Who Is Alex Salmond? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Born on December 31, 1954, Alex Salmond is a prominent Scottish politician and the former First Minister of Scotland, serving from 2007 to 2014. With a significant impact on Scotland’s political landscape, Salmond has been involved in various aspects of Scottish governance and independence advocacy. As of 2025, he is 70 years old. His political career began with the Scottish National Party (SNP), which he led for many years, and he remains a key figure in discussions regarding Scotland's future.
| Occupation | Politician |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | December 31, 1954 |
| Age | 69 Years |
| Birth Place | Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Country | Macedonia |
| Date of death | 12 October, 2024 |
| Died Place | Ohrid, North Macedonia |
Popularity
Alex Salmond's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific health metrics such as height and weight for Alex Salmond are not widely publicized, he is often seen in public events maintaining a professional appearance. His stature reflects a man dedicated to his role in politics and public service.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
As for Alex Salmond’s relationship status, he is currently known to be single following his divorce from his wife, Moira Salmond. They were married for several decades and have two children together. Though there have been few updates about his dating life in recent years, discussions around his personal life often capture public interest.
From a young age, Salmond suffered very bad asthma. His parents were loving and caring and although he did not grow up poor, "money was tight" and the importance of education was emphasised in the family. Salmond was a skinny child, often referred to by his father as a "skink", as in Cullen Skink.
Net Worth and Salary
Alex Salmond’s net worth in 2025 is estimated to be around $3 million. This wealth has been accrued through his long-standing political career, public speaking engagements, and various business ventures. Following his tenure as First Minister, Salmond has taken on roles in media and consultancy, which contribute to his income.
Returning to Westminster, Salmond was elected MP for Gordon in the 2015 general election. He was the SNP International Affairs and Europe spokesperson from 2015 to 2017. He left the House of Commons at the 2017 general election after losing his seat to the Scottish Conservative Party candidate Colin Clark.
In August 2018, Salmond resigned from the party to fight allegations of rape and sexual assault, which he denied.
In January 2019, he was charged with 14 offences, including attempted rape and sexual assault, but was awarded compensation of £500,000 by the Scottish Government in August 2019 and later acquitted of all charges after trial in March 2020.
In 2021, he criticised Sturgeon for her government's flawed investigations into these allegations which resulted in a political scandal. Salmond later was announced as the leader of a new pro-independence party, the Alba Party. The party failed to gain any seats in the 2021 national and 2022 local elections.
He led the party until his death in 2024.
Career, Business and Investments
After stepping down as First Minister, Salmond’s career trajectories have included media appearances, where he offers commentary on Scottish politics, and he has also embarked upon writing. Salmond has produced a number of publications, which have added to his financially lucrative career post-politics. Moreover, he has been involved in various business ventures, including investments aimed at leveraging Scotland's natural resources and tourism potential.
Salmond was educated at Linlithgow Primary School, before attending Linlithgow Academy from 1966 to 1972. He studied at Edinburgh College of Commerce from 1972 to 1973, gaining an HNC in Business Studies, and was then accepted by the University of St Andrews, where he studied Economics and Medieval History.
During his time at St Andrews, Salmond lived in Andrew Melville Hall. He was elected as vice-president (education) of the students' representative council in 1977 and was also nominated to join St Andrews Community Council that year. Salmond graduated with a 2:2 Joint Honours MA in Economics and Medieval History in May 1978.
Social Network
In recent years, Alex Salmond has been active on social media platforms, particularly Twitter, where he discusses political matters and engages with his constituency. His social networks serve as an extension of his political influence and a way to connect with supporters.
His first test as leader was the general election in 1992, with the SNP having high hopes of making an electoral breakthrough. Whilst considerably increasing its share of the vote, it failed to win a large number of seats. Sillars lost his, causing him to describe the Scottish people as '90-minute patriots'.
This comment ended the political friendship between Salmond and Sillars, and Sillars would soon become a vocal critic of Salmond's style of leadership.
Education
Alex Salmond attended the University of Edinburgh, where he studied economics and graduated with a degree that laid the foundation for his understanding of political landscapes. His education has greatly influenced his policies and approach toward governance in Scotland.
A graduate of the University of St Andrews, he worked as an economist in the Scottish Office, and later, the Royal Bank of Scotland. He was elected to the British House of Commons in 1987, serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Banff and Buchan from 1987 to 2010. In 1990, he successfully defeated Margaret Ewing in the SNP leadership contest.
Salmond led the party through the first election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999, where the SNP emerged as the second largest party, with Salmond as the Leader of the Opposition. He was elected as the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Banff and Buchan in that year's election.
He resigned as leader in 2000 and stood down as an MSP the following year, when he was appointed leader of the SNP's Westminster group. Salmond was re-elected as leader of the SNP in the 2004 leadership contest, after running on a joint ticket with Nicola Sturgeon.
She led the SNP at Holyrood until Salmond was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2007 for Gordon (later Aberdeenshire East).
The SNP placed first, ahead of the governing Labour Party in the 2007 election by one seat, with Salmond securing a confidence and supply support from the Scottish Greens, resulting in Salmond's appointment as first minister.
