Tributes as campaigning ‘hero’ Aikman is laid to rest

MOTOR neurone disease campaigner Gordon Aikman was remembered yesterday as a hero who faced up to his disease with ‘incredible courage and dignity’.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, former prime minister Gordon Brown and Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale were among hundreds paying their respects to the 31-year-old, pictured, who died earlier this month.

A funeral service was held yesterday at Warriston Crematorium in Edinburgh before a larger memorial service in the city where Mr Aikman’s husband Joe Pike led the tributes. He said: ‘Life is never without Gordon and never will be without Gordon... He has made me a better person because, even when he was dying, Gordon taught us all so much about how to live.’

Mr Aikman was 29 and working as the research director for the Better Together campaign when he was diagnosed with MND in 2014.

He formed Gordon’s Fightback, successfully lobbying the First Minister to double the number of MND nurses funded through the NHS, and raised more than £500,000 for research into finding a cure.

Miss Sturgeon said he had reminded everyone that some things were more important than the Yes and No referendum campaigns, adding: ‘Gordon faced up to his diagnosis with incredible courage and dignity. His campaign to raise awareness of MND and achieve better care and treatment for those diagnosed was inspirational.’

Former Better Together chairman Alistair Darling told the congregation: ‘Truly, we have lost a hero but he leaves us greater hope that one day there will be a cure. That was what he wanted. We will not forget him.’