Tributes paid following the death of former deputy first minister Jim Wallace

Former Scottish Lib Dems leader Jim Wallace, who served as the first-ever deputy first minister, has died aged 71.

He had been undergoing a procedure at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh but suffered complications afterwards.

Lord Wallace of Tankerness was elected as an MP in 1983 for Orkney & Shetland and held the seat for 18 years.

Upon the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, he was elected as MSP for Orkney and became deputy first minister of Scotland, serving in government from 1999 to 2005.

He became acting first minister while Donald Dewar underwent heart surgery in April 2000, after Dewar’s death in October 2000 and again following the resignation of Henry McLeish in 2001.

He later served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 2021 to 2022.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “Jim Wallace was one of the architects of modern Scotland and one of the finest liberals our party has ever produced.

“He believed deeply in devolution as a way to give people better services and more control over their own lives and he lived a life of public service right up until the end.

“For me personally, he was a mainstay of support throughout my adult life. Even as he went into hospital for the final time, he was still sending me words of advice and I will always try to live up to the standards he set.

“Throughout his career, Jim was widely respected across party lines for his integrity, calm judgement and deep belief in liberal values: fairness, the rule of law and respect for communities, no matter how remote.

“Scotland is a better country because of Jim Wallace, and the Liberal Democrats are a better party because of his example.”

In 2024, Wallace was given a lifetime achievement award at the Holyrood Political Awards. Earlier that year he had spoken of how his faith had been a comfort during a period of ill health.

First Minister John Swinney said he was “profoundly shocked” by the news of the death.

He said: “As the first-ever deputy first minister of Scotland, Lord Wallace was a hugely important figure in shaping Scotland’s modern political national life.

“His contribution to our country is demonstrated by the success and strength of the Scottish Parliament. Jim helped shape the very first parliament and he remained an important contributor to Holyrood as a champion of devolution and a strengthened Scottish Parliament.

“My thoughts are very much with Rosie and her family, and on behalf of the people of Scotland, we stand with them in grieving a man who gave so much to our country.”

Former first minister Lord Jack McConnell said: “Jim Wallace was the best of men. 

“Honest, reliable and filled with compassion. What a loss he is — but what a difference he made. 

“I will miss him dearly.”