Sir Alex Fergusson (former Scottish Politician) dead

bot43

Sir Alex Fergusson, former presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, has died aged 69.

The former Conservative MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries stood down from Holyrood after 17 years of service in 2016, and was subsequently knighted.

He served as Holyrood's third presiding officer from 2007 to 2011.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said Sir Alex was "an enormous figure" in her party who had been an "exemplary" presiding officer.

He died at home early on Tuesday morning following a short illness. Flags at the parliament have been lowered to half mast as a mark of respect.

Born in Wigtownshire in 1949, Sir Alex was educated at Eton College and the Scottish Agricultural College before running his family farm for almost 30 years.

He reared cattle and sheep on the 1,500 acre farm in South Ayrshire until being elected to the Scottish Parliament as a political newcomer in 1999, as a regional list member for South Scotland.

He was then returned as a constituency MSP in Galloway in the next three elections, and was picked as presiding officer by fellow members for the 2007 to 2011 term - defeating Margo MacDonald by a margin of 103 to 20.

Image caption
Sir Alex said he was "somewhat stunned" to be knighted in 2016
He said he had no intention of becoming presiding officer, having been "just relieved to be returned to parliament" after defending a majority of 99 votes against a "strong SNP challenge" in the 2007 election.

Sir Alex said he "immensely enjoyed the privilege" of holding the post, but said it left little time for family life and constituency issues.

After the 2011 election he was pitched straight back onto the front line for the Conservatives, becoming the party's rural affairs spokesman one day after stepping down as the parliament's figurehead.

He was immediately entitled to a pension for serving as presiding officer, but opted to donate it to charities in his constituency while he was still receiving an MSP's salary.

more here...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-44532977

RIP

ohnonotgmail

**** clickbait title.

El Weirdo

Quite the click bait.

Bravo, sir.

facehugger99

FFS! - Clickbait bollox

GLaDOS

Well played

Agricola

I think I speak for any United fans when I say - Fúck you OP!

Noveight

Cheeky

bot43

I thought the spelling of his name in the title would have made it pretty clear I was on about the politician rather than the football manager.

blinding

Fergie is in extra time now after his illness run in !

Royal Irish

That's just not cool.

Boom_Bap

Pretty poor form given the recent medical troubles of the other one.
But pretty good for catching me out.

Yer Da sells Avon

I bet Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Alex Fergusson have secretly wished each other dead for years.

Uncharted

........ YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT THIS CELEB DID NEXT.........

Well played OP.

gerrybbadd

bot43 wrote: »

I thought the spelling of his name in the title would have made it pretty clear I was on about the politician rather than the football manager.

Yes, that world famous politician (that nobody has ever heard of)

lawred2

very good

Hammer89

This is dreadful to be fair.

badabing106

Greatest club manager ever probably

Working class heroes

Love it.

The Backwards Man

And suddenly FF's idea to have the State subsidise quality journalism doesn't seem so mad after all.

Omackeral

badabing106 wrote: »

Greatest club manager ever probably

Nah mate, he was a run of the mill politician.

Omackeral

Ah which dry sh*te changed the thread title. Stick it back. First decent bit of craic in a while, even if it is dark humour. Should be allowed in AH

ebbsy

What a let down.

bot43

Omackeral wrote: »

Ah which dry sh*te changed the thread title. Stick it back. First decent bit of craic in a while, even if it is dark humour. Should be allowed in AH

Careful now. You can get banned for asking such questions.

One way or other the fun police have cracked down again :rolleyes:

Yer Da sells Avon

At least the poor man's at peace now. This must really have pissed him off: