Scotland's former First Minister Alex Salmond dies age 69

Scotland's former First Minister Alex Salmond has died at the age of 69.

The former MP and MSP, who led the country between 2007 and 2014 during the independence referendum, took ill while in North Macedonia.

Salmond resigned from the SNP in 2008 and later formed the pro-independence Alba Party in 2021.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the news would "come as a shock" to all who knew him in the UK and beyond.

He added: "Alex was a central figure in politics for over three decades and his contribution to the Scottish political landscape cannot be over stated."