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Alex Salmond has been described arsenic an "inspiration", "political genius" and a "giant of a man" astatine a memorial work held for the erstwhile Scottish archetypal curate successful Edinburgh.
Around 500 people, including family, friends and politicians from crossed the spectrum attended a work connected Saturday astatine St Giles' Cathedral to observe his emotion of Scotland and committedness to the origin of independence.
Mr Salmond died suddenly successful North Macedonia successful October astatine the property of 69.
Former premier curate Gordon Brown, Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Scottish Labour person Anas Sarwar were among those attending, but Mr Salmond's successor Nicola Sturgeon was not.
A rift betwixt the brace developed during Ms Sturgeon's word arsenic SNP leader. She alternatively attended the ceremonial of Scottish comedian Janey Godley successful Glasgow connected Saturday morning.
Meanwhile, Mr Swinney was met with boos from immoderate successful the assemblage arsenic helium arrived astatine the work - held connected St Andrew's Day - with astatine slightest 1 idiosyncratic successful the assemblage extracurricular connected the Royal Mile shouting "traitor".
Mr Salmond stood down arsenic SNP person and archetypal curate aft the 2014 referendum successful which Scots voted to enactment portion of the UK. He went connected to pb different pro-independence party, Alba, with Kenny MacAskill.
Mr MacAskill, present the acting Alba leader, told the congregation that Mr Salmond had been a "giant of man", "an inspiration, a governmental genius" and "most of each a antheral who had the origin of independency burned into his bosom and seared successful his soul".
The origin of independency was Mr Salmond's "guiding light, his northbound star", the erstwhile justness caput said, adding that "he came truthful adjacent to achieving it".
'The Dream Shall Never Die'
This was the last section successful Alex Salmond's agelong goodbye.
His supporters lined a agelong of Edinburgh's celebrated Royal Mile with saltire flags flying and posters of the erstwhile First Minister plastered on the railings.
This was a strict invite-only occasion.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown dodged the crowds and swooped successful the broadside doorway of the cathedral. The SNP's John Swinney volition beryllium wishing helium took the aforesaid approach.
Mr Swinney, who was progressive successful the bitter feud with Salmond successful his second years, was booed connected his accomplishment and departure. The crowds yelled "traitor to Scotland".
Swinney, the existent First Minister, kept his caput down and looked stoney-faced successful this humiliating episode.
It was a precise public, eyebrow-raising illustration of the implicit breakdown successful relations and rift successful Scotland's independency movement.
Most notable connected the excluded database from these proceedings was Nicola Sturgeon. The 1 clip closest state of Alex Salmond. She had different ceremonial to be which reduced the awkwardness for each parties involved.
The assemblage chanted "the imagination shall ne'er die" arsenic the congregation filtered retired of the church.
A motion to Mr Salmond's lifelong ngo to present an autarkic Scotland successful this moment, his last farewell.
Other mourners included Mr Salmond's widow Moira arsenic good arsenic Scottish Conservative person Russell Findlay.
Among the philharmonic performances, Scottish duo the Proclaimers were applauded for singing Cap In Hand - a pro-independence opus which features the enactment "I can't recognize wherefore we fto idiosyncratic other regularisation our land, headdress successful hand".
Brothers Craig and Charlie Reid said: "We're going to bash this for Alex, with emotion and respect and eternal gratitude for everything you did for our country."
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Christina Hendry described her Uncle Alex arsenic a "political giant, a beardown leader, a fearless campaigner" but besides remembered him arsenic a "dearly loved husband, member and uncle".
As the work finished the assemblage gathered extracurricular applauded and chanted "Alex, Alex" earlier singing Flower Of Scotland.
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