Alex Salmond’s curious relationship with the media

This afternoon, Alex Salmond’s coffin, draped in a saltire, arrived in Scotland from North Macedonia. The chartered flight was paid for by Sir Tom Hunter, a billionaire philanthropist. ‘He deserved the dignity and privacy of a private return to the home of his birth,’ Sir Tom wrote in a brief statement, praising the former first minister for devoting his life to Scotland.

Salmond was, as many have rightly observed, one of the greatest political strategists of modern times. But his ability to think one step ahead of his opponents wasn’t only obvious in the political arena: he was also a master at setting the media agenda. When arriving at a Salmond press conference or gathering around him for a media huddle, there was little doubt who was in charge. Perhaps he would volunteer information that would keep the spotlight where he wanted it, or deliver a memorable turn of phrase that reporters simply couldn’t ignore.