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Alex Salmond

Alex_Salmond_SNP.jpg

Alex Salmond is the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP). He is currently serving his second term as leader (as of 3rd September 2004), taking over from John Swinney. He had previously been leader between 1990 and 2000.

Salmond became active in the SNP when he joined its student wing whilst a student at the University of Saint Andrews. A naturally inclined left-winger at the time he claims he joined as he had considerable doubts as to whether or not the Labour Party would deliver a devolved Scottish Assembly.

He started life as a committed left-winger inside the SNP and was a leading member of the socialist republican faction inside the SNP, the 79 Group. He was along with other 79 Group leaders expelled from the SNP when they became a proscribed organisation within the party.

Salmond successfully appealed this expulsion and in 1987 he was elected MP for Banff and Buchan. He was at this time still viewed as being firmly on the left of the party and had become a key ally of Jim Sillars, who joined him in the British House of Commons when he won a by-election for the seat of Glasgow Govan in 1988.

When Gordon Wilson stood down as SNP leader in 1990, Salmond decided to contest the leadership. His only opponent was Margaret Ewing, who Sillars decided to support. This caused considerable consternation amongst the SNP left as the two main left leaders were on opposing sides. It was also around this time that Salmond and Sillars drifted apart. However, Salmond won the leadership election.

His first test as leader was the 1992 General Election, with the SNP having high hopes of making a real electoral breakthrough. However the party, whilst considerably increasing its vote failed to win a great number of seats, with Sillars losing his, causing him to famously describe the Scottish people as '90 minute patriots'. This comment caused the political friendship between Salmond and Sillars to become terminated, and Sillars became a vocal critic of Salmond's style of leadership.

The SNP managed to increase its number of MPs from four to six in the 1997 General Election, which saw the return of the first Labour Government in the United Kingdom for 18 years. This also brought prospects of a devolved Scottish Assembly closer.

Salmond signed the SNP up to supporting the campaign for devolution and along with Scottish Labour leader Donald Dewar he played an active part in securing the victory for devolution in the 1997 Referendum. However, many hard line fundamentalists in the SNP objected to committing the party to campaigning for devolution, something they felt was way short of Scottish independence.

Salmond was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 and was one of its highest profile members. He stood down as SNP leader in 2000 and was replaced by his chosen successor John Swinney, who defeated Alex Neil for the post.

His leadership was characterised by a moderation of his earlier left-wing views and by him firmly placing the SNP into a gradualist strategy.

In 2001 he quit the Scottish Parliament to lead the SNP Group at Westminster, a role he still occupies.

In a surprise announcement on July 15 2004, Alex Salmond announced that he would be a candidate in the forthcoming election for the leadership of the SNP (which arose because of John Swinney's resignation from the leadership three weeks previously). Salmond had previously said that he definitely would not be a candidate in that election. In the postal ballot of all members he received over 75% of the votes cast.


Preceded by:
Gordon Wilson
Leader of the Scottish National Party (1st term)
1990-2000
Followed by:
John Swinney
Preceded by:
John Swinney
Leader of the Scottish National Party (2nd term)
2004-
Followed by:
Current incumbent


Last updated: 02-08-2005 00:26:15
Last updated: 02-09-2005 15:28:51