Born                          21 August 1937

Died                          11 October 2000

Constituency          Glasgow Anniesland

(MP 1978 – 2000 formerly known as Glasgow Garscadden MSP 1999 – 2000)

Party                       Labour

Majority                  15,154 (Westminster)

                                  10,993 (Holyrood)

Donald Dewar was the first First Minister of the Scottish Parliament and was born in Glasgow on 21 August 1937. He was educated at the Glasgow Academy and read Law at Glasgow University serving as President of the Union 1961/2.

He first entered Parliament as MP for Aberdeen South in 1966 until 1970 and then as MP for Glasgow Garscadden from 1978. Donald Dewar was appointed chair of the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs in 1979-81 and served as shadow Scottish secretary 1983-92 and Shadow Social Security Spokesman in 1992. In the run up to the 1997 General Election he was appointed Labour’s chief Whip and was appointed Scottish Secretary following the election tasked with the role of piloting the Scottish Act through Parliament and bringing Devolution to Scotland.

In a foreword to the White Paper on Devolution Donald Dewar wrote “the Government’s aim is a fair and just settlement for Scotland within the framework of the United Kingdom - a settlement which will be good both for Scotland and the United Kingdom. The Scottish Parliament will strengthen democratic control and make government more accountable to the people of Scotland.” He said “the Scottish Parliament will reflect the needs and circumstances of all of the people of Scotland regardless of race, gender or disability. Scotland will no longer be the only democratic country with its own legal system but no legislature of its own.”

Donald Dewar campaigned actively for double Yes vote for the Parliament and tax raising powers during the referendum campaign, which resulted in a turn out of 60% and 74% in favour of the Parliament with 63.5% in favour of tax raising powers.

In a speech to the new Parliament opened on 1st July 1999 Donald Dewar said, “this is a significant day, there won't be any quarrelling about that. A significant day for every politician in Scotland, a day on which we come together regardless of party differences.  I have every intention of enjoying it, right down to the last firework at the end of the day. I recommend that to you and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. “

Dewar faced a tough first year as First Minister with battles on the introduction of tuition fees and the repeal of Section 28.

In May 2000 he underwent surgery for faulty heart valve at Glasgow Royal Infirmary although clearly frail he said that he would "suspect that by the end of the summer I'll be raring to go." He returned to front line Politics but fell ill in October 2000 after a fall outside Bute House, the First Secretary’s Official Residency and was later taken to hospital where he was placed on a life support machine.

Donald Dewar died on 11 October 2000

Sir David Steel, the Presiding Officer in a special session of the Scottish Parliament led the Political tributes saying, “Donald Dewar elevated the profession of politician. As an occupation, politics is too easily derided, but to be a politician should be the highest and noblest calling of all—involvement in the responsible and accountable governance of people's lives”

Donald Dewar’s deputy First Minister and leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Jim Wallace said “We meet to pay tribute to a great leader, an outstanding parliamentarian, a colleague and a friend. Put simply, Donald was a fundamentally honest and decent man. He was also a loyal man. He was loyal to his friends, to his colleagues and to the Labour party—the party that he not only led, but to which he devoted his life. Above all, he was loyal to Scotland. Our grief and sense of loss is shared by millions who never met him or knew him.”

Buckingham Palace said the Queen was deeply shocked and saddened at the news and that "his passion for Scotland and all things Scottish was renowned and his contribution to the historic process of devolution in recent years has been immense.”

Prince Charles called Dewar “a remarkably energetic and determined person who clearly dedicated his entire life to the needs and concerns of Scotland and Scotland's people".

United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair said “Scotland has lost its leader and its guiding hand. It has lost a great man, too. I can imagine how Donald - whose modesty was legendary - would react to these words and all the other tributes of the last 24 hours but they are nevertheless true. His qualities of honesty, integrity, wisdom and, perhaps most of all, decency made him a successful and loved politician and an honour to know.”