Tributes have been paid to Lady Elspeth Campbell, the wife of former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell.
The party announced her death at home in Edinburgh, aged 83, following a period of recuperation in hospital.
In a statement, Sir Menzies said: “After more than 50 years of marriage, my bright, beautiful and witty Elspeth has gone.
“She was my constant political companion, always my encouragement and forever my first line of defence.
“When I had doubts about the leadership of the Liberal Democrats her advice was clear, she said “never say never”.
“She was renowned for her hosting of political Sunday lunches, which always lingered long into the evenings.
“Her passion for politics, her support of me and her love of her family will be very much missed.”
Sir Menzies served as North East Fife MP for 28 years, until he stepped down in 2015.
And the couple had a cottage in Gateside throughout his tenure.
‘A wonderful mind and great turn of phrase’
North East Fife Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie was among the first to pay tribute to Lady Campbell.
He described her as “a force of nature”.
And he said: “She was always by Ming’s side, encouraging, supporting, advising but never a wallflower.
“She had a wonderful mind and a great turn of phrase.
“Prior to the smoking ban she could be found in any room by hunting for the plumes of tobacco smoke.
“She will be missed across North East Fife and beyond.”
‘Highly intelligent lady’
Iain Smith worked in Sir Menzies’ constituency office before being elected MSP in 1999.
Lady Campbell dealt with her husband’s diary from the party’s Edinburgh office.
Iain said: “I have fond memories of working together on the campaign trail.
“She was always a support and such fun to be with.
“It’s hard to imagine Ming without Elspeth.”
Former East Neuk councillor Elizabeth Riches, who led the Liberal Democrats on Fife Council for many years, said Lady Campbell and her husband had a “strong, strong partnership”.
She said: “You never thought of one without the other.
“I had the greatest respect and love for her and valued her opinion and knowledge.
“She was a highly intelligent lady in her own right.”
From convent school to MP’s secretary
Lady Elspeth Campbell, Baroness Campbell of Pittenweem, was born in New Delhi, India, in January 1940.
She was the daughter of Major General Roy Urquhart and his wife Pamela, and one of four children.
After the Second World War she and her family moved to Kuala Lumpur when her father was posted to British Malaya during the Malayan Emergency.
She was later sent to a convent school in Devon where she achieved A levels that would have earned entry to Oxford.
However, her father vetoed the idea and she was instead sent to a finishing school.
She later took a first-class degree in English literature at the Open University, studying while working as Sir Menzies’s secretary.
Lady Campbell was introduced to Menzies Campbell by her then barrister, future Conservative MP Sir Nicholas Fairbairn in 1969.
At the time she was going through a divorce from her first husband, with whom she has a son.
She married then advocate Sir Menzies in 1970.
Conversation