Alex Salmond 10 memorable moments

Everyone has an opinion on him. But what’s his opinion? We asked Mr Salmond to reveal the 10 most memorable moments of his time as Scotland’s First Minister.

Alex Salmond is Scotland’s FM . . . MM that’s Famously Most Marmite Man.

You either love his vision of Scotland or are firmly opposed to it. You want independence or you don’t. You either like him or loathe him. No one, however, could fail to respect his effectiveness as a politician. He energised the referendum debate. All of the UK, indeed all of the world, paid attention to what he was saying. In the months leading up to September 18, Scottish people spoke about little else.

While he says it’s been a privilege to serve Scotland, the defeat in his quest for independence influenced Alex’s decision to step down. The man who rose from brash political outsider to a seven-year term leading his country has handed over to Nicola Sturgeon. But Alex is keen to stress he’s not retiring from politics. He will continue as MSP for Aberdeenshire East at Holyrood and is considering a return to Westminster.

1. Free education is one of the hallmarks of Scottish life. I was proud to be the First Minister that led the abolition of the Graduate Endowment Fund Bill tuition fees in the Scottish Parliament. It was a truly historic moment, simply because it was the right thing to do. Free education is a core part of Scotland’s educational tradition and the values that underpin our education system. One of the major achievements of devolved government in Scotland has been to restore this.

2. There have been many memorable moments from 2014, the year when the world looked to Scotland, our moment to shine. One of the proudest for me was attending the Glasgow Commonwealth Games opening ceremony at Celtic Park.

I knew of all of the hard work, dedication and effort everyone had put in to get to that stage and it was a spectacular show. The world’s eyes were on Glasgow and Glasgow did us proud. Sitting in the stadium that night, I knew the Games were going to be the best ever and Team Scotland would have their biggest medal haul and provide us with lasting memories that would capture our hearts and inspire a generation.

3. Everyone knows how much I love golf, so not only was it a privilege but an honour to present Paul McGinley with the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles this year. Scotland is the home of golf and the impeccable delivery of Ryder Cup 2014 proved it is also the future. I am in no doubt that a golden age for Scottish golf is set to follow the success of the 2014 Ryder Cup. Now that I am no longer First Minister, hopefully I’ll be able to get my own handicap down!

4. Welcoming huge numbers of visitors to Scotland in successive Years of Homecoming was a huge honour. Tens of millions of Scots and those of Scottish heritage from all over the world feel an affinity and love for our country.

We have so much to offer that it was only right to throw open our doors and welcome all of those people home. Our incredible influence on the world has encouraged invention, inspired creativity and fired the imagination of generations and has given us a global stage from which to promote our most celebrated assets.

Scotland’s tourism sector has profited greatly from our industries coming together and grasping this chance to showcase what they do and do so well.

5. I became involved in politics at a young age and I know young people have the greatest stake in this country. So I was delighted the Scottish Parliament was the first in these islands to recognise their voice by giving them the right to vote in the referendum. The passing of the legislation that extended the franchise was a crucial step towards empowering future generations of Scots.

Scotland’s young people are a golden generation who are engaged in the political and democratic discourse of our country’s future and I am sure they will continue to be involved and hold us politicians to account. It was an absolute pleasure to vote alongside so many 16 and 17-year-olds in my constituency on referendum day.

6. One of the joys of being First Minister has been the honour of promoting Scotland around the world. I’ve flown the flag for Scotland in China, at Scotland Week in the USA, India, the Middle East and all over Europe.

It was remarkable to hear the reputation Scotland has everywhere I went. In just about every country, people had stories to tell of how they wanted to come to Scotland, to experience the history and hospitality. We sometimes don’t realise how well regarded and loved Scotland is in virtually every corner of the globe. Many items I’ve been given on visits will be auctioned for charity next month.

7. Scotland is full of inspirational, caring and compassionate people who give so much of their time to help those less fortunate. There are countless people I have met who give their time, energy and commitment to making just the smallest of difference to the lives of others. But, in particular, speaking to a large number of inspirational youngsters, such as Yorkhill Hospital fund-raiser Jenny Cook, who are doing such great work for charities across Scotland, has been humbling.

Having the chance to meet them, hear their stories and learn about what motivates them to act in such a selfless, caring and compassionate ways has been wonderful.

8. Representing Scotland at the 70th anniversary of the Normandy Landings and meeting Scottish veterans was a humbling experience. It was a particularly emotional and poignant time for me. To stand alongside the bravest of men to whom we owe an incredible debt and join them in recognising the sacrifices of their friends, family and comrades was incredibly moving. We owe them an enormous amount for preserving the democratic freedoms we enjoy today and it was an honour to meet with, and thank, some of the brave servicemen whose courage and selflessness allow us to live the life we have today.

9. The launch of the White Paper and the real start of the referendum campaign. That was the day we moved from being on the back-foot to the front-foot. The White Paper was the culmination of months of work and, from then on, we were able to go on the attack with a blueprint of how an independent Scotland would look and offer answers to just about every question the opposition could ask about Scottish independence. On the day of the launch, Scotland was the focus of the world’s media, something which continued for the duration of the campaign.

10. Finally, handing over to Nicola Sturgeon, who will be an outstanding First Minister. I won’t miss the hours of preparation required for First Minister’s Questions each week and hopefully the free time will enable me to spend more evenings at home and perhaps fit in the odd Sunday on the golf course.