Hansard

I rise with a heavy heart to speak in the debate, which, with its many beautiful contributions from so many members, reflects the Parliament at its best. This is a proud moment; Gordon Aikman would have been proud, and I am sure that his family are.

As Kez Dugdale said, Gordon would not have wanted us to talk about him; he would have wanted us to talk about the issues. He would not have wanted us to talk about what we have done; he would have wanted us to talk about what we should do for the future. He would not have wanted us to focus on the past; he would very much have wanted us to focus on delivering for future generations.

I will touch on the future for a second. One of the most amazing things about Gordon was that, when he got the most tragic news, he did not focus on himself or on the past. Instead, he dedicated every moment of what remained of his life to campaigning for the future of others who would follow him.

On that note, we should say to his husband, Joe, and his wonderful family that we share their loss. Gordon was a loving man, a caring man, a happy man, a positive man and a man who—every single time I saw him, whether in person or in a picture—was always smiling. That is the way that we would all like to remember him.

Gordon was a fantastic colleague to have in the Labour Party—we were proud to say that he was one of us. I have often reflected on what a phenomenal parliamentarian—an MP or an MSP—he would have been and how much more he would have achieved, speaking up for people across the country.

The ice bucket challenge has been mentioned. One of my claims to fame will always be that I was one of the four people whom Gordon nominated to take the challenge, and my kids took great pleasure in pouring the bucket of ice over my head. Gordon and all the campaigners alongside him have helped to increase knowledge of MND and have put on record all the challenges that we continue to face in palliative care and the need for a greater focus on such care for the future.

We have already heard about some of the things that Gordon achieved in his all-too-short but absolutely remarkable life—a very full life, in which he delivered more than many people deliver in a lifetime. We have heard about Gordon’s fightback campaign, through which he raised £500,000 for MND Scotland; about the doubling of MND nurses, as well as the funding for them coming directly from the NHS; and about the securing of the legislation that guarantees people a right to a voice if they lose their own.

However, as many others have said, Gordon would have wanted us to focus on the future, which is why we should look at how we can continue to invest properly in new models of MND care, how we can bring clinical trials to Scotland, how we deal with MND and how we can have the fast tracking in the benefits system that the cabinet secretary outlined. On that point, I thank her for the tribute to Gordon that she said will exist in the form of further research in the years to follow. That is a fitting tribute to and legacy for a truly amazing man.

I will reflect for a moment on Kez Dugdale’s comments at the end of her speech about those who live with a disability. It is important that we all reflect on the basic, everyday things that we take for granted, such as stepping out of our homes; dropping our kids off at school; being able to walk, cycle or run; and accessing restaurants or bars. Many people with a disability have to plan for days ahead to be able to sit in a restaurant and have a meal with their family. If we can take one fundamental thing from today, it is that we must consider how we can support all those superhumans in their daily lives. Every single person with a disability is a superhuman, as Gordon Aikman said.

The reality is that the world is a poorer place without Gordon Aikman, but it is also a better place because of him.