First Minister John Swinney has refused to say if he will attend a memorial service for the late Alex Salmond. The SNP leader said he would be happy to attend the event but added that he would “judiciously follow” the wishes of Salmond’s family.
The former First Minister died suddenly of a heart attack this month while attending an event in North Macedonia. His body was flown back to Aberdeen after billionaire Sir Tom Hunter paid to charter a plane.
However, a row has broken out over who will attend Salmond’s funeral as well as a later memorial service. A source said Nicola Sturgeon, who fell out spectacularly with Salmond, would be banned from both events.
Swinney, who was also estranged from his former boss, did not say whether he would attend a memorial event
He told Sky News: “I will do whatever is appropriate as First Minister of Scotland. I will pay the appropriate tributes. I will lead the motion of condolence in the Scottish Parliament. And if it’s appropriate for me to be at a memorial service I will do exactly that.”
He added: “I would be very happy to attend the memorial service.”
Sturgeon and Salmond did not speak for years after her Government investigated claims of sexual harassment against him. The probe was ruled to be unlawful and Salmond had wanted Sturgeon to intervene at an early stage.
Swinney backed Sturgeon during the bitter dispute and is believed to have disapproved of Salmond’s conduct in pursuing the Government.
We asked Swinney in June how he felt about a man he worked with for decades. “Distant,” he replied, after a long pause. Asked how that made him feel, he said: “It doesn’t really put me up or down.”
He was also asked if he would ever campaign again with Salmond. “No,” he said. “Because I feel very distant from who he is.”
Salmond’s funeral, which will be attended by family and close friends, will take place on October 29th.
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