This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Death of Robin Cook MP
06/08/2005
Robin Cook, the former Cabinet Minister and MP for
Livingston, died today at the age of 59 after taking ill
while walking in the Highlands.
He was flown by helicopter to Raigmore Hospital in
Inverness but nothing could be done to save him.
First Minister Jack McConnell said:
"Robin Cook was one of the outstanding Scottish and
Labour politicians of the late 20th century. He was always
willing to challenge orthodox thinking and he was a great
champion of less popular causes.
"He played a key role in making Labour electable again
and he helped convince many that it was possible to be both
pragmatic and radical. Those suffering from injustice or
disadvantage have lost a powerful voice."
Robin Cook was born in Bellshill in February 1946
and went to school in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. He read
English Literature at Edinburgh University, and went on to
work as a tutor, adult education organiser, and writer
before entering Westminster as MP for Edinburgh Central in
1974. Since 1983 he has been MP for Livingston.
From 1980-83 he was Opposition Spokesman, Treasury and
Economic Affairs 1980-83 and then Opposition Spokesman,
European and Community Affairs for the next two years, and
Opposition Spokesman, Health and Social Security between
1987 and 1989.
He was Shadow Health Secretary 1989-92, Shadow Trade
and Industry Secretary 1992-94, and Shadow Foreign
Secretary 1994-97.
After Labour's election victory in 1997 he became
Foreign Secretary until 2001, then Leader of the Commons
until he resigned from the Cabinet in 2003.