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The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-18531, in the name of John Swinney, on a motion of condolence following the death of George Reid.
The Rt Hon Sir George Reid was held in high esteem by all, regardless of party and regardless of position. Elected Deputy Presiding Officer when the Parliament was established in 1999, George was then elected our second Presiding Officer in 2003—the only member of the Scottish Parliament to date to hold office as both a Deputy Presiding Officer and a Presiding Officer.
George’s dedication to public service and caring for others was demonstrated throughout his life. He loved representing the people of Clackmannanshire, both as a member of Parliament and an MSP. Dedicated to his local area, but internationalist in outlook, George’s life, service and influence as a journalist, a humanitarian leader and an elected representative reached far beyond these borders.
George loved Scotland and the Scottish Parliament. He served the Parliament as he served in all his roles—with dignity, dedication and determination. He drove forward the completion of this building with tenacity and commitment. He was immensely proud of it, and he delighted in people being welcomed into their Parliament. As an MSP staff member, as an MSP and as Presiding Officer, he offered me friendly support.
We are honoured today to welcome George’s wife Daphne, his daughter Morag and other members of his family to Parliament. We share your loss, and we hope that you find some comfort and encouragement in the many tributes to a life so very well lived. George’s manner of service—a unique combination of courtesy, humour and seriousness—was his mark. We will miss him, and we will remember him with deep affection and gratitude.
14:02
It is with enormous sadness but also with the warmest of heartfelt thanks that I rise to move the motion in my name to honour a true giant of my party, of this Parliament and of Scottish public life, Sir George Reid. I express my condolences and those of the people of Scotland to his wife Dee, to his daughter Morag, to his son-in-law Pete and to his grandchildren, and I welcome members of the family who join us in the gallery today.
Born in Tullibody, in the shadow of his beloved Ochil hills, George was a proud son of the wee county, a passionate advocate for the people and the communities of Clackmannanshire, and destined to make a huge impact on the lives of others far beyond Clackmannanshire’s borders.
George was a distinguished journalist, academic, parliamentarian, humanitarian and public servant. As the last surviving member of the trailblazing group of Scottish National Party MPs elected in 1974, George was so proud to have served his home county both at Westminster and here in the Scottish Parliament, an institution that he dedicated so much of his life to establishing.
Although this Parliament reconvened in 1999, it truly came of age under George Reid’s tenure as Presiding Officer. That stewardship reminded us that this Parliament and this country are at their best when we look outwards, not inwards. His finest speech in this Parliament was in the debate on the Iraq war in 2003, when he cautioned:
“The war has already claimed its first victim, which is the truth.”—[Official Report, 13 March 2003; c 16446.]
Railing against that sentiment was not just something that George thought or said, or would have had others do; it was a value that he put into practice throughout his life.
His humanitarian and international outlook was at the heart of his life and work. He played a central role in the media coverage of the Ethiopian famine and worked tirelessly to provide assistance through the Red Cross and Red Crescent around the world.
He used his remarkable knowledge, his experience and his intellect as a professorial fellow at the University of Stirling, teaching on international conflict and co-operation for the learning of others. That was typical of George.
Although an inspiring and captivating speaker, he was never content just to speak. He was always determined to act, to make a real difference and to use his huge intellect, his drive and his compassion for others to make the world a better place.
It was that determination that he brought to bear so effectively here in this Parliament. Those of us who served during his time as Presiding Officer will remember the extraordinary leadership that he provided, putting aside party and working truly in the national interest, ending the early struggles and controversies and truly cementing our Parliament’s place as the centre of the political life of the nation. When the history of this Parliament is written, the role played by George Reid will be at its heart because he was a true statesman, a man whose life’s work was devoted to, and has benefited, the whole nation of Scotland.
His unique and exemplary commitment to public service was recognised in his appointment by Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and to the Order of the Thistle, one of the ancient symbols of our nationhood.
George’s political life was anchored in his drive to secure for Scotland her place as an outward-looking, equal and independent member of the family of nations. As a teenager, I heard his arguments for that cause. His advocacy—and that of his peers Winnie Ewing, Gordon Wilson and Margaret Ewing—for Scotland and for independence shaped the political convictions that I have held for my entire adult life. Throughout my parliamentary service, George Reid was a source of wise counsel and steadfast support. Leadership can be a lonely place, but I was always strengthened in exercising leadership by the encouragement and the deepest of loyalty of George Reid.
So it was when I visited George for the last time in July. Knowing that his life would soon come to an end, I listened to a wise man at peace with himself and as assured as any of us can ever be that he had led a fulfilled life of joy, of service and of love.
I feel immensely privileged that my life was enhanced by knowing George Reid and benefiting from his counsel. I would like to end this tribute by reflecting on a section of George’s 1995 Donaldson lecture, an exposition of values and political thought that stands as a defining contribution to the development of my party and of modern Scottish politics. In that lecture, George said:
“Our future cannot be a continuation of our past. Too often, we Scots are concerned about the day before yesterday.”
Instead, he implores us
“to say, with a sense of purpose, ‘Today is tomorrow.’”
With those words, George encourages us to use today to secure the future, to think optimistically of what might be possible and to pursue a common determination to shape and improve Scotland’s future. I commit today to doing that and, in so doing, I hope that that can be the on-going tribute of us all to the life and legacy of Sir George Reid.
I move,
That the Parliament expresses its profound sadness at the death of George Reid; extends its deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to his family and friends; appreciates the many years of public service that he gave as an MP, MSP, Presiding Officer, and Lord Lieutenant; recognises the substantial contribution that he made to the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and the securing of its place in the life of the nation, and acknowledges his humanitarian work over many decades and the high regard in which he was held by colleagues across the world.
[Applause.]
14:08
I think I am now the only Conservative member to have served in this Parliament when Sir George Reid was Presiding Officer, and it is my honour to offer a few remarks in support of this motion of condolence.
I first met Sir George Reid when I came into this Parliament in 2001. At that point, he held the position of Deputy Presiding Officer, but I was aware of his history, his already having had a distinguished career in journalism and broadcasting, having been a member of Parliament in Westminster and more recently having worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross.
He made relatively few speeches during that first session of Parliament but, as we have already heard, when he did contribute, often on the international matters on which he had considerable expertise, his contributions always carried a great deal of authority. Whether or not one agreed with him, he was always someone worth listening to.
When Sir David Steel retired as Presiding Officer at the end of the first session, George was the natural successor to take over. It was a role that he was made for, as someone who had just the right level of gravitas and authority, as well as good humour, a twinkle in his eye and kindness towards individuals.
The second parliamentary session, which he presided over, became known as the rainbow Parliament, as it contained a motley assortment of smaller parties, including, most notably, a cluster of representatives from the Scottish Socialist Party. That brought a level of rhetoric and parliamentary disruption that had not been seen before and which has not been seen since—so far, at least. As the occupant of the chair, George tolerated that with as much good grace as he could muster, although, occasionally, one could not but notice a wry smile on his lips in reaction to what he was hearing and seeing.
His most significant contribution as Presiding Officer was to sort out the mess that the construction of this building had become. At that point, the project was years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of pounds over budget. Simply by the force of his personality and with his leadership, he pulled the whole thing together to ensure that the building was ready in time for the planned royal opening by the late Queen Elizabeth. It says in St Paul’s cathedral, in tribute to Sir Christopher Wren, “If you look for his monument, look around you.” We can say that of this building, which is really a monument to Sir George Reid. Without his intervention, I fear that construction works might still be going on.
On retiring from Parliament in 2007, George went on to hold a number of significant roles. Unlike many in his party, he did not have an instinctive objection to the honours system and was pleased to accept the knighthood that was conferred on him by the late Queen Elizabeth, which was a fitting recognition of his years of public service. He went on to serve as the lord-lieutenant of his much-loved home county of Clackmannanshire and as the Queen’s representative as the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
My wife and I were delighted to be hosted during that year’s general assembly by George and Dee at Holyrood palace. For the duration of the general assembly, the Lord High Commissioner is treated, in effect, as a member of the royal family, living in the palace, being waited on by retainers, wining and dining on the finest of fare every night, and being driven around in a large limousine with the royal pennant flying on the wing, accompanied by police motorcycle outriders. I do not think that I am being unkind when I say that I think that George perhaps enjoyed that experience just a little bit too much.
I will always remember George for his kindness and friendship to me personally, as well as his many achievements in public life. He will be sadly missed. On behalf of the Scottish Conservatives, I offer my condolences to Dee and Morag and all the family. [Applause.]
14:12
On behalf of the Scottish Labour Party, I want to associate all my colleagues with the First Minister’s comments and put on record our deep sorrow at the passing of Sir George Reid, who was a public servant of remarkable skill, intelligence and commitment.
George Reid led a life that was dedicated to serving the people of our country and committed to making Scotland a better place. Many MSPs will have warm memories of George’s time in this Parliament. Although that will be especially true of Scottish National Party members, that will not be exclusively the case. I know from lots of stories from those who served alongside Sir George how respected he was across every party in the Parliament.
George served diligently, including as Deputy Presiding Officer and later as Presiding Officer, but his time in this Parliament was only one tiny part of a remarkable career. George’s remarkable life took him far from his Clackmannanshire home to places around the world, from America to Armenia, always in the service of others.
After graduating from the University of St Andrews, George embarked on a career in journalism, in the course of which he worked for the BBC and Granada Television, as well as many of Scotland’s flagship newspapers. Given that he was a person of strong political convictions, it was not long before George made the move into front-line politics. George was a committed Scottish nationalist. He joined the SNP as a young man when the party had little support in the country, and he was later elected as part of the SNP wave that was produced by the twin elections in 1974. He served his Clackmannanshire and East Stirlingshire constituents diligently over the turbulent years of the late 1970s, which included the rise of the Tories under Margaret Thatcher and the winter of discontent.
After leaving the Parliament in 1979, George returned to journalism, this time marrying his professional expertise with his vast experience of the world. George will be remembered as being a Scottish nationalist, but he was without a doubt an internationalist, as well—a man who cared deeply for the freedom and safety of, and justice for, all his fellow citizens, wherever they were across the globe. It was in that role that he performed some of his most lasting and important work. As has been mentioned, he produced the groundbreaking reports on the Ethiopian famine that awakened the world to the struggles and horrors that were being inflicted on the people of that country. Those reports moved so many people across the world that they led directly to Live Aid and the beginning of famine relief. After that, he worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva. His work on supporting victims of the 1988 Armenian earthquake resulted in George receiving state honours from Armenia and the USSR.
When the campaign for devolution was won, George was ready to return to politics and to serve the people of Scotland. Sadly, I did not have the honour of serving in the Parliament at the same time as George, but I had the honour and privilege of meeting him on a number of occasions. What I remember most about Sir George is that, despite not being in the same party as me, he was nothing other than warm, compassionate and encouraging. I know that that was the case with many young people—and maybe older people—he met in politics across the years. He was always warm, always compassionate and always encouraging. That is the man we will remember so fondly. Indeed, it is that George—intelligent, patriotic, compassionate and warm—the Parliament and Scotland mourn today.
I again share the Scottish Labour Party’s condolences on the death of Sir George Reid. Our thoughts are with Dee, Morag, his family, his many friends and the many colleagues who knew him and loved him so dearly. [Applause.]
14:16
I join colleagues across the Parliament—members and staff—in mourning the loss of Sir George Reid and in celebrating his life. We send our condolences and love to Dee, Morag and the family—not forgetting the dogs, of course.
George led a remarkable life as a journalist, politician, humanitarian and academic. He was a true polymath, and he drew on his unique breadth of experience to touch the lives of so many. Every chapter of his career left a lasting legacy. He remains the only MSP to have received the Soviet medal of honour for his outstanding work with the International Committee of the Red Cross in leading the response to the Armenian earthquake in 1988.
I first met him when I was a very nervous new MSP in 2003. We had lunch. I said that I had voted for him to be my constituency MSP and that I would be voting for him again to become the Presiding Officer of this Parliament. He was so warm and generous, and he was full of useful advice, which was offered kindly—and sometimes very directly. He helped me to make sense of those early days in the Parliament, and I know that many other MSPs also benefited from his mentoring. Later, when I lost my seat at Holyrood, I valued his encouragement, which, again, drew on his personal experience of moving between so many different roles, both in and out of politics.
I recently met his colleagues at the University of Stirling, where he worked right up until the final few weeks of his life—teaching, mentoring and challenging students, while drawing on that vast experience. I learned how his work had helped them, just as he had helped me and so many others.
We remember fondly how George could hold any gathering in the palm of his hand. He had a natural and formidable power of convenership—an essential skill in that rainbow Parliament of the second session, when shenanigans were rife. We remember how he chaired a major global conference in the Parliament, opening proceedings in not just one but two African languages before addressing delegates in Gaelic and then, finally, in English—it was classic George. His wit, charisma and gravitas could lift any gathering, however small, into a major event, making people feel special and connected to one another. I remember attending dinners with international delegations that George hosted in his role as PO. They were enthralling. He would pull every thread of conversation in the room together, ensuring that no one was left behind. You had to sing for your supper, but you always left feeling part of something a wee bit special.
I have met so many staff in this building who loved working with George, in his time both as an MSP and then as Presiding Officer. Arguably, his greatest achievement in politics was steering this building—this village, as he loved to call it—to its completion. George was the right person at the right time to navigate the huge challenges of getting the building project on track and communicating that to a critical media. From the start, he brought his forensic attention to detail, demanding weekly updates of Gantt charts and critical paths, and he chivvied contractors to completion while delivering endless walk-throughs and interviews in multiple languages, explaining the challenges and progress of the project.
Colleagues remember a kind, shrewd, organised and tireless leader. We can only imagine what might have been if he had been able to take a more central role in the yes campaign for independence.
We celebrate the unique and remarkable life of Sir George Reid, a proud son of the wee county—much loved, and now much missed. [Applause.]
14:21
It is a tremendous privilege to pay tribute to Sir George Reid on behalf of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. His passing marks the loss of one of the most substantial figures in the life of the Parliament and the life of Scotland.
I met George only a handful of times, and only fleetingly, but I was always in awe of him and he was always generous with that time. I saw, from the outside, what this chamber meant to Sir George and, over time, what he would come to mean to the chamber.
He was a man of great intellect, deep compassion and integrity. From those roots in Tullibody, he never lost his pride in Clackmannanshire. He never forgot where he came from or what was behind him, but he was always looking forward and outward—a profound internationalist.
As we have heard, his career in journalism led him to the very heart of global events. In the Red Cross, he found not just a vocation but a calling. Working in places of conflict and of catastrophe, he brought humanity and hope where both were in short supply. He would later say that it was in that work that he did
“far more good than at any other time in”
his life.
In politics, George made his mark twice: first at Westminster, and then here in Holyrood. As Presiding Officer in the years between 2003 and 2007, he took the chair—as we have heard several times this afternoon—at a very difficult time for the fledgling Parliament. The Holyrood project was mired in delay and controversy, but Sir George always brought order, authority and dignity. He was determined—as he said—to move in and move on, and he succeeded.
By the time that he laid down the mace that sits before you, Presiding Officer, this Parliament was not just complete as a building; it was established in the minds of the Scottish people as the beating heart of the nation’s democracy.
Sir George was a man of principle, who was never afraid to speak truth plainly. As the First Minister rightly mentioned, his speech on the Iraq war, which was informed by his years of humanitarian service, was one of the finest that I have ever heard in the chamber, and I found such common cause with the words that he spoke that day.
Sir George was knighted in 2012 for his service to public life, but the honour that mattered most to him, as exemplified by his life’s work, was the chance to serve his community, his country and the cause of humanity.
On behalf of my party, I extend our profound condolences to his wife, Dee, to his daughter Morag and her family and to all those who mourn him today. [Applause.]
The question is, that motion S6M-18531, in the name of John Swinney, on a motion of condolence, be agreed to.
Motion agreed to,
That the Parliament expresses its profound sadness at the death of George Reid; extends its deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to his family and friends; appreciates the many years of public service that he gave as an MP, MSP, Presiding Officer, and Lord Lieutenant; recognises the substantial contribution that he made to the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and the securing of its place in the life of the nation, and acknowledges his humanitarian work over many decades and the high regard in which he was held by colleagues across the world.
I will suspend the meeting briefly before we move to the next item of business.
14:24 Meeting suspended.Air ais
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