pointed statements as well about Scottish politics since Alex Salmond stood down as

01:04First Minister. Duncan Hamilton saying that it was a mistake for Alex Salmond to step

01:08down as First Minister, as Alex Salmond said himself as well, which seemed like a pointed

01:13criticism of his predecessors, mostly Nicola Sturgeon. There was also tributes from Alex

01:20Salmond's family, Christina Hendry, his niece, giving a very personal tribute to her uncle

01:25Alex, making the point that he might have been this huge political figure, someone who

01:30as she said was the top man in Scotland, but he always made time for his family as well.

01:35And there was musical tributes as well from the Proclaimers who sang the Nationalist Anthem

01:40Cap in Hand just a few yards really from where Gordon Brown was also sitting there, because

01:45there was a service that was attended by, as I say, political figures from across the

01:50spectrum, but also music from Alistair Fraser in the Fiddle and from Dougie McLean performing

01:56his rendition of Caledonia. As you can see just outside the cathedral here, there's lots

02:02of people that have gathered with saltires, with various kind of political flags to pay

02:07tribute to Alex Salmond. Lots of cheers for the family as they left St Giles Cathedral

02:13and a few boos as well actually, notably for John Swinney, the current First Minister.

02:17But I don't think these people will be going anywhere soon, very much here to mark a life

02:24of someone they hugely admired and respected.