Robin Cook dies

8.37.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 6th Aug 2005

I have just heard that The Rt. Hon Robin Cook MP has died whilst out hill walking in Scotland with his wife Gaynor. I always had respect from Robin Cook and am quite upset by his death, which has also reminded me of the John Smith's death. Robin Cook will be a loss to Parliament, a loss to democracy and a loss to the Country.

Robin Cook was an excellent politician and his views were not a million miles away from my from our. He was pro-European, pro-democracy - including reforming the electoral system, an internationalist who tried to get the UK to implement an ethical foreign policy. His finest hour must have been resigning from Government because of the Iraq War - he took a principled stance that some other MPs should have taken.