Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader who was an MP for nearly three decades, has died aged 84, prompting tributes from across the political spectrum for his decency and sense of principle.
Lord Campbell, usually known as Ming, died in London after a period of respite care, his grandson Gregor Grant-Suttie said in a statement. He had spent some of his final days watching last weekend’s Lib Dem conference, the family said.
Before becoming a politician, Campbell was a senior barrister. As a young man he had been an elite sprinter, competing for Great Britain in the 1964 Olympics, and holding the UK record for 100 metres for seven years.
Campbell, who was MP for North East Fife for 27 years, lasted just 18 months as party leader, taking the role in 2006 after Charles Kennedy stepped down suddenly, saying he was being treated for alcoholism.
He had a sometimes difficult period as leader and there was speculation about a challenge when it appeared that Gordon Brown was about to call an election in 2007.
While the election did not happen, Campbell resigned, saying: “Questions about leadership are getting in the way of further progress by the party.”
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, said Campbell was “a dedicated public servant, a tireless champion for Fife, St Andrews and the UK, and a true Liberal giant”.
He said: “He was the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on foreign affairs when the world changed on 9/11 and his principled leadership opposing the Iraq war was a mark of his morality, courage and wisdom. He spoke up for what was right, even when it was hard.”
Tony Blair called Campbell “one of the most honourable and decent people in politics, liked and respected across the political spectrum”, with the former prime minister saying he was “a colleague you could trust and work with”.
Brown said Campbell “was a polymath – a British Olympic athlete, a well-known advocate at the Scottish bar who will be remembered most as a popular member of parliament and Liberal leader who specialised in Scottish affairs.
“I remember him as a fellow Fife MP and a friend who was always great to work with cross-party lines, who shared a strong sense of social justice and a belief in international cooperation. He will be remembered too for his kindness and humanity, always generous to other people, always considerate in giving his advice and in listening to the advice of others.”
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said that while she was not in the Commons at the same time as Campbell, “he always stood out as a man of principle, integrity and great commitment to our country. Politics is poorer for his loss”.
Campbell studied law at Glasgow University, later attending Stanford in the US. As an athlete he held the UK record for the 100 metres with a time of 10.2 seconds, a mark set in 1967 that stood until 1974.
Competing at the 1964 Tokyo Games, Campbell, then aged 23, took part in the 200 metres, reaching the quarter-finals, and the 4x100-metre relay, where the team got to the final.
While at Stanford, he raced against and beat OJ Simpson, who had a college athletics career before turning to American football. On one of these occasions, Campbell finished second to Tommie Smith, the US athlete who won the 200 metres at the 1968 Olympics and famously gave a black power salute from the podium.
Campbell recounted the experience in an interview with a Scottish newspaper. “I’d had a very good indoor season. I ran at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Mount San Antonio relay meet was my first outdoor run and I did 10.2 wind-assisted, beating a certain OJ Simpson, who hadn’t yet switched to American football. I also beat him indoors in Sacramento, the legendary Tommie Smith first, me second, OJ third.”
After Campbell stepped down as party leader, Vince Cable took over on an interim basis before a leadership election won by Nick Clegg, whom Campbell had promoted to become home affairs spokesperson.
He was not a minister in the 2010-15 coalition with the Conservatives, and became a peer after stepping down before the near-wipeout of Lib Dem MPs at the 2015 election.
After becoming a lord, Campbell remained close to Lib Dem politics and was a regular and affable presence at party events.
In 2023, Elspeth, his wife of more than 50 years, died aged 83. She was the daughter of Maj Gen Roy Urquhart, who led airborne forces in the Battle of Arnhem in 1944 and was subsequently played by Sean Connery in the film A Bridge Too Far.
