Message from Harry Cairney

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Harry Cairney

I will personally miss george greatly, george was a larger than life character well recognised as having strong opinions, but quite often introducing an alternative opinion merely to play the role of the devils advocate, which very often was his way of creating a little bit of devilment.

I will always remember my first Labour Coference with Geordie and Michael Boyle at Blackpool in 1974, it was memorable in many ways, not least because Arthur Scargill had us ejected from a fringe meeting he was holding due to Geordie asking awkward questions, which Arthur didnt like.

Over the last 30 years or so I spent lots of time with geordie at conferences of one sort or another, much of the lighter side of our time at the conferences was seeing who could come up with the most tickets for the freebies, needless to say wee Geordie won hands down every time, if he couldnt get a ticket he would blag his way through the door, quite often with a dozen or so of us tagging on behind him.

There are so many organisations that Geordie was involved in it is some times difficult to recall them all, I was involved with geordie in East Lothian Labour Party where he was Treasurer for many years, The National union of Labour and Socialist clubs where I was Scottish Chairman and Geordie was the Scottish Secretary, many a great time we had at those conferences, one area of that organisation that Geordie really enjoyed was the political sub committee which met in room SWI of the house of commons we both had great fun at those meetings, as with the conferences Geordie was always getting his photo taken with ministers and prime ministers, and they were as proud having their photo taken with wee Geordie, when I phoned some of the clubs in England to tell them of Georges sudden death they were stunned and saddened.

I also had the pleasure of serving on the local community council with Geordie where as secretary he performed his duties second to none, always fighting the corner of the Pans and striving to get what improvements he could for our community.

Yes Geordie will be greatly missed, as a friend, colleague and comrade, here in the Pans Labour we will always be grateful for his commitment and support, but most of all his friendship. I can almost feel a wry smile come over my face when I think of Geordie, standing at the pearly gates convincingly telling St Peter he has an Invitation in his back pocket.

Good on you wee Geordie you made a difference in so many ways.

Regards
Harry

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