McLetchie tribute

As I shall be in Malawi next week and so unable to attend David McLetchie’s funeral, please allow me to add to the tributes you have already published.

When I was organising the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, I created a prelude meeting in the old Parliament Hall where each of the party 
leaders could make their own contribution to the spectacular day.

David McLetchie drew the loudest laughter when he opened his speech by saying: “Many of the people gathered here today thought that they would never see this day.

“And let’s be honest, some of us hoped that we would never see this day.”

That self-deprecating reference to Tory opposition to devolution he then turned round to a commitment to make it work.

He was worried that, with the Lib Dems disappearing into the government and the SNP being a much larger opposition party, his role as a minority leader would be overlooked, and he came to seek assurances from me as Presiding Officer.

I reminded him that I had been leader of a small minority at Westminster and so he had no need to worry that he would be ignored.

We ended our meeting amid laughter when I pointed out that the Tory reappearance in Scotland was entirely due to the Scottish Parliament and to proportional representation, both of which they had opposed.

His premature death is a great loss to the quality of our public life.

RT HON LORD STEEL OF AIKWOOD

Selkirk