Robin Cook

[Northstander]

A very sad loss indeed!

 

[perseus]

Ben Stack

http://www.scottishsport.co.uk/walking/benstack.htm

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

RIP to a man who firmly fought for what he believed was right.

 

[king Wombat]

The most intelligent MP in the House of Commons is gone. RIP. The world will be a lesser place without him.

Agreed. One of the few politicans who really didn't give a toss about looking good on the camera, and the best debater I have ever seen.

 

[Scotty Mac]

great man, great belives, great beard

rip robin

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Damn! What really shitty news.

The moral conscience of the Blair government, a shrewd racing tipster, and he backed Falmer. Intellect the size of Uranus and a thoroughly decent man who never forgot where he came from. Only 59. So very very sad.

Here's a link to his resignation speech over the Iraq war. Eloquent, honest, full of insight. Conviction politics at its finest.

Robin Cook's Resignation Speech

R.I.P Robin Cook

 

[The Large One]

A very sad day for British politics. A fine man with that extreme rarity in Westminster - a sense of principle.

Incidentally, in that link provided by THPP, what was Dick Knight doing on the backbenches...?

 

[London Irish]

Absolutely gutted. I think he was getting ready to play a big role in a Brown government that might, just possibly might, have produced an independent foreign policy for Britain, breaking away from slavish devotion to Bush and the neocons.

We really couldn't afford to lose him

 

[perth seagull]

Like many, I had a great deal of respect for this man. Damn shame. RIP Robin Cook.

 

[enigma]

Rest in peace, a man to be admired for his beliefs and his desire to stick to thm.

 

[Cian]

I'm still shocked this happened.

One of the last trustworthy politicians in the UK, private life aside, in my eyes. As LI says, could have been a major part in a non-Blair Labour government.

Being willing to sacrifice your position for what you believe in is important in politics, but so rare these days - Noel Browne being the last politician I can think of to drop so far, from ministerial to back benches.

Extremely major, and extremely sad loss.

 

[dougdeep]

Terrible news, he wasn't even that old. RIP.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Link to an NSC Robin Cook exclusive, from a book-signing he did in Hove last September, including message of support for Falmer:

http://85.234.132.19/showthread.php...hlight=ROBIN COOK SUPPORT FALMER&pagenumber=1

The title of the book 'The Point Of departure' now seems particularly poignant

 

[Gwylan]

I didn't have Internet access last night so I found out about Robin Cook and the test score at the same time.

Terribly sad news that's quite spoiled my morning; a man of principle has gone. As LI says, someone I'd hoped we'd see back in office in a Gordon Brown government.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

I feel rather sorry for John Smith's daughter Sarah Smith, who broke the news live on Channel 4 last night. Having to read out on the telly that one of your dad's mates has just died in more or less the same manner as your dad can't be easy.

 

[clapham_gull]

Saddened more than what he may have achieved under Brown on the future, rather that what he achieved under Blair.

It would have been an interesting relationship. They've only just started having any type of friendship. They hated each other for years - going back to University days, when Cook I believe may have been given credit for some of Browns work ?

Anyway - great loss

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

Personally, I didn't like him, but that's irrelevant. What I did like was (I think) Ian Hislop's description of him - "eyes to the right, nose to the left"
R.I.P.

 

[Goodfella]

RIP Robin Cook, A Great Politician with great beliefs. One of the few Labour politicians to actually talk sense about the war in Iraq.
Condolences to his family

 

[Incredigull]

RIP Robin.