North East MSP Bill Bowman has given his final speech at Holyrood before retiring ahead of this year’s election.
Mr Bowman paid tribute to his late wife, Helen, 70, who died suddenly in October 2020.
The Scottish Conservative member acknowledged his predecessor, Alex Johnstone, who passed away in December 2016.
‘An honour and a privilege’
He said: “I joined the Parliament following a sad event – the untimely passing of Alex Johnstone.
“I leave the Parliament following the untimely passing of my wife, Helen, last October.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve here, but I will always have bittersweet memories due to these events.”
He continued: “Getting out and about in the North East region to visit organisations and meet constituents was a very rewarding aspect of the job.
“That is particularly the case when we can help them with the issues that they raise.
“Those issues tend to involve health boards or councils and, unfortunately, it can take a member of the Parliament’s involvement to find a resolution — but that is now for others to resolve.
“The Parliament these days is nothing like the one that I joined. The pandemic has virtually emptied this place. I am concerned about how new members will take to the system if it remains so slimmed down.
“I am sure that that is being considered by parliamentary authorities, but it means that current members who return will have, in my view, an even greater obligation to help bring new members on board in what is a much more virtual Parliament these days.
“I thank all the staff I have worked with: my own staff here in Holyrood, my constituency staff, the staff in the Parliament— those who look after our facilities and security and those who work with us in committees and in the chamber. Thank you.”
Parliament pays tribute
Members of other parties congratulated Mr Bowman on his time in parliament, and Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie paid tribute to the MSP’s beloved partner.
He said: “I knew Bill Bowman’s wife, Helen, she was a kind and generous woman and certainly formidable for anybody who met her.
“I met her as one of my constituents and I was truly sad when she passed. I wish Bill well in the future and I am sure he will make use of his MSP in the future. He knows he can retire from this place knowing he did his bit for his country.”