It’s been announced today (Friday, September 26) that former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell has died at the age of 84.
Born in Glasgow in 1941, he was educated at the city’s Hillhead High School and the University of Glasgow, where he was elected chair of the Liberal Club in 1962.
He was a talented sportsman, captaining the Great British athletics team in 1965 and holding the British record for the 100m sprint from 1967-1974 (with a time of 10.2 seconds).
Ming, as he was generally known, first stood for parliament in 1976, but did not win the North East Fife constituency until 1987, winning successive elections until standing down in 2015, the same year he entered the House of Lords.
He was a short-lived leader of the Liberal Democrats between 2006 and 2007, but was a political giant of his party, also serving as Deputy Leader, as well as being a spokesman for defence and foreign affairs.
It was in the latter role that he became a prominent opponent of the 2003 Iraq War, criticising Tony Blair’s unwavering support of President George W. Bush.
Here are 11 revealing quotes on what he thought of Blair and other political ruminations.
5. Menzies Campbell on...September 11
"The cause of the attack was not American foreign policy but an amoral disregard for human life.It is grotesque to suggest that a four-year-old girl, making her first and only flight in an aeroplane, should somehow bear responsibility for the actions of a government for whom she was never allowed the chance to grow up and vote either for or against." | Getty Images
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6. Menzies Campbell on...the environment (again)
"My priorities? The environment, the environment, the environment." | Getty Images
7. Menzies Campbell on...Gordon Brown's goverment and David Cameron's opposition
"It’s like a soap opera. It’s certainly an identity crisis. Gordon wants to be like Maggie, but he doesn’t want to be like Tony. Tony also wanted to be like Maggie, but Maggie only wanted to be like Ronnie. Now Dave, he wants to be like Tony, but he doesn’t want to be like William, or Iain, or Michael, and certainly not like Maggie either. Confused? You must be, but you can be clear on this: I don’t want to be like any of them." | Getty Images
8. Menzies Campbell on...resigning as Lib Dem leader
"It has become clear that following the prime minister's decision not to hold an election, questions about leadership are getting in the way of further progress by the party. Accordingly I now submit my resignation as leader with immediate effect." | Getty Images