Remembering Menzies Campbell

It is with great sadness that we have announced the death of our dear friend and former leader, Menzies Campbell.

With a parliamentary career spanning five decades, Ming was a dedicated public servant, a tireless champion for Fife, St Andrews, Scotland and the UK, and a true Liberal giant.

He was the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on foreign affairs when the world changed on 9/11, and his principled leadership opposing the Iraq War was a mark of his morality, courage and wisdom. He spoke up for what was right, even when it was hard.

Our thoughts are with all who loved him. 

Here are some of the tributes that have been paid to Ming from across the party:

Like so many of us, I benefitted greatly from Ming’s advice and guidance over the many years we worked closely together. But more than that, he was an incredibly warm and caring friend and colleague, with such generosity and humour.

Ming was always great company - whether talking about sport with the authority of a captain of Britain’s athletics team and a British 100m record-holder, or asking about you and your family, when he would always pass on kind thoughts from his wife, Elspeth - his rock.

All of us in the Liberal Democrat family and beyond will miss him terribly.

Ed Davey MP
Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Ming Campbell was one of the most respected politicians of his generation.

The first political thing I ever did was to deliver leaflets for Ming on the morning of his first election to Parliament in 1987. He was my MP, he was my mentor and he was my friend.

From the Olympic track to the benches of Westminster, his contribution to public life will long be remembered.

My thoughts, and those of everyone in our party, are with his family at this sad time.

Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP
Leader, Scottish Liberal Democrats

This is a sad day for our party, for liberals everywhere and for me personally. Ming was a guiding light and elder statesman for so many of us.

He was an esteemed voice on foreign affairs and a true liberal at heart, embodying the values of reason, compassion, and internationalism. It was no wonder that he was often described as the best foreign secretary that the UK never had. I will miss him immensely.

Ming once told me that he was very fortunate to have had three careers in his life in sport, in law and finally in politics. What was remarkable was that he excelled in all three. That is why the slogan to secure his re-election in North East Fife - local champion with a national reputation - was so successful that he won with a huge majority of votes.

Willie Rennie MSP
MSP for North East Fife

In North East Fife, Ming was and remained a significant figure. His contributions to our communities, to the University of St Andrews, as well as to Scotland and the UK were immeasurable.

Although he found the passing of his beloved Elspeth difficult, rather than retreat, until the last weeks of his life, he was still travelling to London to contribute in the House of Lords. After a long career of public service, I am sure he would have had it no other way. I will miss his wise counsel and our regular chats in Parliament which always kept me on my toes.

Wendy Chamberlain MP
MP for North East Fife

Ming was a fighter and a campaigner all of his life – whether that was on the sports track, in the court room, the House of Commons or the House of Lords.

He was a hugely important part of the Liberal Democrat group in the Lords and was respected throughout Westminster for his experience, internationalism, his wisdom and his great ability to construct a convincing argument – about almost anything at all. For those of us in Scottish Liberalism Ming was a true inspiration.

Public life will be much the poorer without his contributions. Today we are all desperately sad that we have lost a friend and we will always remember him and the good that he has brought to our lives.

Lord Jeremy Purvis
Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords