Tributes to Tom McCabe
Tributes have been paid to former South Lanarkshire Council leader Tom McCabe.
Mr McCabe died at his home in Hamilton after a period of illness, aged 60.
A former worker at the Hoover factory in Cambuslang, he was the first leader of the local authority when it was created in 1996, with Rutherglen councillor Eddie McAvoy as his depute.
Councillor McAvoy succeeded him as council leader after Mr McCabe made history in 1999 when he became the first-ever MSP to be elected.
Eddie said: “I had worked with Tom since the 1970s, first at Hoover and then at the council. He always wanted to do the best he could for the people he represented and he was a dedicated and committed public servant all his life.
“Tom was also a truly decent man and a great friend. His passing is a sad loss for South Lanarkshire, for Scotland, and most of all for his family. My thoughts are with them.”
Jack McConnell, who was First Minister of Scotland while Mr McCabe was finance minister, said: “Tom McCabe was a major influence on local and national politics in modern Scotland.
“From modernising local services as a council leader to steering the new parliament through difficult early years, his judgement and commitment were obvious to all who knew him. From the smoking ban to parliamentary standards, Tom’s legacy is considerable.
“He will be missed by family, friends and by Scotland.”
Mr McCabe represented the Hamilton South constituency from 1999 until 2011, when lost his seat to the SNP’s Christina McKelvie.
Mr McCabe was minister for parliamentary business, deputy minister for health and community care and minister for finance.
At Holyrood, Mr McCabe was minister for parliamentary business from 1999 to 2001, deputy minister for health and community care in 2003 and minister for finance and public service reform from 2004 until 2007.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon paid tribute to Mr McCabe.
She tweeted: “Very sad to hear of the death of former Labour MSP, Tom McCabe. He was a genuinely good guy. My thoughts are with his wife and family.”