Bob McLean - a sad loss

The sad death of Bob McLean which was announced this weekend has rightly brought forth many tributes to his life and work.

Bob was a lifelong political activist, in Scottish Labour, in the campaign for the Scottish Parliament, and in much more besides. I knew and worked with him in many of these aspects of his life, which have already been referred to in many tributes and obituaries.

However, I also came to know well and work closely with Bob in another part of his life, his work for Edinburgh City Council. Shortly after I became Chair of the then District Council Recreation and Leisure Committee in 1984, Bob was appointed to a new team recruited to promote the many activities of that department in a more outgoing and dynamic way. Bob took to that job like a duck to water, helping to organise and publicise programmes with an infectious enthusiasm and zeal. Whether it was ancient Chinese artefacts like the Emperor's Warriors, classical music concerts, modern popular art like the Thunderbirds, social history like the People's Story, summer holiday children's programmes, or tea dances in the Assembly Rooms, Bob would be using all his talents to encourage people to enjoy and learn.

In the best sense of the concept, Bob displayed a passion to make art and culture accessible and popular, without undermining its quality and integrity. That passion showed his commitment to democracy just as much as his commitment to radical socialism.