Tributes pour in for former Holyrood Presiding Officer Sir Alex Fergusson

Former Holyrood Presiding Officer and Conservative MSP Sir Alex Fergusson has died aged 69.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson described him as a “proper gentleman” who will be mourned by all who knew him.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said he was “a dedicated parliamentarian with friends and admirers from across the political spectrum”.

Flags at the Scottish Parliament were lowered to half-mast yesterday as a mark of respect.

The Scottish Conservatives said Sir Alex died at home after a short illness, surrounded by his family.

He stood down from Holyrood in 2016 after 17 years as an MSP and was knighted for services to politics and public life in the same year.

He served as the parliament’s third Presiding Officer from 2007 to 2011.

A hill farmer by trade, he was first elected for the South of Scotland region and later became MSP for the Galloway and Upper Nithsdale constituency, redrawn in 2011 as Galloway and West Dumfries.

Ms Davidson said: “Alex Fergusson was a proper gentleman. His decency, compassion and wisdom earned him friends across all parties. His passing will be mourned by all who knew him.

“He wasn’t just a major figure in the Scottish Conservatives, he was also, as the Scottish Parliament’s third Presiding Officer, a hugely significant figure at Holyrood and a stout defender of the parliament.”

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “To me, Alex was foremost a great friend and I will miss him dearly. He was the absolute opposite of the career politician and was guided by a sense of public duty and his core values of family, community and country, rather than party dogma.”

Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie said Sir Alex was “always a decent person, and very fair in the Presiding Officer’s chair at parliament”.

Holyrood’s current Presiding Officer, Ken Macintosh, said: “He was the first Presiding Officer to preside during a minority government and the unique challenges this presented to parliament.

“He did so with good humour, no shortage of skill and a fundamental decency that was recognised by members from every party across the chamber.”

Sir Alex Fergusson has died at the age of 69.