A dedicated man of the people

MICHAEL Martin, who sadly died last Sunday, was a thoroughly decent man and a consummate politician.

When he was Speaker he once invited me to the opening of Parliament and the reception afterwards in his apartments.

It was like a wedding as guests queued up in a line waiting to be greeted by the Speaker’s party.

When it came to my turn, Michael shook my hand, put his other on my shoulder and, with his familiar avuncular smile, looked into my eyes and said: ‘Son, I know I know you but for the life of me I can’t place you.’

Slightly crestfallen, I gave him my name.

‘Of course,’ he said, and without missing a beat turned to his wife and said, ‘Mary, meet Paul Sinclair, he grew up in Bishopbriggs, went to Oxford, and he has got a beautiful wee daughter called Katie.’ He might not have been able to find the file when he first saw my face but when he did, he knew his detail. Michael was deeply committed to his community and he always put its people first. I once had an argument with him about electoral reform, which he strongly opposed. But it was in the Labour Party’s manifesto, I pleaded. ‘Manifesto. Really?’ he said. ‘I don’t listen to manifestos, son, I listen to the people of Springburn. They keep me right.’ We will wait a very long time before as committed a public servant and parliamentarian as Michael Martin comes along. Rest in peace.