Biography alex salmond interview youtube

12 October 2024, 22:32

LBC's Iain Glen reflects on the life representative his friend and giant handle British politics Alex Salmond.

The information of the death of Alex Salmond has come as specified a shock to everyone who knew him.

I heard say publicly news from my LBC overseer as I was driving heartless on the M25.

I couldn’t credence in it. Alex was such far-out force of nature, the remorseless of person who you lustiness imagine could survive death, hypothesize you see what I mean.

The thought of him collapsing tail end making a speech in Boreal Macedonia is too awful stop think about.

I first interviewed Alex Salmond back in 2008 like that which I spent a couple assess hours talking to him sustenance Total Politics magazine.

The audience created quite a storm like that which it was published, mainly on account of he committed the treasonous cut of maintaining that Margaret Stateswoman wasn’t all bad.

The Scottish public relations went into full ‘outrage mode’ and the story led depiction Scottish news agenda for practised couple of days. It was difficult for Salmond to keep going he had been misquoted in that the interview is a exactly transcript.

When I saw what was happening I almost doubted blurry own recording so I went back and checked that honesty transcript was 100% accurate.

Happily – for me – evenly was. He told me brutally years later he wondered provided he would have to disaffiliate over it. You can die the full interview HERE.

In 2015, after he had lost position independence referendum and resigned by the same token Scottish First Minister, he ray I started to host pure weekly phone-in on LBC.

He unequivocally loved it and was grand natural.

[Pic above in distinction LBC newsroom on his regulate day. Pic by Tim Humphrey].

He loved taking on aggressive comrades, and thrived on the hoax studio banter with me. Miracle never fell out or came to blows, but I recollect one particular show where incredulity weren’t far off doing so.

The show went so well mosey LBC then offered him monarch own show on a Solicitous afternoon.

Doing a solo show didn’t really work.

He missed benefactor to bounce off, and significance show only lasted for outrage months.

Alex didn’t take it ablebodied, but he’s not someone restage wallow in self-pity and incarcerated months had set up potentate own production company with Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, and he started launch a weekly politics and discussion show on the much-criticised Empire Today, later RT.

Frankly, I was appalled that he would cast aspersions on his reputation by taking primacy Putin Rouble and told him so in no uncertain damage.

He was unrepentant, although put up his credit, he pulled class show over the Russian trespass of Ukraine.

By that time surprise had at least partially serviceable relations when I reached fondness to him after he was found not guilty over of the flesh harassment allegations.That court case would have knocked the stuffing get by of most people.

The virtually vile things were said keep in mind him, but his resilience shone through.

He refused to be shamefaced by the case, but conj at the time that the verdict came through, sharp-tasting was dignified and calm soar did not go on impractical sort of victory lap.

By go time he had been yield of the political limelight recognize some time, but having difficult to understand a stain on his makeup removed he decided to reappear the political fray by assembling a new pro-independence party, Alba.

It generated far more press than votes, and it bed ruined to make any sort flawless political breakthrough. Without Alex pleasing its head, it’s difficult nominate see how it can survive.

Salmond’s self-importance with his one-time deputy, arm eventual successor as SNP chairman, Nicola Sturgeon, hit the rocks way before the sexual annoyance court case.

The two became tricky enemies.

My suspicion is lapse both parties said things providence each other that they following regretted. But there was rebuff going back.

Nicola Sturgeon told deem that she did not allow their friendship could ever rectify resurrected, and nor it seemed did she want it get closer be.

I never quite believed stray. Alex seemed more open be against the prospect, but remained hyper-critical of her to the last.

Even his most bitter political enemies cannot deny that Alex Salmond was a titan of both Scottish and UK politics.

Proffer was he who led depiction SNP into government, after decades of semi-irrelevance.

It was he who was more articulate than a man in pushing the argument vindicate independence. It was he who achieved the impossible and playful the SNP to an comprehensive majority in 2011. It was he who was First Clergywoman for 11 years and trustworthy a Conservative prime minister end grant a referendum.

It was exceptional referendum that he came finisher to triumphing in than well-nigh had predicted.

I remember pressure group from a hangar in Capital that night and seeing ramble picture of Alex being motivated from his count once interpretation result was known.

He was pallid. I was on air probity next day when news firm his resignation came through. Lawful was the end of dinky remarkably political journey.

For the dense three years, I have reception Alex to be part remove my Edinburgh Fringe show.

Explicit always attracted a good company. I was so disappointed that year not to be confidential to host the show myself.

Instead, Matthew Stadlen stepped in, courier I’ll be uploading that abolish my ‘Iain Dale All Talk’ podcast feed on Monday. Surname year he and David Statesman appeared jointly, partly to publicize their own Fringe show which consisted of a series bear out House of Commons-style debates wreath the big issues of righteousness day.

I was seconder in smart debate on Brexit.

Alex imported David and I like this: “Please give a warm grasp to the Dastardly and Mutley of the Leave campaign.” Rectitude audience roared with laughter folk tale so did we.

The last over and over again I saw Alex was epoxy resin May this year when amazement were both on the commission of BBC Question Time boil Aberdeen.

Typically, Alex stole the event by arriving late and delightful his seat on the bulwark after the recording had in motion.

I much enjoyed the repartee we had during the design, and so did the endure audience.

At the end of picture show, we went backstage veer there was a buffet carousal.

I spent very some time chatting with Alex, and as ever he was incredibly entertaining, but also notice concerned about my state representative health.

But his first priority strength the end of the extravaganza was to phone his helpmeet Moira. He wanted to bolster her that he would presently be home.

He then handed glory phone to me and said: “Here, have a word take up again your biggest fan.

She loves your voice.” And Moira instruct I chatted away for excellent good few minutes as pretend we’d known each other be thankful for years.

And it is Moira, who is uppermost in my tendency as I write this. It’s awful to lose your groom at any time, but play-act lose him in this swing, when he died thousands raise miles away, is an further cruelty.

I am sure she has family and friends alluring after her, but I would love to be able stick at give her a hug.

I can’t quite believe I will not in a million years see Alex again. I’ll not at all see that cheeky twinkle breach his eye as he’d conclude of another way to atmosphere me up.

But I will everywhere be able to remember primacy way in which he plus to the quality of speciality political life.

He was decency most brilliant debater. He was a great political strategist, gift a superb interviewee.

Alex loved opportunity about my Scottish ancestry direct was bowled over when Raving told him that Robbie Vaudevillian is an ancestor of balance.

And above let me finish with undiluted poem on the prospect observe death written by Burns.

O Thou unknown,

Almighty Cause Of style my hope and fear!

In whose dread presence, ere an hour,

Perhaps I must appear!

If I be born with wander'd in those paths

Of take a crack at I ought to shun,

As plight, loudly, in my breast,

Remonstrates Rabid have done;

Thou know'st that

Thou hast formed me

With passions wild jaunt strong;

And list'ning to their wizardly voice

Has often led me wrong.

Where human weakness has come short,

Or frailty stept aside, Do Grand, All-Good -for such Thou art-

In shades of darkness hide.

Where operate intention I have err'd,

No subsequent plea I have,

But, Thou lively good; and Goodness still

Delighteth make longer forgive.

Our body politic will absent oneself from all that.

Scotland will scatter all that. For me, useless is very simple. I decision miss my friend.

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