Extracts from Scottish Parliament Motion of Condolence to former Presiding Officer Sir Alex Fergusson - Oct 2
Wednesday, 3 October 2018 06:49
Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con):...Alex stood out in other
ways, too. He did not go in for personal attacks and had fine
relations with Alasdair Morgan, the Scottish National Party MSP who
had beaten him to the Galloway and Upper Nithsdale constituency.
However, people soon learned not to mistake his personal courtesy
for weakness. On the issues that mattered to him, he was tough and
uncompromising. As David Mundell said last month, when
foot-and-mouth disease hit in 2001, Alex...Request free trial
(Edinburgh Central)
(Con):...Alex stood out in other ways, too. He did not go
in for personal attacks and had fine relations with , the Scottish National
Party who had beaten him to the Galloway and
Upper Nithsdale constituency. However, people soon learned not to
mistake his personal courtesy for weakness. On the issues that
mattered to him, he was tough and uncompromising. As said last month, when
foot-and-mouth disease hit in 2001, Alex emerged as the most dogged
and best-informed challenger of the Scottish Executive’s handling
of the crisis. That was because, in private, he spoke every day to
individual farmers and businesses from all over
Scotland, listened to their concerns, offered support and connected
them to people in power...
(North East Fife)
(LD): Alex was a servant to his
constituents. In the earlier sessions of the Parliament, first as a
regional member and then as a constituency MSP, he put rural issues
on the front page. He was a voice for farmersat the height of the tragedy that
was foot and mouth disease. Few people in rural Scotland,
especially in the south of the country, were not affected by foot
and mouth. Alex pressed the then rural affairs minister, my
colleague , on measures that the
Government had to take at that most difficult of times. He was a
champion when farmers needed a champion...
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