The premature death of Robin Cook

"We would have made more progress against terrorism if we brought peace to Palestine instead of going to war in Iraq"

These were the words of Robin Cook, former Foreign Secretary who resigned from the British Cabinet on March 2003 in protest against the war in Iraq. His memorable resignation speech prompted the first standing ovation in the history of the House of Commons. Robin Cook died unexpectedly this weekend at the age of 59. Since the Second World War, early and unexpected deaths have been commonplace in the British Labour Party - Gerry Reynolds and Brian O'Malley were both potential leaders who died in their early forties. Evan Durbin, Aneurin Bevan, Hugh Gaitskell, Anthony Crosland, John Smith, Donald Dewar and now Robin Cook were all Labour Party heavyweights who died prematurely.

When the Malta Labour Party submitted it's formal application for full membership of the Party of European Socialists (PES) in Summer 2003, Robin Cook was then PES President and he enthusiastically put his weight behind the application. I had the privilege of meeting Robin Cook following last year's PES congress in Brussels during the European Parliament election campaign. Cook was ending his mandate as President and during a ten minute conversation at the closing reception, he told me that a visit to Malta was on his mind for the short or medium term. A photo with Mr Cook appeared alongside an interview I gave to the Malta Independent on Sunday one week before the European elections in June last year. Robin Cook was a unique politician who did not suffer fools gladly and was praised by friends and critics alike. From today's Guardian:

Tributes to Robin Cook spread around the world yesterday as the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, and the American secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, added their voices to those in Britain in praising the man who resigned high office over the Iraq war. As the former foreign secretary's wife, Gaynor, 48 - who was with him when he collapsed on a Highland mountainside on Saturday - formally identified Mr Cook's body at an Inverness hospital, Ms Rice called him a "passionate defender of human freedom and dignity".

Mr Annan's spokesman acknowledged his "exceptional intellect, eloquence, vision and passion in the domestic and international arenas alike". The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, hailed him as "the greatest parliamentarian of his generation". Mr Cook, who was 59, was walking on a challenging part of Ben Stack, in a remote corner of Sutherland, around 300 metres from the summit, when he collapsed with a suspected heart attack. His wife called out for help and another hillwalker came to her aid. Neither of the Cooks had mobile telephones with them. As Mrs Cook tried to resuscitate her husband the walker telephoned the emergency services..

Those close to the accident deny reports that Mr Cook broke his neck when he fell. In a statement, Margaret Cook, by whom Mr Cook has two adult sons praised an "exemplary father" and "heavyweight" politician whose death was "a terrible shock and a terrible tragedy. He was so young and had so much to offer," she said. Mr Blair, who will return from holiday if the funeral is not private, said: "Robin was an outstanding, extraordinary talent - brilliant, incisive in debate, of incredible skill and persuasive power."...

How bloggers reacted to Robin Cook's death; Robin Cook's website