PM leads tributes as 'true servant of the people' MacDougall laid to rest

Published on Monday 18 August 2008 21:40

GORDON Brown has led tributes to John MacDougall, the popular Glenrothes MP, who was laid to rest yesterday after a funeral attended by family, friends and leading Scots politicians.

The Prime Minister gave a eulogy at the funeral of his friend and colleague at the Erskine Church in Burntisland, Fife.

Mr MacDougall, a former boilermaker, council leader and MP, died aged 60 last week after a two- year battle with the asbestos- related cancer, mesothelioma.

His death represents both a personal tragedy for Mr Brown and a political threat, as the SNP is heavily tipped to overturn Labour's 10,664 majority.

In a statement, the Prime Minister said he had lost a "good personal friend" who was a "true servant of the people".

He said: "John MacDougall gave more than 30 years of distinguished public service to Fife – as a councillor, leader of the Fife council, convener of Fife council and then member of parliament for Central Fife and he will be remembered as a true servant of the people. A very popular, diligent local member of parliament, he served Fife with great distinction."

Mr MacDougall had pioneered free travel for the elderly in Fife, led the drive for nursery education for three and four-year-olds in Scotland and pressed for new jobs to replace those lost from mining and at the Rosyth naval base.

Other Cabinet ministers were among the hundreds of mourners at the service, including Des Browne, the Defence and Scottish Secretary, and Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary.

Among the Labour MPs in attendance were Frank Roy, Gavin Strang, Tom Clarke, Jim Devine, Anne Moffat, Jim McGovern, and Nick Brown.

Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader and fellow Fife MP, was at the funeral, as was Angus Robertson, the SNP's leader at Westminster. Labour MSPs John Park, Claire Baker and Helen Eadie and Tricia Marwick of the SNP were also at the private ceremony. Former first ministers, Henry McLeish, who held the seat before Mr MacDougall and whose name has been mentioned as a possible contender to stand again, and Jack McConnell, were also present.

After the service, Mr McConnell said: "His son and daughter spoke lovingly about their father and the influence he had had on them and the role that he played in their lives and how much they would miss him. At the same time his public life was reflected in the other contributions that spoke of his passion for this community and the fighter that he had been for Burntisland and Fife."

The funeral was led by John Allan, a retired minister and family friend while Scott Brady, a close family friend who worked in Mr MacDougall's constituency office, gave a eulogy.

The funeral cortege made its way through the rain-soaked streets, lined by dozens of members of the public, to the nearby cemetery where Mr MacDougall was laid to rest. The hearse was decorated with flowers that simply read "John".

Mr MacDougall is survived by wife Cathy, their two children, Scott and Julie, and his mother Barbara.

This week both Labour and the SNP are expected to make their intentions clearer about candidates and timings for the resulting by-election.

The SNP is expected to confirm Fife council leader Peter Grant as its candidate, while there is still some confusion in Labour ranks about who will fight the seat for the incumbent party.

The SNP snatched the corresponding Holyrood seat from Labour in last year's Scottish elections, as well as the council.