THE repatriation of Alex Salmond's body was "unacceptable" and governments "better fix" protocols in place so it doesn't happen again, a former Scottish Tory communications boss has said.
Speaking on his political podcast Holyrood Sources, Andy Maciver slated the recent repatriation of Alex Salmond from North Macedonia following his death.
Maciver, who now runs the political consultancy firm Message Matters, said that it was difficult to know if "psychodrama" between Salmond and the SNP affected the Scottish Government's reaction to his death and questioned why there were no protocols in place for the death of a former first minister.
"If I look at it sort of dispassionately, just as a citizen, I was pretty uncomfortable with the whole thing if I'm being honest.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's a nationalist former first minister or a unionist former first minister - I just was uneasy about the juxtaposition of the trouble, and to a degree, the pomp that the North Macedonians went to juxtapose with what happened when he got back here."
Salmond departed North Macedonia after the government gave Salmond a guard of honour, with 16 soldiers attending as his coffin was put on board of a private plane paid by millionaire Sir Tom Hunter.
There had been calls for the UK Government to approach the RAF to return the body, and the Scottish Government among others lobbied ministers on the issue.
The Scottish Government then offered to pay for the return of Salmond, "which the family were grateful for".
However, when Hunter came forward as a private donor, the family "was happy to accept" as it allowed Salmond to be returned home quicker.
He was welcomed home by his family and a cortege led by member of the independence group Yes Bikers.
Maciver suggested the events were "part of a bigger issue" about respect for politicians and called for more.
"We have to have more respect for our leaders. I was very uncomfortable about the lack of effort that our country put in to bringing back the body of our former first minister because he wasn't first minister for everybody," he said.
"He wasn't just first minister for the SNP. Irrespective of what former first minister it was I thought it was unacceptable."
Maciver said that since it was the first time a former first minister had died, "you can give the government machinery a pass on this one"
But added: "But they better fix it because as a Scottish person, I don't ever want to see that happening again, where you have a situation where we don't even know if the guy is able to get home and eventually, we have to rely on a high net worth individual to fly the former first minister home."
Former SNP MSP Alex Neil shared a clip of Maciver's comments, and wrote: "Well said Andy."
