From the school playground to the campaign trail, a life lived in front of the camera

Published on Monday 9 May 2011 19:07

FOR six years as Scottish Tory leader, Annabel Goldie was one of the most colourful and likeable characters at Holyrood, famous for her self-deprecating humour and bizarre photo opportunities.

She took over at a time of crisis in October 2005, when the former leader David McLetchie was forced to resign over a scandal involving his taxi receipts and expenses.

Her task was to help rebuild the Tory party from its low base, which it was struggling to do following the wipeout in the 1997 general election. She did this by trying to provide a softer face of Conservatism in Scotland, getting the party to properly embrace devolution. However, at the same time, she maintained a hard line on justice issues and led the way on a major rethink on tackling drugs and social problems.

Her photo opportunities became famous, including one of her leather-clad on a motorbike and at an action park in Leith.

She earned the nickname of "Auntie Annabel" for the way she presented herself as a fond relative gently chiding the perceived failings of her political opponents - most recently when dealing with Alex Salmond in The Scotsman's leaders' debate.

The 2007 Holyrood result was arguably her finest hour, when her prediction of a minority government in a finely balanced parliament came true and her party made enough gains to be able to cut deals with the SNP on business rates, police numbers, town centre regeneration and drugs policy.

Born in Glasgow in 1950, Ms Goldie, who is unmarried, had a career as a lawyer before becoming an MSP in the first Scottish Parliament in 1999.