Tributes paid following death of North East MSP Alex Johnstone
North East MSP Alex Johnstone has died at the age of 55.
North East MSP Alex Johnstone has died at the age of 55.
Mr Johnstone – who represented the North East of Scotland for the Conservative party since the formation of the Parliament in 1999 – passed away after a short illness.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson today led tributes to Mr Johnstone, saying he “embodied politics at its best”.
Born in Kincardineshire in 1961 and educated at Mackie Academy in Stonehaven, Mr Johnstone spent his entire life in the north east of Scotland, where he built a successful career as a self-employed dairy and arable farmer.
Elected at the age of 38, he immediately brought his considerable experience in Scotland’s rural economy to the parliament, initially as its first ever convener of the rural development committee.
In 2001, he was appointed as the Scottish Conservatives’ chief whip and business manager, serving on the Parliament’s business bureau.
In the last parliament, he served on the Parliament’s welfare reform committee. He was also appointed the party’s spokesman for infrastructure, housing and transport, a role he continued after May’s election.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said:
“Alex’s passing is an enormous loss for the Scottish Conservative party, for the Scottish Parliament, and for Scottish public life generally.
“He was a big man with a big heart. He embodied politics at its best: trenchant in his views, always up for a political fight, but respected and admired by all sides of the political divide for his decency and generosity.
“The north east of Scotland could not have had a greater friend over the 17 years he served as their MSP. He was utterly devoted to championing the area.
“All our thoughts and prayers are now with Linda and their family.
“During his short illness, Alex was greatly touched by the many messages of goodwill he received from across the parliament.
“On behalf of the party, may I thank everybody who got in touch with Alex to pass on their thoughts. It meant a great deal to him.”
Mr Johnstone is survived by his wife Linda, two children and six grandchildren.