MP death triggers by-election
John MacDougall, Scottish Labour MP for Glenrothes, has died, triggering a by-election in his constituency.
Mr MacDougall had been struggling with mesothelioma, an incurable cancer of the lungs, for several years.
Gordon Brown visited him the day before he died.
“Over three decades he has been a good personal friend of mine and I visited him on Monday,” Mr Brown said.
“Our heartfelt condolences go to his widow, Cathy, to his son and daughter, Scott and Julie and to his mother and sister.”
Mr MacDougall’s constituency neighbours that of the prime minister’s, Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath. Any loss there would therefore carry huge symbolic value to the Scottish National party (SNP), who are the second party in Glenrothes.
He was a former convenor of Fife council, well known for his pro-EU views and as former vice president of the Assembly of European Regions.
A former union activists, he entered the Commons in 2001 and was 60 years old when he died.
Labour retain a majority of 10,664 in Glenrothes, with Mr MacDougall winning 19,395 votes at the last general election compared to the SNP’s 8,731.
Although the majority appears substantial, it is lower than that which the SNP overturned in the Glasgow-East by-election.
A Labour Party spokesman said: “All our thoughts are with his family at this time.”
The SNP also paid tribute to Mr MacDougall, with the party’s Westminster leader, Angus Robertson, saying: “I am saddened that John has lost his long and brave fight against illness, and our condolences go to his wife and family at this very difficult time.
“We may have been on opposite sides in the House of Commons, but John carried the respect of people right across the chamber, and was passionate for the issues he believed in and the welfare of his constituents, which he cared about deeply.
“He will be much missed.”
