ALBA'S Gourock by election candidate Chris McEleny has paid a deep personal tribute to Alex Salmond his  'close friend' and 'father figure'.

The country was in shock by the sudden death yesterday of the former First Minister, one of Scotland's most influential politicians of the last 40 years.

Former councillor Chris McEleny, now Alba's General Secretary, has spoken to the Tele about his profound sense of loss as he flies out to Macedonia to help with the repatriation of the politician, who died aged 69.

Alex Salmond had an affinity with Inverclyde having visited many times over the years and was due in Gourock in the coming weeks to support Mr McEleny’s campaign.

Devastated Mr McEleny, who is suspending his campaign for a week, said: "When I was told of the news on Saturday afternoon I was shocked and devastated.

"Right now I am just trying to do what I think Alex would’ve wanted. All of our thoughts are with his wife Moira and his family. 

“For many years Alex Salmond, to many, was the father of the nation.

"To most he was a politician, to those of us that knew and loved him he was the sweetest, funniest, most kind and caring friend who would do anything to help anyone whether his closest friend or a complete stranger.”

Alex Salmond in Greenock in his early years as First MinisterAlex Salmond in Greenock as First Minister in 2011

Mr McEleny, a former SNP council group leader, was one of the first to leave the party to join Alex Salmond, serving as an Alba councillor in Gourock, before losing his seat at the last council election.

He was later joined by his dad Jim McEleny, at that time a Greenock councillor.

In the last three years former First Minister Alex Salmond has come to Inverclyde on a number of occasions but previously he also came to Greenock as SNP leader and then First Minister.

Mr McEleny added: “ I spoke to him just the other day when he was high in spirits looking forward to coming to Gourock to meet local pensioners to support my campaign against the decision to cut the winter fuel payment.

"He loved Inverclyde and would always joke about how I would manage to shoehorn it into every meeting I went to with him regardless of who the meeting was with.“

Stuart McMillan, the SNP MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, said he was ‘truly shocked’ by news of Mr Salmond’s death, and said his ‘thoughts and condolences’ were with Mr Salmond’s widow Moira and his family and friends.

Posting on Facebook, Mr McMillan said: “Alex was the reason many people moved over to the cause of Independence for our nation.

“His belief in the future of Scotland running its own affairs was even more evident when he became First Minister.

“The cause of independence is far stronger because of Alex and his strategic decision-making and by building a team of excellence around him to convince more people.

“The journey continues.”

Inverclyde Council’s leader, Labour councillor Stephen McCabe, described the announcement of Mr Salmond’s death as ‘sad news’ in a post on X, and called Mr Salmond “a political giant of our age”.