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| Former Scottish minister Sam Galbraith dies | Former Scottish minister Sam Galbraith dies |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The former Scottish minister and Labour politician Sam Galbraith has died at the age of 68, it has been announced. | The former Scottish minister and Labour politician Sam Galbraith has died at the age of 68, it has been announced. |
| The former neurosurgeon served as both an MP and MSP and was an education minister in the Scottish government. | The former neurosurgeon served as both an MP and MSP and was an education minister in the Scottish government. |
| Scottish Labour MP Alistair Darling described Mr Galbraith as, "a dedicated politician, and a very dear friend". | Scottish Labour MP Alistair Darling described Mr Galbraith as, "a dedicated politician, and a very dear friend". |
| Mr Galbraith was one of the world's longest surviving lung transplant patients, undergoing the procedure in 1990. | Mr Galbraith was one of the world's longest surviving lung transplant patients, undergoing the procedure in 1990. |
| Speaking on behalf of Mr Galbraith's family, Mr Darling said: "Sam Galbraith died this morning in Glasgow's Western Infirmary after contracting an infection which proved impossible for him to overcome. | Speaking on behalf of Mr Galbraith's family, Mr Darling said: "Sam Galbraith died this morning in Glasgow's Western Infirmary after contracting an infection which proved impossible for him to overcome. |
| "Sam was a brilliant neurosurgeon, a dedicated politician, and a very dear friend. | "Sam was a brilliant neurosurgeon, a dedicated politician, and a very dear friend. |
| "But above all, he was devoted to his family, to Nicola and their three daughters - Mhairi, Heather and Fiona - who are foremost in our thoughts." | "But above all, he was devoted to his family, to Nicola and their three daughters - Mhairi, Heather and Fiona - who are foremost in our thoughts." |
| Mr Darling added: "Sam was believed to be the world's longest-surviving lung transplant patient. | Mr Darling added: "Sam was believed to be the world's longest-surviving lung transplant patient. |
| "It was extraordinary how he continued to contribute and achieve so much throughout the 25 years that he lived with his condition. | "It was extraordinary how he continued to contribute and achieve so much throughout the 25 years that he lived with his condition. |
| "Sam's professional life and immense talents were devoted to the care and betterment of others, through the National Health Service and in his deep political commitment. He was a great humanitarian. | "Sam's professional life and immense talents were devoted to the care and betterment of others, through the National Health Service and in his deep political commitment. He was a great humanitarian. |
| "His work and his life touched countless lives." | "His work and his life touched countless lives." |
| Despite not being expected to live for more than two years after his transplant, Mr Galbraith was once quoted as saying that, having been so close to death, he was not overawed by the hurly-burly of political life. | Despite not being expected to live for more than two years after his transplant, Mr Galbraith was once quoted as saying that, having been so close to death, he was not overawed by the hurly-burly of political life. |
| First cabinet | First cabinet |
| The father-of-three, born in Clitheroe, Lancashire, and educated at Greenock High School and Glasgow University, was first elected to represent Strathkelvin and Bearsden at Westminster in 1987 and served as Health minister in the pre-devolution Scottish Office. | |
| Mr Galbraith was appointed education minister in Donald Dewar's first cabinet after the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, and within months had to defuse threats of a teachers' strike over pay. | Mr Galbraith was appointed education minister in Donald Dewar's first cabinet after the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, and within months had to defuse threats of a teachers' strike over pay. |
| He also had to deal with the Scottish exams fiasco in 2000, which saw thousands of students, from Standard Grade through to sixth year level, affected by inaccurate or incomplete results. | |
| He laid responsibility for the crisis firmly at the door of the Scottish Qualifications Authority. | |
| Mr Galbraith also found himself with a central role in the long-running battle over a move by the Scottish government to scrap Section 28, which banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools. | |
| The row, which saw Scottish businessman Brian Souter fund a campaign aimed at keeping the clause, eventually drew to a close after Mr Galbraith accepted a recommendation that marriage should be spotlighted within the legally binding guidance for schools on sex education. | The row, which saw Scottish businessman Brian Souter fund a campaign aimed at keeping the clause, eventually drew to a close after Mr Galbraith accepted a recommendation that marriage should be spotlighted within the legally binding guidance for schools on sex education. |
| Mr Galbraith went on to serve as environment minister, but later stepped down from elected politics, due to health reasons. | |
| He also became known for being among those MSPs picked up for using colourful language in parliament, after being caught out using the word "bollocks" during a 2001 Holyrood committee meeting. | |
| Also paying tribute to Mr Galbraith, Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont, said: "Sam was a wonderful man. A great doctor, an inspiring colleague and dedicated family man. | |
| "We will all miss his vigour, his support and his candour." | |
| Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick, added: "Sam was no career politician, a distinguished neurosurgeon with a hinterland beyond politics. | |
| "He was one of the original 1999 intake of MSPs, but there was always a sense that parliament was robbed of his talents when he stood down in 2001 because of ill health." |