Alex Salmond has been hailed as “the Alex Ferguson of Scottish politics” as senior SNP figures face a backlash over comments made about the former first minister.
James Mitchell, an author on the history of the Nationalists, described the former first minister as “confrontational” but “who got results”.
The Edinburgh University academic said: “He was the Alex Ferguson of Scottish politics – confrontational who got results. He robustly confronted critics (including me over 30 years) but never hesitated to challenge.”
Mitchell added that he far preferred Salmond’s approach to “sleekit underhand tactics” deployed by others.
It comes after Salmond’s widow Moira yesterday made a rare public statement condemning attacks on her late husband’s life and achievements.
She did not mention any SNP politician by name but spoke out after Nicola Sturgeon gave a high-profile interview with the Financial Times on Saturday.
Sturgeon described how her former political mentor “would be really rough on people” and claimed “many times I intervened to stop him”.
John Swinney later agreed with the former SNP leader when asked about her comments. The First Minister said: “I think it’s pretty well documented that Alex could be quite brisk with people and sometimes we all witnessed that. And sometimes we all had to say: ‘Look, that’s not on’. And that’s the way it was.”
When asked if he told him to cut it out, the SNP leaderreplied: “That’s just the way it was.”
In a statement, Moira Salmond said: “My late husband, Alex Salmond, died on October 12, 2024. His memorial service was only six weeks ago.
“I, and the rest of the family, continue to grieve. Life will never be the same for any of us.”
She added: “In recent days, it has therefore caused me and the wider family great distress to read the comments of those who seem determined to damage his reputation even in death.
“It is difficult for us to understand what motivates those interventions, especially when such comments are made in the knowledge that Alex cannot defend himself as he would certainly have done.
“Those attacking him must know that the law does not allow us, his family, to protect his reputation from being defamed now that he is gone.”
Responding to her statement today, former SNP minister Alex Neil said: “Alex was loyal to these people throughout many difficult times, which makes their derogatory comments about him even more intolerable – not to mention utterly cowardly as they know he can no longer answer back.”
Joanna Cherry, a former SNP MP, said: “I hope those who have moved Moira Salmond to put out this statement will now reflect on their behaviour and desist.”
Lloyd Quinan, a former SNP MSP, said: “Professor Mitchell tells it like it was – and it was like that because the politics of independence requires higher standards than those applicable in British party politics.”
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