The BBC reports the sad news of the death of former MP, MSP and stalwart Scottish Liberal Democrat Donald Gorrie:
Former Liberal Democrat MP and MSP Donald Gorrie has died aged 79. Mr Gorrie represented central Scotland in the Scottish parliament from 1999 to 2007, and represented Edinburgh West as an MP before devolution. …
His former parliamentary assistant, Hugh O’Donnell, who succeeded him in parliament said: “Donald Gorrie was my mentor, my friend and my guide. “He will be sadly missed by those who respect a politician and a man of independent character and principle”.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP described him as “a highly effective councillor and parliamentarian” and said he “revelled in the battle for fairness, opportunity and justice”. He added: “With a liberal backbone made of steel Donald Gorrie dedicated his life to challenging the establishment. Donald was never afraid to be a lone voice and his boundless energy was evident throughout his 36 years of public service.
“The Liberal Democrats will forever be grateful for the life of Donald Gorrie. We will miss him. Our thoughts are with his wife Astrid and his family.”
Follow @libdemvoice.org on Bluesky
Like us on Facebook
Subscribe to our feed
Sign-up for our daily email digest
Liz Saville Roberts to Give the David Lloyd George Memorial Lecture at Gwyl Cricieth Festival
Labour deputy claims that Farage is a threat to democracy
Knaptoft: The very heart of England
We do have a two-tier policing system but it is not what our homegrown racists think it is.
David Murray
Tony Ferguson
David Garlick
Jason Connor
Alex Macfie
7 Comments
He was a sane voice in a wicked world and he has been missed since his retirement. We need more like him today.
Very, very sad news indeed.
A Liberal Giant who kept the flame alive in Edinburgh during the lean years, Donald never allowed position or desire for high office to dull his independent striving for what was right; he was often a thorn in the side of the Party Establishment for his outspoken views. He was much loved and respected, and will be sadly missed, particularly here in his home town of Edinburgh.
A nice man with the firmest of true liberal principles who indomitably fought election after election before winning his seat fairly late in life — a great example.
Please don’t let anyone forget that for 26 years before he finally won West Edinburgh, he was a highly successful
and much admired councillor in the Corstorphine area of West Edinburgh. He first won Corstorphine in 1971 on the old Edinburgh Corporation and served through the 25 years of two-tier government in the city and into the unitary City of Edinburgh council, most of the time on both the City council and the Lothian Regional council. As Gregan rightly puts it, he kept the flame alive through some very lean years and when he finally ceased to be councillor,on becoming an MP, he left behind a group of 10. He was much respected on the council and in his ward and it was a shame that with all his experience, he was for ever in opposition and never had the opportunity to play a leading role in an administration. But he did live to see his successor in his council seat, Cllr.Jenny Dawe, become
Edinburgh’s first Lib Dem council leader, heading a group of 17 in 2007. He will, indeed, be greatly missed and his
diligence and staying power is an example to all local Lib Dem activists.
When I travelled up to spend a week helping Willie Rennie win the Dunfirmline by-election in 2006, I was very kindly given accomodation by two people I had never met before. Thank you Donald and Astrid Gorrie for your hospitality, your kindness in giving me lifts and a key to your beautiful home. And thank you Donald for giving me a better insight into Scottish polotics in a 30 minute car journey than I’ve ever had before or since.
Mike, good to read your incisive comments. My husband Roger has passed away this morning after a long illness with glioblastoma multifome. We are all very sad, but obviously I am more free to get out and about. So hope to be in touch.L