I am so incredibly sad tonight.

I woke up from a nap this afternoon to see the dreadful news that Neil Mackinnon, our first Press Officer in the Scottish Parliament, had died suddenly and unexpectedly.

I know that many of our Scottish readers will share my shock and sadness.

When I first came back to Scotland 24 years ago, Neil was one of the first people I got to know.  He had a really funny dry wit and he was one of the wisest liberals. He was very good at sitting me down and trying to talk me round to the establishment position and sometimes he even managed it.  I’ll never forget the raising of his eyebrow when I did something he disapproved of – and the twinkle in his eye that gave away that he wasn’t really that mad.

He stopped working for the party about 15 years ago and went off to work for the Edinburgh Fringe and then the UK Government in various guises but he was still a supporter and constructively critical friend of the party. He could phone canvass like a demon, too.

There is something going on in my life at the moment that I know he would have liked and I had been meaning to message him to tell him. Lesson for today is when you have the thought to contact someone, just bloody do it there and then.

Alongside Neil in the Scottish Parliament worked a young Alex Cole-Hamilton. He paid tribute to Neil tonight. Here’s the press release in full:

The Scottish Liberal Democrats regret to report that our friend and former colleague Neil Mackinnon has died suddenly and unexpectedly.

Neil worked for the Scottish Liberal Democrats in the press office for the period from before the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 until 2009. After leaving Holyrood he went on to enjoy a career with the Edinburgh Fringe, and then as a project manager first with HMRC and then the UK Government.

Neil was a familiar figure to those working in Scottish politics, especially at Holyrood and will be sorely missed.

He died last week suddenly and unexpectedly. Formal legal processes still need to be undertaken before any further news or announcements can be made.

The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

“Neil was a fierce defender of liberalism and he was our friend. An important voice in the early days of the Scottish Parliament, Neil was liked immensely across the political spectrum and throughout the press pack.

“While his career had taken him in a different direction, he never lost touch with the party and offered me valued support and advice throughout my time as leader. I will miss him very much.”

Scottish journalist Kenny Farquharson, formerly of Scotland on Sunday and the Times, said on Twitter:

Deeply upsetting news that Neil Mackinnon has died. Just the loveliest man: warm, dry, clever, wise and, above all, mischievous. In the early days of devolution his influence went further than the Scottish Lib Dems he worked for. He was a fixture of the political age. Whatever he said in that deep, melodious Hebridean accent was always worth hearing. Just a few says ago he was upbraiding me gently on here about a column I wrote and he was right. Much too young to be lost to his family and many friends. My thoughts are with them tonight.

Scottish Tory MSP Jamie Halcro-Johnston said:

This is very sad news. Neil was always a good person to have a blether with back in the early days of the Parliament. My thoughts are with his family and friends.

Richard Baker, now MP for Glenrothes but once in the Scottish Parliament, said”

This is terribly sad news, Neil will be remembered fondly and greatly missed.

I know that many of you will have memories of Neil. Please feel free to share them in the comments.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings