Tributes to Elizabeth

There's only been one subject for most of the people I've met today, and that's the sad and sudden death of Elizabeth Maginnis, which I mentioned briefly below. There have rightly been many tributes - and what has been a common feature of so many of them has been the memory of the passion she had for the North Edinburgh community in which she was brought up and worked for all her life. And that's what has come to my mind most today when thinking about Elizabeth - the way in she was prepared to fight for the community and people who she represented - not just as a councillor but as a friend as well. Above all, she was determined - and with a smile on her face, could encourage others to keep going, at a time when she herself was facing political or personal adversity.

I knew her through our work in the local community, of course - the last time I met was at the Annual General meeting of the West Pilton & West Granton Community Council a few days ago, where busy as ever, she took away a wide range of issues to take up and work on - but also through our mutual commitment to the Labour Party. Elizabeth had been my election agent when I was first elected to Parliament in 2001 - and an excellent one too - but we had worked on many issues before then and afterwards. We didn't always agree - she was never afraid to tell people 'robustly' when she thought she they were wrong, or worse - but that honesty was one of her greatest strengths. I will miss her very much.

Of the many tributes paid to Elizabeth, one in particular I thought I would repeat here is the generous tribute from long-standing community activist in West Pilton, Betty McVay.

Betty, who has been involved in practically every group in Pilton over decades, and at present is Chair of the North Edinburgh Trust, and Chair of North Edinburgh Childcare, said:

“Elizabeth Maginnis worked passionately and tirelessly for the local community. She was a

bright and strategic thinker, a good communicator, and had a direct involvement

in many of the positive developments which have taken place over the years in

North Edinburgh.

Her endless energy and ability to inspire people was one of her many characteristics.

She never shied away from taking tough decisions when she thought they were necessary

but behind the councillor was a caring and generous individual.

She will be sorely missed by her many friends in the community”.



She will indeed.