Lord Steel’s son ‘devastated’ after hot-tub party death
THE son of Lord Steel of Aikwood, the former Liberal leader, said he was “devastated” yesterday after the death of a woman who fell ill while party guests were using a hot tub at his home.
Claire Maccabe, 44, became unwell during a party at the rural property on Saturday evening and died later in hospital. She and her husband Matthew, 45, were close friends of Graeme Steel, who was hosting a birthday party after turning 52 on Friday.
He issued a statement saying: “The tragic death of Claire Maccabe has left me, my family and friends devastated. Matt has lost his wife and their child has lost their mother; words cannot express how we all feel by this loss.” He added that the Maccabe family and their friends should be left in peace to “deal with this awful situation”.
Police Scotland said the death was being treated as “unexplained” but not suspicious, and their inquiries were continuing. Mrs Maccabe, a motherof-one, was with other guests at the cottage near Stow, Selkirkshire, in the Scottish Borders.
One friend described her as “the life and soul of the party”, while another added: “Everyone is devastated and still cannot believe what has happened.” Her husband declined to comment yesterday at the family home in Haddington, East Lothian.
Mrs Maccabe is understood to have hailed from Northern Ireland but had lived in Scotland for several years.
Lord Steel, 80, led the Liberal Party from 1976 to 1988, and was the first presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 to 2003.