Specialist appointed to handle Alex Salmond’s ‘effective bankruptcy’

The firm charged with managing the estate of former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond has spoken about the “unusual and complex appointment”.

It was confirmed on Friday that Kenny Craig, a chartered accountant and insolvency practitioner at Begbies Traynor, has been named as trustee in sequestration for Ms Salmond’s estate.

A trustee in sequestration is a professional appointed to manage the bankruptcy process in Scotland, with Mr Craig’s appointment coming after an application was made to the Accountant in Bankruptcy insolvency service by Mr Salmond’s widow Moira.

Earlier this month, it emerged Mr Salmond’s estate had been forced to seek the equivalent of bankruptcy over the cost of court action taken during the former first minister’s later life.

Mr Salmond successfully sued the Scottish Government, winning £512,000, after it was found the process in handling harassment complaints against him by civil servants was “tainted with apparent bias”.

He was later acquitted of a raft of sexual misconduct charges at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Begbies Traynor, which describes itself as being the “UK’s leading corporate rescue and recovery practice”, confirmed the winding-up of Mr Salmond’s estate would include considering the value of all assets, including rights of action raised against the Scottish Government.

At the time of his death in October 2024, the former first minister had raised further proceedings seeking damages against the government he once led, with this action still ongoing.

Thomas McKay, managing partner for Begbies Traynor in Scotland, said: “This is an unusual and complex appointment, particularly because it involves ongoing legal proceedings by a high-profile individual against the Scottish Government.

“Kenny Craig, supported by our personal insolvency team at Begbies Traynor Group, will of course do all that he can to manage the sequestration as respectfully and sensitively as possible.”

Mr Salmond died after suffering a heart attack while attending an event in North Macedonia in October 2024.