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MP MacDougall to be laid to rest PM leads tributes at MP funeral
(1 day later)
The funeral of the Scottish Labour MP John MacDougall will take place later. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has led the tributes at the Fife funeral of Labour MP John MacDougall.
The MP for the Fife town of Glenrothes died on 13 August after a two-year battle with mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer of the lungs. Mr Brown arrived at the service in Erskine church, Burntisland, with wife Sarah and led the tributes to his long-standing friend and colleague.
Mr MacDougall, a former leader of Fife Council who was first elected to the Commons in 2001, was aged 60. Mr MacDougall, MP for Glenrothes, died on 13 August after a long battle with the lung disease mesothelioma.
The funeral of the Dunfermline-born father-of-two will take place at Erskine Church on Kinghorn Road, Burntisland at 1300 BST. His death prompts a difficult by-election for Labour which will be defending a majority of 10,664.
Mr MacDougall, a former boilermaker, led Fife Council for nine years before taking over the Central Fife Westminster seat, held by Henry McLeish, who went on to become Scottish first minister. A number of UK Cabinet Ministers, including Defence Secretary Des Browne and International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander joined the mourners which included a number of backbench colleagues.
'True servant' The funeral was led by John Allan, a retired minister and family friend with a eulogy being given by another close friend Scott Brady, who worked in Mr MacDougall's constituency office.
After boundary changes, Mr MacDougall stayed in parliament as MP for the new Glenrothes constituency, where his majority at the last election was 10,664. Speaking after the service, former First Minister Jack McConnell, said: "His son and daughter spoke lovingly about their father and the influence he had had on them and the role that he played in their lives and how much they would miss him.
After his death at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Prime Minister Gordon Brown led the tributes. "At the same time his public life was reflected in the other contributions that spoke of his passion for this community and the fighter that he had been for Burntisland and Fife."
He said: "John MacDougall gave more than 30 years of distinguished public service to Fife and he will be remembered as a true servant of the people. John MacDougall lost his battle against mesothelioma on 13 August
"Over three decades, he has been a good personal friend of mine." A lone piper played in the mourners who also included former Scottish first minister Jack McConnell, Sir Menzies Campbell, the ex-Liberal Democrat leader who represents nearby North East Fife, and Angus Robertson, the SNP leader at Westminster.
His death will trigger a by-election in the seat, which neighbours Mr Brown's Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency. Another former Labour first minister, Henry McLeish, who is reportedly in the frame to stand for the vacant Glenrothes seat, also attended, as well as Labour MSPs John Park, Claire Baker and Helen Eadie, and Tricia Marwick of the SNP.
Ahead of Monday's service Ian Hutton, from Fife Constabulary, said: "I am aware that a large number of mourners will be attending the funeral of this well-respected MP and that access to the area of the church is essential. Among the Labour MPs in attendance were Frank Roy, former transport minister Gavin Strang, Tom Clarke, Jim Devine, Anne Moffat, Jim McGovern, and former agriculture secretary Nick Brown.
"Through the deliberate deployment of police officers and traffic wardens, all efforts will be taken to maintain the flow of traffic in the town."