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Alex Salmond to deliver resignation statement Alex Salmond says being first minister of Scotland was a 'privilege'
(about 1 hour later)
Alex Salmond will address parliament for the last time as first minister before standing down from the job. Alex Salmond has said he would "miss" being first minister, ahead of making his resignation address to parliament.
Opposition leaders will also have a chance to bid farewell to Mr Salmond, ahead of Nicola Sturgeon's expected appointment to the post. He added that doing the job for seven-and-a-half years was the "privilege of my life". Ms Sturgeon is expected to be elected to the role.
Ms Sturgeon took over the SNP leadership from her former boss during the party's conference at the weekend. She took over the SNP leadership from her former boss during the party's conference at the weekend.
Mr Salmond is staying on as an MSP but he is also considering standing for Westminster in the May 2015 election. Before his statement to MSPs, Mr Salmond joked that he was looking forward to getting better at golf.
He decided to quit as first minister and SNP leader in the wake of the "No" vote in September's Scottish independence referendum. Mr Salmond, who decided to quit as first minister and SNP leader in the wake of the "No" vote in September's Scottish independence referendum is staying on as an MSP.
Ms Sturgeon is expected to be voted in as first minister by parliament on Wednesday. Ahead of his appearance in parliament, he said: "I love being first minister. It's been the privilege of my life to to this - I'll miss it dreadfully."
Mr Salmond is Scotland's longest-serving first minister, having had the job since the SNP came to power in 2007. Asked what he would do next, Mr Salmond - who is considering standing for Westminster in the May 2015 election - joked: "There's some things I do reasonably well. I'm usually reasonable at hoovering.
"I'm a pretty good shopper I think, although I buy too many of these three-for-two things - I'm a sucker for bargains."
He added: "I want to do something about my golf game - I used to be good and now I'm kind of bad and my ambition is to get back to mediocre."
Mr Salmond was speaking as he unveiled a monument at Edinburgh's Heriot Watt University, bearing one of his famous quotes.
The commemorative stone is inscribed with the Robert Burns inspired phrase: "The rocks will melt with the sun before I allow tuition fees to be imposed on Scottish students," a comment made by Mr Salmond in 2011 while outlining his government's higher education policy.
A Rebel's JourneyA Rebel's Journey
The first minister's final address to the parliament can be watched in full, live or on demand, from around 2.20pm at BBC Scotland's Democracy Live website.