Report to the People
Tribute to Donald Dewar
Last Wednesday was a sad day in the short life of the Scottish Parliament.
The death of the First Minister, Donald Dewar, has had an effect on everyone. From his constituents in Anniesland, to the Tartan Army who held a minute’s silence before Wednesday night’s game in Croatia, we all feel that we have lost a friend.
Donald’s place in our national life can be seen from the number of stories which have been told about him. There are as many stories about Donald as there are people who met him. Some are myths, but many are true.
I remember a group of children from St. Joseph’s primary school meeting him on a trip to the Parliament. To be honest, I feared that meeting politicians would have them bored rigid and clamouring to be taken back to Dynamic Earth. But when they met Donald, his easy and engaging manner made him an instant hit. Indeed, I remember their teacher telling me that when, a few months later, he was taken into hospital for heart surgery, the pupils were genuinely upset.
This warmth towards Donald was, I think, due to the interest he had in other people. Campaigning with him was a pleasure – but could also be time consuming. During the Kincardine and Deeside by-election it took us nearly a day to canvass a street. Donald was so popular that he was invited through every door he knocked on and not allowed out until he had a cup of tea and a biscuit.
Not that this was a problem to Donald. His appetite was huge. Indeed, he recently took a break from running the country to come into my office and make sure he got a slice of my 50th birthday cake.
He had a tough job. He was in charge of a group of relatively inexperienced politicians who, when things got tough, needed reassurance.
But Donald had experience of being in opposition for 18 long years. And, as he often said, no matter how difficult government is, it is far better than the alternative. The real hard times are when you are in opposition.
Last Friday, the Parliament he worked so hard and for so long to establish, reconvened to pay him its own special tribute. Donald’s vision was of a fair, just and caring Scotland. It is now up to us to make sure that the Scottish Parliament will make this happen.
[ HOME ] [ News ] [ Calendar ] [ Contacts ] [ Links ] [ E-Mail ]
[ Copyright ] [ Open Government ] [ Scottish Parliament ]