FORMER Labour chancellor Alistair Darling has died aged 70 after a short illness, his family have confirmed.
Darling served as chancellor of the exchequer under Gordon Brown from 2007 to 2010.
The veteran Labour MP passed away after a short illness at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, it was announced on Thursday.
Born in London, Darling went to the independent Loretto School in Musselburgh and graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 1976 with a legal degree, later becoming a solicitor.
He first entered politics as a councillor on Lothian Regional Council in 1982, later elected as an MP for Edinburgh Central in 1987.
Darling was one of the figureheads of the Better Together campaign during the independence referendum in 2014, notably going against then-SNP leader and first minister Alex Salmond in televised debates.
A statement issued on behalf of his family said: “The death of Alistair Darling, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer and long-serving member of the Labour cabinet, was announced in Edinburgh today.
“Mr Darling, the much-loved husband of Margaret and beloved father of Calum and Anna, died after a short spell in Western General Hospital under the wonderful care of the cancer team.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel