I’ve debated whether or not to post a blog on the premature and tragic death of David Cairns, MP for Inverclyde. However, as a former constituent and someone who previously campaigned alongside him, I feel it may be therapeutic to get some thoughts on paper.
A lot has been said of David, and it is to his eternal and deserving credit that he has been universally recognised as a man of great intellect, humour and undoubted integrity. Many of us on Twitter have lost a man of great and cutting wit. I can say that, in what I knew of David, his twitter account was reflective of his personality and that has been corroborated by those who knew him most.
Moreover, the universal praise being bestowed on David is awe inspiring. The Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, his colleagues and friends from all parties have united in one to praise a good man, who was in politics for the right reasons.
All of these things, from the various times of having met him, I can testify to. However I would go one step further. David never took the voters for granted. He genuinely believed he had to work for every vote – however he did that, not just in campaigning at election time, but by being an MP that any constituent would be proud to have. He made it a point not only to say that he represented all of his constituents, regardless of how they voted, but consciously and assiduously did so!
David held the safe seat of Greenock and Inverclyde from 2001, with a majority consistently around the 13,000 mark – increasing to 14,000 in 2010. A personal endorsement of the man!
He will, to varying degrees, be missed by a great number of people. I am one of them.
Rest in Peace, David – the bhoy from Broomhill Court who became a Minister of State.
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