Very sad news from Scotland, as Caron reports:

I was very sad to hear last week of the death of Vicki Harris, former Lib Dem candidate in Aberdeen South. I had worked closely with her since moving back to Scotland in 2000 and particularly in the run up to the 2005 election where she so nearly unseated Anne Begg. She worked hard, campaigning ceaselessly for local people. I admired the fact that she let nothing faze her, and just got on with the job, bringing new people in to extend the delivery network and take on roles within her campaign.

My heart goes out to her husband, Mark, whom she married just one week before she passed away. He was her agent during the 2005 election and was such a calm, patient and wise support to her.

The Press and Journal writes:

Tributes have been paid to Vicki Harris by her heartbroken husband, Mark Law, who she married just days before her death.

Former Scottish Lib Dems leader Nicol Stephen described her as a tireless campaigner who will be sadly missed by everyone.

Ms Harris passed away in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary last week. She had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma – skin cancer.

Born and raised in Ealing, London, Ms Harris was the daughter of a university lecturer and a town planner.

During her early career she worked for international development charities in London and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations in Edinburgh.

In 1999 Ms Harris moved to Aberdeen and played a key role in winning the Aberdeen South seat for the Lib Dems in the first Scottish Parliament elections. From 1999 to 2002 she ran Mr Stephen’s constituency office in the city.

She fought the 2005 Westminster election as the Liberal Democrats’ parliamentary candidate for Aberdeen South, and nearly won, reducing Labour’s majority to 1,348.

Last night Mr Law, who Ms Harris married while in ARI, said: “Vicki was committed to ensuring local people had their voices heard on the issues they care about; this passion shone through her professional life – from a visit to South Africa during the historic elections of 1994 to her most recent campaigns in Aberdeen South.”