Posted on by Martyn Day
A Personal Reflection and Tribute
I was shocked and saddened at Alex’s sudden death; a political giant has left the stage.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family, particularly his wife Moira at this difficult time.
It is hard to believe that Alex has gone. He was a constant presence throughout my political life, ever championing Scotland’s cause.
I didn’t know who he was when I first met him as a child during the 1979 referendum when he gave me a Yes sticker, or that his influence would direct most of my adult life fighting for that very cause.
Campaigning with Alex over the years has left me with a host of memories, mostly good ones. When he was one of three SNP MPs and Party leader in the early 90s, I recall him picking me up to go to an SNP public meeting he was speaking at in Whitburn, after which my journey home involved a detour to join Willie Hardie and help leaflet Dalmeny Railway Station before being eventually dropped off in Linlithgow with another stack of leaflets.
Or there was the time he came on polling day to help get Tam Smith elected at the Council by-election in 1997. In addition to his reverse gear having packed in, I can recall him persuading folks in their pyjamas to turn out and vote.
I have so many other great memories, from a week spent campaigning in his Banff and Buchan constituency, to the 2014 referendum campaign during which he conducted the last TV interview in my living room overlooking the house he was born in, and to his regular eve of poll visits to Linlithgow including the time he came to support me in 2015.
I was then privileged to work alongside him during his last parliamentary term in 2015-17, and I think it’s fair to say that many of us newly elected parliamentarians would have been lost without his knowledge and encouragement. Although I also incurred his wrath when I addressed a human rights rally against the Iranian regime, which had co-incided with his visit to Iran while he was our Foreign Affairs Spokesperson.
He was an incredible operator in Parliament and never lost sight of the prize, often using his knowledge of procedures to run rings around opponents. Sadly his legacy is unfinished, he almost took the independence movement to victory. I hope that we can come together to deliver independence.
I had just returned to full duties after emergency surgery when we last spoke in March or April last year late one night in London, he very kindly asked after my health and my family. Now my thoughts are with his.
Alex’s influence extended far beyond personal relationships to shape an entire period in Scottish political history. Thanks to him we have normalised the concept of independence and inspired a generation. What comes next is of course up to us all, as Alex said in 2014 “The dream shall never die.”
It is really hard to believe that he is gone.
Aye Matters 