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'Tireless' Lib Dem stalwart dies | 'Tireless' Lib Dem stalwart dies |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Tributes have been paid to the former MP for Argyll and Bute, Ray Michie, who has died at the age of 74. | |
The daughter of Lord and Lady Bannerman of Kildonan, she chaired the Scottish Liberal Democrats from 1991 until 1993. | The daughter of Lord and Lady Bannerman of Kildonan, she chaired the Scottish Liberal Democrats from 1991 until 1993. |
She was elected to the Argyll seat in 1987 and remained MP until she stood down from parliament in 2001, becoming a member of the House of Lords. | She was elected to the Argyll seat in 1987 and remained MP until she stood down from parliament in 2001, becoming a member of the House of Lords. |
Former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said she had a "first-class political brain". | |
We have all lost a true friend of principle and of people Charles Kennedy MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber | |
Mr Kennedy said: "Ray Michie was one of my closest personal friends and professional confidantes in politics. | |
"The very sad news of her passing leaves public life much the poorer." | |
Mr Kennedy, the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said: "Alongside her personal charm and tremendous sense of humour and fun was a first-class political brain which was able to judge individuals and issues with great shrewdness. | |
"She was never taken in by exaggeration and had a knack of getting right to the genuine heart of the matter. Her advice was always worth having. | |
"I was sorry when she decided to retire from the Commons but delighted when she accepted - after a little persuasion - my offer of a life peerage." | |
And he added: "We have all lost a true friend of principle and of people." | |
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen said Baroness Michie had been one of the leading figures in the Scottish Liberal Democrats for many years. | |
"She always fought tirelessly for her constituents and for Scotland," he said. | |
"Ray was much loved by those inside and outside politics and will be very greatly missed." | |
Gaelic champion | |
The current Argyll and Bute MP, Alan Reid, added: "The people of Argyll and Bute will always have a special place in their hearts for Ray Michie." | |
A champion of the Gaelic language, she became the first peer to take the oath of allegiance in Gaelic as Baroness Michie of Gallanach. | A champion of the Gaelic language, she became the first peer to take the oath of allegiance in Gaelic as Baroness Michie of Gallanach. |
She was educated at Aberdeen High School for Girls, Landsdowne House in Edinburgh and the Edinburgh College of Speech Therapy, before becoming a speech therapist. | She was educated at Aberdeen High School for Girls, Landsdowne House in Edinburgh and the Edinburgh College of Speech Therapy, before becoming a speech therapist. |
Baroness Michie served as the Liberal Democrat spokeswoman on Scottish affairs and was a member of the House of Commons select committee on Scottish affairs from 1992 to 1997. | Baroness Michie served as the Liberal Democrat spokeswoman on Scottish affairs and was a member of the House of Commons select committee on Scottish affairs from 1992 to 1997. |
A strong advocate of home rule, she was a participant in the early days of the Constitutional Convention. | A strong advocate of home rule, she was a participant in the early days of the Constitutional Convention. |
She was a member of a number of other bodies, including Gaelic organisation An Comunn GÃ idhealach, the National Farmers' Union of Scotland and the Scottish Crofters Union, and was also vice-president of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. | She was a member of a number of other bodies, including Gaelic organisation An Comunn GÃ idhealach, the National Farmers' Union of Scotland and the Scottish Crofters Union, and was also vice-president of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. |
Married to a consultant physician, the mother-of-three lived in Oban. | Married to a consultant physician, the mother-of-three lived in Oban. |