Farewell to MP who rewrote the rules of democracy

LABOUR leader Ed Miliband led tributes to former Scotland Office minister David Cairns at his funeral yesterday.

He joined Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray among the mourners, along with former chancellor Alistair Darling, former home secretary John Reid, ex-Scottish secretary Jim Murphy and shadow Scottish secretary Ann McKechin.

Many of Scotland's Labour MPs also attended, together with John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, and Scotland Secretary Michael Moore, a Liberal Democrat MP.

The Scottish Government was represented by the parliamentary business secretary, Bruce Crawford.

Mr Cairns, the Labour MP for Inverclyde, died last week aged 44 after becoming ill with acute pancreatitis. He had resigned from the Labour government in September 2008 in the fall-out over Gordon Brown's leadership. He leaves behind his partner Dermot, father John and brother Billy.

Speaking at the service at St Patrick's Church, in Greenock, Mr Miliband said: "I think we can see from the great turnout from people here in Greenock, and people from across the political spectrum, the esteem in which David was held.

"It is a tragic loss at such a young age, a tragedy for his family, a bad loss for the Labour Party and he will be very badly missed.

"His blend of principle, warmth and passion for the issues he cared about was a very unusual one.

"He was a pioneer, the first former Catholic priest to sit in Parliament - a law was changed to make it possible for him to enter Parliament. He brought a sense of joy and optimism and those things are sometimes in short supply in politics."

Father John Morrison, who delivered the service, said: "As a politician and a member of parliament, David was a man of hope. His public service, his service to the wider community was characterised by a sincere and deep desire to give others opportunity and hope, the hope of a better tomorrow, the hope of a fairer future. David had time for everyone."

The order of service included a message from Mr Cairns' father and brother which stated: "The whole family is immensely proud of everything David achieved throughout his life.

"We will all remember David for his warmth, generosity and good sense of humour."

Large numbers of local people attended and readings were given by children from Notre Dame High School, which Mr Cairns attended.Former prime minister Tony Blair, who first appointed Mr Cairns as a minister in his government, gave a reading at a receiving mass at Mr Cairns' former church in Clapham, south London, where he was a priest in the 1980s, on Thursday night.