Mr Salmond’s body will return to the north east of Scotland, close to his home in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, and the seats he represented at both Westminster and Holyrood, this afternoon. Plans are being put in place for a private family funeral along with a more public memorial service.

Alex Salmond’s coffin was draped in a Saltire ahead of the plane bringing him home to Scotland taking off. Mr Salmond died on Saturday from a heart attack while speaking at a conference in the city of Ohrid in North Macedonia.

He led the Scottish National Party twice, guiding it from a fringe political group into a powerful electoral force in Britain.