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Tony Blair pays tribute to David Cairns MP
Tuesday, May 10, 2011 in Office of Tony Blair
The Scottish Labour Party has today announced the sad death of David Cairns, 44, Labour MP for Inverclyde.
A Labour Party spokesperson said:
"It is with great regret that we have to announce that David Cairns, Member of Parliament for Inverclyde, passed away at 11pm last night at the Royal Free, London. David had been suffering from acute pancreatitis after he was admitted as an emergency patient eight weeks ago. Our thoughts are with his partner Dermot, his father John, his brother Billy and all his many friends and family. David’s untimely death is a huge loss to parliament and politics in this country."
Tony Blair, who appointed David as a Minister in the Scotland Office in 2005, paid tribute to David today, saying:
"I am extremely saddened to hear of David's untimely death.
"David's life was dedicated to public service; he was a committed and conscientious constituency MP; an excellent government minister; and a passionate campaigner for social justice, equality and opportunity. But more than that, David was, quite simply, a good man, with time for everyone and a wonderful sense of humour, which made him a delight to be around.
"Westminster, politics and the Labour Party will be poorer without him. My thoughts and prayers are with Dermot and all David's family and friends."
Ed Miliband, Leader of the Labour Party, said:
"David will be missed beyond measure as a former minister, as an MP, as a friend and a colleague by many people and my heart especially goes out to his partner Dermot and his family in Scotland. David was an immensely talented Member of Parliament who campaigned diligently on behalf of his constituents in Greenock and Inverclyde. A highly effective Minister of State in the Scottish Office, he was Labour through and through and yet was much-respected across the political divide.
"He was also a man with a wide hinterland. As a former Catholic priest he brought a sensitive understanding of others and a ready wit to politics and he never shied away from saying what he believed to be true. The Labour Party will miss him profoundly. He was a good man."