Former Edinburgh West MP Donald Gorrie has died aged 79.
Mr Gorrie represented Edinburgh West at Westminster before becoming an MSP for Central Scotland after devolution. Indeed, over a long political career spanning many decades Mr Gorrie represented the Liberal Democrats at every level of government save the European parliament.
A constant critic of the Holyrood building project, Gorrie was not afraid to upset his Party’s heirarchy – he was an outspoken critic of the Lib Dem’s coalition deal with Labour. He was also one of the first politicians to call for tougher alcohol laws.
A quiet and polite man, Donald Gorrie was respected across the political spectrum. He leaves behind his wife Astrid and two sons.
“I was saddened at the news of Donald Gorrie’s death. He was on Edinburgh Council for 12 years at the same time as me, and he was always respected for his straight talking and his hard work for his constituents. Above all, he was a great champion of Edinburgh and he was always ready to work with his political opponents to support projects and initiatives to benefit the city.” – Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz
“Donald Gorrie was a traditional Liberal who was respected by his political opponents and worked hard on behalf of his consituents. Only last year while I was canvassing in Edinburgh West his name would be mentioned on a number of occassiobs as the person who would ‘get action taken on our behalf’. My thoughts are with his family at this time.” – Councillor Lesley Hinds
I was very sad to hear of the death of Donald Gorrie. Donald was the dominant figure in Edinburgh Liberal politics from his election to the then Town Council in 1971 representing Corstorphine. He first came to public prominence as an athlete – the 880 yards was his distance and he competed for Scotland at this level.
Donald served in local government between 1971 and 1997 when he was elected as the first ever Liberal Democrat MP in Edinburgh and the first Liberal since WWII.
Donald was the Liberal group leader on both district and regional councils when I was first elected to the region in 1994; he was a man who had a strong sense of morality and his
politics were very much shaped by his sense of right and wrong. He had so much in common with the great Liberal hero Gladstone in that regard and like the Grand Old Man he became more radical the older he got.
I always like to tell people that I have more fingers in pies than I have fingers. Donald made
me look like a beginner in that regard! He was involved in everything. President of the Edinburgh Athletics Club, he was involved with the Association of Youth Clubs, Diverse Attractions and he was a great champion of youth, setting up the hugely successful 6VT Youth cafe when he was a councillor.
In 1997 Donald finally was elected to Westminster but served only one term before going
on to serve in Holyrood from 1999 until 2007 – his main reason for getting elected to Westminster was so that he could help set up the Scottish parliament.
He made an instant impact being named as the new parliament’s first Backbencher of the Year and busied himself with various issues from the Holyrood building fiasco to raising the issue of sectarianism and ensuring that this was finally tackled. I also recall he was the first politician I ever heard raising the issue of Hospital Acquired Infection.
He retired in 2007 but then was involved in more local groups. He became the secretary of the Friends of Corstorphine Hill and chair of the Corstorphine Dementia Project. The list of groups Donald helped is too numerous for me to list, as are his many achievements. He was so energetic – a real force of nature.
Personally as a young activist and then councillor his counsel was always worth listening to. He was perhaps the most influential figure in my development as a politician. A great man, a giant of Edinburgh Liberalism and a man who was always more interested in doing things than being things. Scottish politics has lost one of its most colourful and principled characters.
Councillor Paul Edie
I knew Donald Gorrie at both Westminster and the Scottish Parliament and thought he was an outstanding parliamentarian who always spoke his own mind and wassn’t afraid to depart from his party’s line.
Malcolm Chisholm MSP
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