Tributes as ‘inspirational’ campaigner dies at just 31

TRIBUTES have been paid to motor neurone disease campaigner Gordon Aikman who died yesterday aged 31. Mr Aikman was diagnosed with the terminal illness aged 29 while working for Better Together during the independence referendum.

But he went on to raise more than £500,000 for research into a cure and successfully lobbied Nicola Sturgeon to double the number of MND nurses in Scotland.

His husband, journalist Joe Pike, announced his death yesterday saying he had lost his ‘soul mate’.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Pike said: ‘My beautiful husband Gordon Aikman has died. We are all heartbroken. He was my best friend, my soul mate and the love of my life.’ Mr Aikman’s family released a statement in which they described him as a ‘beautiful, kind and utterly determined’ person.

It added: ‘He achieved more in a few short years after his diagnosis with MND than many of us do in a lifetime. Gordon’s campaigning and fundraising has truly inspired people, changed lives across Scotland and we are so proud of him. We will miss him terribly.’

Politicians and leaders from across the political spectrum shared their memories and sent condolences to his family.

Former prime minister Gordon Brown said: ‘His incredible efforts to help others will continue to inspire our country.’ Mr Brown’s predecessor Tony Blair said Mr Aikman was a ‘truly vital and remarkable man and I am proud to have known him’.

As well as being a senior adviser for the Scottish Labour party, Mr Aikman was director of research for the Better Together campaign. Former Chancellor and Better Together leader Alistair Darling described him as ‘a real hero’.

Miss Sturgeon described Mr Aikman as ‘inspirational’. Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson said: ‘Gordon Aikman will be remembered as an incredibly courageous and decent man who refused to give in to his illness and instead used it to do good for others.’

Scottish Secretary David Mundell added: ‘Few people are able to unite politicians from across the spectrum but Gordon’s enthusiasm for life did just that.’

Mr Aikman received a British Empire Medal in 2015 and an honorary doctorate from Edinburgh University in the same year for his work to transform care for people with MND and his efforts to find a cure after launching his fundraising campaign Gordon’s Fightback.

The chief executive of MND Scotland, Craig Stockton, said: ‘In the face of a devastating diagnosis at the age of just 29, Gordon turned his grief into a drive to fight for the rights of others affected and to fund a cure.’

‘Refused to give in to his illness’