Former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell dies aged 84

Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader, died at the age of 84. Sir Menzies, or Ming as he was widely known, served with the Liberal Democrats from 2006 to 2007, and was the MP for North East Fife at Westminster for 28 years. He held the UK 100m record from 1967 to 1974 and competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, earning the nickname The Flying Scotsman. Sir Menzies has been described as

a dedicated public servant and a true Liberal giant,

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey called him "a true liberal giant.

His principled leadership against the Iraq War was a mark of his morale, courage, and wisdom,

he said. "But more than that, he was an incredibly generous and caring friend and colleague. We will miss him terribly.

Sir Menzies died peacefully in London following a period of respite care. His grandson was with him. One of his last days, his family said, was spent watching political broadcasts from his friends.

Sir Menzies was first elected as a Liberal Party candidate in 1976 but did not win his constituency for 111 years. He took on the role of the party's foreign affairs spokesman, a position he held for 14 years and was a vocal critic of the Iraq war. In 2015, he became a member of the House of Lords. Baron Campbell of Pittenweem was his official name. Sir Menzies was one of the country's most well-liked political figures, Scotland's First Minister John Swinney said in expressing his condolences. Sir Menzies said he was a passionate believer in a prosperous Scotland but also a strong internationalist, eager to establish consensus and find common ground. "Those attending public service today could learn a lot from his style, always forthright in speaking out for what he believes in, but never anything more than courteous, courteous, and polite to his political opponents.

Sir Menzies, according to Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, was one of the country's most respected politicians of his time.

I never did the first political thing I ever did was to distribute leaflets for Ming on the morning of his first election to Parliament in 1987.

He was my MP, he was my mentor, and he knew me well. His contributions to public life will long be remembered, from the Olympic track to Westminster benches.

Sir Menzies remained a significant figure in the region, according to Wendy Chamberlain, the current MP for North East Fife.

His contributions to our communities, to the University of St Andrews, as well as Scotland and the United Kingdom, were immeasurable,

she said. "Although he found the death of his beloved Elspeth difficult rather than resigning until the last weeks of his life, he was still traveling to London to participate in the House of Lords. Sir Menzies was born in a Glasgow tenement on May 22, 1941. He was educated at Hillhead High School and went on to the University of Glasgow, where he was a student of both John Smith and Donald Dewar studying Law and debating in the union. During the Vietnam War, he attended Stanford University in California and later became an advocate.

Sprinting record

Sir Menzies was summoned to the Scottish bar in 1968 and became a QC (latterly KC) in 1982. He had a lucrative career, but he continued to practice during his time in politics. Elspeth, his wife of more than 50 years, died in June 2023 – he described her as his

continuous political companion, always my inspiration, and forever my first line of defense. The couple married in June 1970, just three months after their first meeting. Sir Menzies captained the British men's team at the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Jamaica during his athletic career. He set a new British 100 meters record of 10. 10 years ago. In the process, a young OJ Simpson was defeated in 2 seconds by a 2 seconds. The record stood until 1972. At one time, he was regarded as

the world's fastest white man. Menzies Campbell's contribution to our national politics was much greater than his brief tenure, according to the party's leader. He was a highly informed voice on defense and foreign affairs, which was central to the public debate during and after the Iraq war. He and his late wife Elspeth were the best of political firm with a wealth of insight into the Westminster issues and characters of the day. Elspeth was more concerned about her husband's welfare than he was for himself. His time as party leader was not a happy one. He was the product of a persistent ageism - caricatured as a grandfather with his best days behind him when compared to rival leaders like Tony Blair and David Cameron. He always insisted on wearing a tie when doing interviews on television because he felt it was what his constituents wanted. However, I knew he'd given up to modernizing consultants who wrongly believed they could reclaim his image when he walked in our studio in an open-necked shirt one Sunday morning. It was not long before he resigned. It was his wisdom, experience, and courtesy that were his top strengths, and these were undervalued attributes during his tenure at the top.