West Lothian Council to fly flags at half mast in tribute to Robin Cook

FLAGS are to be flown at half mast on West Lothian Council buildings as a mark of respect for Livingston MP Robin Cook, who died in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, on Saturday, August 6, after collapsing while hillwalking on Ben Stack in Sutherland.

"This is obviously tragic news and the people of West Lothian will be deeply saddened and upset at the loss of our local Member of Parliament," said the Leader of West Lothian Council, Councillor Graeme Morrice.


"Robin Cook was an excellent MP for Livingston. He will be greatly and sadly missed by all those who knew him and worked with him.

" West Lothian will be a poorer place without someone of the stature of Robin Cook, who was a good, hard-working local constituency MP as well as a politician who was well-known and highly respected on the national and international stage.

" Robin Cook was a great ambassador for West Lothian. Our thoughts are with his wife Gaynor and his family at this very sad time."

West Lothian Provost Joe Thomas heard the news while attending Saturday's Livingston V Falkirk match at Almondvale Stadium. He said, "It's tragic, I am absolutely shattered."

The former Foreign Secretary first entered Parliament as MP for Edinburgh Central in 1974. He has been MP for Livingston since 1983.

Mr Cook was most recently returned as Livingston MP in May, with a majority of more than 13,000. A by-election is not likely until later in the year, with Mr Cook's long-standing friend and election agent, Jim Devine, a possible Labour candidate for the seat.