‘It’s his friendship I miss the most’

In the 1990s, former North East Fife Liberal Democrat MP and former leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Menzies Campbell – now Baron Campbe l l of Pittenweem – shared a p l at f o r m with Do n a l d Dewar calling for a “Yes Yes” devolution vote.

However, when Lord Campbell reflects on the 20 years since Donald Dewar died, it is his friendship he misses most.

When Lord Campbell started at G lasgow University in 1959, Donald Dewar was in third year and already a “big wheel” of the debating society alongside future Labour leader John Smith. All the debates were along political lines with each taking a tu rn to “fo rm a government”.

L ord Campbell, who became president of the Glasgow University Liberal Club, remembers Donald and John asking him: “Why are you not in the Labour Party like your parents?” to which he replied: “Because I’m a Liberal!”

“They didn’t think that was a sufficient excuse!” laughed Lord Campbell who recalls how Donald could be “very cutting”.

The son of a respected dermatologist, the Dewar family home bordered

Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Park where student Donald had the basement and hosted “pretty wild” parties.

They lost touch for a while after Donald was unexpectedly elected Labour MP for South Aberdeen. However, he later became a “regular fixture” at the Campbell house – including regular Christmas Eve visits.

Lord Campbell said Donald had a “very fine collec tion” of Scottish Colourist paintings and was also enormously into collecting rare books.

He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of the Presbyterian religion of

Scotland Century.

He was also very keen on sport – even if he was the “least sporting” of Lord Campbell’s friends.

“He used to follow my athletics activity with an eagle eye. If it was good he would say so, and if it wasn’t, he would also say so!” he laughed.

Ho w e v e r, there was another aspect that had to be kept in mind if Donald visited.

“You had to be ver y careful what chair you allowed Donald to sit on because if you weren’ t careful he would break it!” added Lord Campbell. in the 19 th