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Alistair Darling, who was Labour chancellor of the exchequer during the financial crisis, has died at the age of 70.
Darling oversaw the nationalisation of large parts of the UK banking system during the crisis and later went on to lead the cross-party “No” campaign in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.
Highly popular across party lines for his unflappable demeanour and deadpan sense of humour, his death came as a great shock to many.
Jeremy Hunt, the current Conservative chancellor, said Darling would be remembered as “one of the great chancellors”. He added: “He will be remembered for doing the right thing for the country at a time of extraordinary turmoil.”
Darling had been suffering from cancer but had chosen to keep his condition private, a friend of the former chancellor said. He died peacefully in Edinburgh on Thursday morning with his wife Maggie and children by his side, the friend said.
A statement issued by his family said: “Mr Darling, the much-loved husband of Margaret and beloved father of Calum and Anna, died after a short spell in Western General Hospital under the wonderful care of the cancer team.”
Darling was an MP from 1987 until he stepped down from the House of Commons in 2015, most recently representing Edinburgh South West.
He held various senior positions in the Labour government, including transport secretary, Scotland secretary and business secretary, before being promoted to chancellor in 2007.
Darling ran the Treasury for three years until Labour lost the general election in May 2010, overseeing the UK government’s interventions during the global credit crunch, including the decision to bring swaths of the banking sector into public ownership.
His cross-party appeal made him an obvious choice to chair the Better Together campaign, which led the successful “No” campaign in the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence. He was passionately opposed to Brexit.
In 2015, Darling joined the board of Morgan Stanley, the US investment bank, and took up a seat in the House of Lords. He retired from the upper house in 2020.
Sir Keir Starmer, Labour leader, said: “I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Alistair Darling. My heart goes out to his family, particularly Maggie, Calum and Anna, whom he loved so dearly.
“Alistair lived a life devoted to public service. He will be remembered as the chancellor whose calm expertise and honesty helped to guide Britain through the tumult of the global financial crisis.
“He was a life-long advocate for Scotland and the Scottish people and his greatest professional pride came from representing his constituents in Edinburgh.
“I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have benefited from Alistair’s counsel and friendship. He was always at hand to provide advice built on his decades of experience — always with his trademark wry, good humour.”
Sir Tony Blair, Labour prime minister from 1997 to 2007, said: “Alistair Darling was a rarity in politics. I never met anyone who didn’t like him. He was highly capable, though modest, understated but never to be underestimated, always kind and dignified even under the intense pressure politics can generate.”
Gordon Brown, Labour prime minister during the financial crash, said: “I am deeply saddened by the death of Alistair Darling. I, like many, relied on his wisdom, calmness in a crisis and his humour.”
Lord Stewart Wood, who was a Downing Street adviser under Brown, said Darling was a “wise, calm and clever politician, an extremely funny and generous man”.
Kezia Dugdale, former Labour leader in Scotland, said: “Compelling intellect, wicked sense of humour, phenomenal public servant and the most loving father and husband. Such a great, great loss.”
Andrew Bailey, Bank of England governor, said Darling was “a dedicated public servant in the very best sense” who “steered the British economy ably during a time of great uncertainty”.
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