Alex Samond supporters gather to pay their respects

The Scotsman

Alex Samond supporters gather to pay their respects as his body was flown back to Scotland

Transcript

00:00Can I just ask each of you your names please and where you're from?

00:04My name's Laura Marshall. Most of you know me as the 500 mile walker in the Yes movement.

00:12We've had quite a scene here, there's been quite a gathering of folk with the motorbikes and the cars.

00:19Is that something that was arranged earlier on?

00:22It was impromptuly arranged yesterday and the day before when Alex Salmond's family and friends,

00:30especially his wife Moira, said because of his stature as more than just a husband, a brother, a family man,

00:39he was beloved of the wee folk, the small folk of Scotland.

00:44And from that moment people organised the way we always have done across the Yes movement.

00:51The Yes bikers just organised, they come from all over with the people today.

00:56We've seen them from Dundee, from Glasgow, from all over.

01:01And probably all the way up through the Broch, the Broch being Fraserburgh for the people that don't know it,

01:09in the country, there'll be people lining the streets.

01:13Oh, there'll be people up there, do you think, ready for them?

01:16Absolutely.

01:17I better get up there.

01:18All the way, all the way up probably.

01:20The ladies here will tell you where they're from.

01:23Can I ask you your name and where you're from please?

01:25Yes, my name's Joy Johnston, I'm from Curidon, which is down in the Mairns.

01:28I know it, I'm from Inverberby.

01:32I'm Heather Coole, I'm from Inverberby.

01:34You're from Inverberby, that's amazing!

01:35And we're sisters.

01:36Ah, okay, that's lovely.

01:37So what's drawn you up here today, why was it so important for you to be here?

01:41We just wanted to mark the occasion and pay our respects to Alec and his family

01:45because he's had a great influence on life in Scotland

01:48and politics in Scotland over his career and his lifetime

01:52and it just felt fitting to come and say goodbye when we could.

01:55And do you feel the same?

01:56Absolutely, yes.

01:57And never have an opportunity again to show our appreciation.

02:02And, I mean, the news came as a huge shock to everyone,

02:06but as really loyal supporters of Alec Salmond,

02:09how did it sit with you, that news of last Saturday?

02:13It was a big shock.

02:14Yeah, it was a big surprise.

02:15Were you on the phone to each other straight away?

02:17Well, messages.

02:18Uh-huh, yeah.

02:19It would have been a big moment, I guess, for you two.

02:23And what was it about Alec Salmond, would you say,

02:25that made him such a powerful figure

02:28and someone who really inspired this kind of loyalty and support amongst a group of people?

02:35He worked on the basis that all politics is local and was a friend of all people

02:40and very, very open and always had a listening ear

02:45and a willingness to help anyone that needed it.

02:49Do you feel the same?

02:50Yeah, and just his firm belief in that Scotland could be a better nation

02:54were it to be independent.

02:56Thank you very much for your time.

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