Alex Salmond: Scottish National Party

In 2001, he quit the Scottish Parliament to lead the SNP Group at Westminster and is still holding the position.

The leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) ,Alex Salmond was born on December 31, 1954 in West Lothian. He is presently serving his second term started on 2004, his previous tenure being between 1990 and 2000.

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He actively participated in the SNP joining its student wing when he was a student at the University of Saint Andrews. A hardcore left-winger, his doubt that the Labour Party might neglect the cause of devolved Scottish Assembly, inclined him to join the SNP.

In 2001, he quit the Scottish Parliament to lead the SNP Group at Westminster and is still holding the position. Salmond faced his first hurdle as a leader during the General Election of 1992 when the SNP had big hopes of winning a considerable number of seats. However, the party though managed to escalate its vote, failed to win the expected number of seats. He was one of the worst criticisers of Britian's participation in the Iraq was.

Although he is contesting as a candidate in the 2005 Westminster election, Salmond has made it clear that he would return to the Scottish Parliament at the 2007 elections.