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23 Oct 2025

Swinney hails ‘true giant’ of politics as Holyrood pays tribute to George Reid

Swinney hails ‘true giant’ of politics as Holyrood pays tribute to George Reid

John Swinney has led tributes at Holyrood to former presiding officer Sir George Reid, with the First Minister hailing him as a “true giant” of Scottish politics.

Just over a month after the death of Sir George was announced, MSPs remembered him as a motion of condolence was debated in the Scottish Parliament.

The only person to have served as a deputy presiding officer and presiding officer at Holyrood, Sir George was also previously an MP before the devolved parliament was established in 1999.

Paying tribute, Mr Swinney hailed Sir George as “a true giant of my party, of this Parliament and of Scottish public life”.

He added that Holyrood “truly came of age” during Sir George’s time as presiding officer, a role he held from 2003 and 2007.

Speaking as the flags at Holyrood flew at half-mast, the First Minister continued: “When the history of this Parliament is written, the role played by George Reid will be at its heart.

“That is because George Reid was a true statesman, a man whose life’s work was devoted to and has benefited the whole nation of Scotland.”

Sir George’s wife Daphne and daughter Morag were in Holyrood to hear the tributes, with Mr Swinney going on to recall the last time he saw his former colleague in July.

At that meeting the SNP leader said he “listened to a wise man, at peace with himself, as assured as any of us can be that he had led a fulfilled life of joy, of service and of love”.

Current Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone meanwhile told how Sir George had driven forward the completion of the Holyrood building – a project which was late and over-budget – with “tenacity and commitment”.

She added he was “immensely proud” of the building when it was completed.

In her contribution, she also recalled how Sir George was “held in high esteem by all, regardless of party, regardless of position”.

Ms Johnstone said: “Dedicated to his local area, but internationalist in outlook, George’s life of service and influence as a journalist, a humanitarian leader and an elected representative reached far beyond these borders.

“George loved Scotland and the Scottish Parliament, he served the Parliament as he served in all his roles – with dignity, with dedication and with determination.”

Sir George began his career as a journalist and was first elected as the SNP MP for Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire in 1974, serving in the House of Commons before narrowly losing the seat at the 1979 election.

He then returned to journalism, becoming the producer who brought the world pictures of the Ethiopian famine in 1984 alongside presenter Michael Buerk, which sparked the Band Aid and Live Aid concerts.

He went on to take on a role with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent, and it was not until the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 that he returned to the political frontline as an MSP for the Mid Scotland and Fife region, before winning the Ochil seat in 2003.

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