JK Rowling, Tony Blair and Keir Starmer pay tribute at Alistair Darling memorial

Former PMs Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown had been amongst these to pay tribute to former Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling at a memorial service in Edinburgh this morning.

Labour chief Keir Starmer and the present Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves gathered at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral. Other mourners included Harry Potter writer JK Rowling, former Chancellor George Osborne and Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, and her husband ex-Labour politician Ed Balls.

Former Labour chief Ed Miliband, Lord Peter Mandelson, ex-No10 press secretary Alistair Campbell and journalist Andrew Marr had been additionally in attendance. Scottish politicians got here to pay their respects together with Scottish Labour Party Anas Sarwar and SNP chief and Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf. Ex-Scottish Tory chief Ruth Davidson, ex-Scottish Labour Party chief Kezia Dugdale and SNP MP Joanna Cherry additionally attended.

Mr Darling died on November 30, aged 70, following a keep in hospital the place he was being handled for most cancers. A personal cremation occurred on Monday. Piper Finlay MacDonald was because of offered music earlier than the service alongside items from classical composers Johannes Brahms and Johann Sebastian Bach. A choir was then set to sing the hymns In The Bleak Midwinter, Love Divine and Jerusalem.

Mr Darling’s youngsters, Anna and Calum, will learn eulogies, as will pal and former Labour minister Brian Wilson and Ms Reeves. Mr Darling served as a Labour MP between 1987 and 2015, first for Edinburgh Central after which for Edinburgh South West.

Most notably, he was chancellor in the course of the turbulent 2008 monetary disaster and was broadly credited for his “calmness in a crisis”. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown described Mr Darling as a “statesman of unimpeachable integrity whose life was defined by a strong sense of social justice”. He added: “I, like many, relied on his wisdom, calmness in a crisis and his humour.” Mr Darling additionally chaired the Better Together marketing campaign to maintain Scotland within the UK within the run-up to the 2014 independence referendum, once more working intently with Mr Brown.

He additionally served in Tony Blair’s authorities, first as chief secretary to the Treasury earlier than taking over the work and pensions transient in 1998. He was appointed as Transport Secretary in 2002 and as Scotland secretary in 2003 earlier than being appointed as chancellor in 2007. His dying final month prompted tributes from throughout the political spectrum, from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to First Minister Humza Yousaf, who described him as a “giant” of Scottish politics.

Mr Starmer paid tribute to him, saying his loss to the celebration can be “immeasurable”. “Alistair lived a life devoted to public service,” Sir Keir stated. He added: “He will be remembered as the chancellor whose calm expertise and honesty helped to guide Britain through the tumult of the global financial crisis. He was a lifelong advocate for Scotland and the Scottish people and his greatest professional pride came from representing his constituents in Edinburgh.”

“I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have benefited from Alistair’s counsel and friendship. He was always at hand to provide advice built on his decades of experience – always with his trademark wry, good humour. Alistair will be missed by all those whose lives he touched. His loss to the Labour Party, his friends and his family is immeasurable.”

Mr Darling is survived by his spouse, Maggie and his two youngsters. Announcing his dying, an announcement issued on behalf of his household stated: “The death of Alistair Darling, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer and long-serving member of the Labour cabinet, was announced in Edinburgh today. Mr Darling, the much-loved husband of Margaret and beloved father of Calum and Anna, died after a short spell in Western General Hospital under the wonderful care of the cancer team.”