The complexities of Alex Salmond in public and in private

Thousands of words have been written about Alex Salmond's political talents, yet far less is known about his life away from the spotlight.

Those who knew him well talk about a man who relied on the support of his wife of more than 40 years.

A man who sought refuge at their Aberdeenshire home. And a man whose gregarious nature could at times give way to a quieter side.

"The truth is that Moira was an absolute mainstay for Alex," says Roseanna Cunningham.

The former SNP MSP first met Salmond in the late 70s, going on to rival him for the party leadership and serve in his government.

"The reality of that marriage was his need for Moira to be there," she adds.

"Moira was absolutely central to Alex’s life.

"She doesn’t seek the limelight herself. I think what she made... was a place for Alex, for him to go back to being Alex, and not the first minister, not the leader of a country... but Alex.

"And Moira will know Alex better than anybody else, except those in his family know him.

"Only they will know just Alex. And they’re the ones who’ll be grieving most."

Artist Gerard Burns painted the former first minister's portrait 10 years ago, and spent time with both him and Moira.

"I was able to witness him switch from being first minister to be a man, a guy called Alex Salmond," he says.

"People might be surprised to hear this , but Alex was actually quite a quiet individual, and certainly seeing him with Moira, you got a much softer view of the man".

Both were speaking to us as part of a BBC documentary exploring Salmond's life and political career.

Over the past couple of weeks, we've conducted in depth interviews with more than a dozen people - those who wrote about him, worked for him, campaigned with and against him.

The film has been made at pace; usually an hour-long programme like this one would take months to put together. But the contributions from those took part are thoughtful, and at times, charged with emotion.

Some were interviewed just days after Salmond's sudden death in North Macedonia.

A tearful Gerard Burns, says "Alex is a pal", before correcting himself: "Alex was a pal".

While few saw a more private side of Salmond, most remember him for his political achievements.

Of course, a documentary of this kind means plundering the archives for footage of the key moments from his lengthy career.

Coverage of the day he became first minister at Holyrood reveals the pride he took in his father being there to witness the moment.

As his dad sits arms folded in the public gallery, the new FM tells MSPs, "My father's never seen me in a parliamentary chamber before. Probably because he refused to set foot in the Palace of Westminster".

It's a moment that gives a glimpse into his close relationship with his family, and hints towards the origins of his political thinking.

Even his political rivals, the former Chancellor George Osborne and former Labour First Minister Lord Jack McConnell, admired his remarkable skills in the Westminster and Holyrood arenas.

Lord McConnell says the modern campaigning style developed under Salmond's leadership clearly had an impact in 2007 and 2011.

But some questioned whether his ability to read the political weather extended to a sense of self-awareness, especially in more recent years.

Journalist Kenny Farquharson says he had "an ability to shape politics to his own ends", through "force of personality" or by simply being "better at politics" than his opponents.

What many of those who contributed to the documentary agree on was his love of talking to people, his love of debate.

His Alba colleague and friend, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh told us: "He was interested in people. He wanted to know about people; what issues they were facing in their daily lives".

Roseanna Cunningham describes campaigning with Salmond as an "astonishing experience", as he hung out "over people's garden gates forever and a day".

That, they say, was a big part of his electoral success.

Some of those we spoke to were grappling with how to reconcile that success with events of recent years.

Salmond was acquitted of sexual offences charges after going to trial in 2020.

When news broke that he had been charged, former SNP MSP Eilidh Whiteford, who had worked for him, says she was “confused because I found it very hard to reconcile that with the the person I’d known for a long time and worked with, and thought I knew”.

Guardian journalist Libby Brooks, who covered the trial, says that during evidence, “a pattern of behaviour emerged that most people would question in terms of appropriateness”.

Independence supporter and actor Elaine C Smith campaigned alongside him in 2014 and considered him and his wife Moira as friends.

"Am I upset, appalled that what came out in the court case was inappropriate behaviour when you're in a position of power?" she says.

"From a feminist point of view, that's unforgivable, of course it is.

“Did I ever think he was guilty of gross criminal intent or conduct? I suppose I would’ve agreed with the jury in that.”

She adds: "We're a sadder country without him. It's just very sad...the tragedy of the last few years, and ending this way."

First Minister John Swinney, who served in Salmond's government, tells us: "Obviously the events of recent years have been really difficult, and they’ve been really painful for lots and lots of people.

"I think what I reflect is that I’ve experienced some really, really significant moments in my life, at the side of Alex Salmond.

"I can’t uninvent those moments; those moments are seminal moments in my life.

"But I have to understand and appreciate the fact that in recent years things have been much more difficult."

He adds "lives are complex" and "there are often contradictions in people".

His close friends and political colleagues say he should be remembered for his monumental political career.

Kenny MacAskill, the former SNP justice secretary and Alba colleague, had a long and loyal friendship with Salmond.

“Nobody has ever suggested that Alex was a saint, but he was certainly not a huge sinner who deserved to be stoned," he says.

"The real legacy is that independence was taken from what was a side issue that was seen as something only for romantic dreamers...to something that is possible, that is in fact something desirable.

"The legacy is that independence is here on the agenda, and it is the duty of those of us staying, following on from Alex to deliver his dream."

Alex Salmond The Man Who Changed Scotland is on BBC One Scotland at 19:00 on Wednesday 30 October and on iPlayer.