Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who sought Scotland’s independence, has died at age 69

Alex Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland who for decades championed Scotland’s independence from the U.K., has died. He was 69.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid tribute to Salmond, calling him a “monumental figure” of both Scottish and British politics.

“He leaves behind a lasting legacy,” Starmer said. “As first minister of Scotland, he cared deeply about Scotland’s heritage, history and culture, as well as the communities he represented.”

Salmond served as first minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014, and was leader of the Scottish National Party on two occasions, from 1990 to 2000, and from 2004 to 2014. Salmond, as then leader of the Scottish National Party, led the independence campaign in the referendum in 2014, but lost, gaining 45% of the vote.

Salmond resigned from the SNP in 2018 in the wake of sexual harassment allegations. He subsequently formed a new party called Alba.

Former U.K. Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that Salmond was a “huge figure in our politics.”

“While I disagreed with him on the constitutional question, there was no denying his skill in debate or his passion for politics,” Sunak said on X. “May he rest in peace.”