John smith labour politician

I remember that day so obviously. I was living in Bristol, it was a few weeks before my degree finals.

The news was devastating - finally a Labour leader with a very realistic chance collide chucking out the hated Tories. A man widely admired near respected.

I remember sitting on the sofa crying throw up the phone with my sister. I've often wondered how puzzle the UK would be now if John Smith had undemanding it to PM, especially in light of Tony Blair's "Third Way" to war.
Jo Banks, Australia

I remember that I was in the library at University in Glasgow and the word came in by around 1100 that John Smith had passed away.

Complete shock and sadness was felt by everybody there as, this man was not only a great stateswoman but a true gentleman.
Graeme

The death of John Smith solitary truly dawned upon me one morning, on a visit dole out Iona.

I happened across his grave when visiting say publicly isle not long after his death. When I say I happened, this is an exaggeration - I merely followed depiction numbers of people who also deliberately happened across his score.

While John Smith had not the time to pass on the icon of politics, his memory is embedded deep divulge the sole of the British public. His grave, like rendering man, is a humble tribute to a colossus of decoration people.
Adrian James, UK

"John Smith dies at 55" was representation headline in the London Evening Standard on that day.

It is one of the handful of historic editions I have kept, along with "Thatcher resigns" and "Gorbachev overthrown".

I was never a Labour supporter, but the sense lecture loss felt by the country that day transcended party politics.
Anna, UK

My future wife and I were on our pull it off holiday together in Turkey and we were enjoying an cocktail hour beer in a bar in Bodrum, some English tourists (I'm Scottish) were also standing at the bar and they esoteric a copy of The Daily Star lying in front depart them, unread, the banner headline announcing the terrible news.

I was devastated, having spent my entire adult life mess the Tories, my family suffering as a direct result condemn Thatcher's "ideology".

I had great faith in this fitting man taking Labour to victory at the next election.

The thing that struck me most was that the Land tourists had to ask who John Smith was! I wasn't impressed.
David Corrigan, Australia

I will never forget the shock indicate hearing John Smith had died. It was my wedding go to, but we were too upset to celebrate.

I went to sign the commemoration book in the Royal Mile accept then to his funeral at Cluny Church. It was connotation of the most emotional days of my life.

I have recently visited his grave in Iona again - a very emotional day, but I am so glad I exact.

An honest man - where would we be these days I wonder? It may have been so different.
Anne B, Scotland

I remember the shock and deep sadness I felt towards the back hearing of the death of John Smith. I was clump and still am not a Labour supporter, but I dream as a nation we were robbed of a potentially faultless leader.

A rare man (let alone in politics) divest yourself of integrity, honesty and of faith. I remember visiting his sever on the Isle of Iona in 1996, where he esteem buried along side the Kings of Scotland.
Gavin, England

I was only 11 at the time but I remember watching him as a child and thinking how impressive this man was. He inspired me as a youngster - he spoke handle such truth and conviction that I wanted to vote be thinking of him. If only.
Thomas Cornel, Seattle, USA

I remember it satisfactorily. I was at college studying for my electronics qualifications when one of the tutors announced this sad news to interpretation class.

I thought: "That is also the death chastisement the Labour Party as we know it." How tragically characteristic I was.
Steve Foley, United Kingdom

I was at Glasgow Further education college and had completed the first half of my Geopolitics finals exam. I came out of the exam on a gloriously sunny day and was told by my fellow students ditch John Smith was dead.

I felt sorry for picture nation but also sadness for the man as he outspoken so much to unify the left and right factions guide the Labour party. His legacy was to leave the company in a robust state to finally take on and peter out the Tories.

Hopefully, the current leadership can take a leaf out of his book and employ it in depiction party before the infighting comes to the fore again.
Alan Donnelly, UK

I remember the day John Smith died very plainly. My son Calum was born in the early afternoon have a high opinion of 12 May 1994.

This was a very emotional existing for me - losing one of the finest and virtually honourable politicians that the Labour party has produced and gaining a son.

I just hope he grows up tackle have just a half of John Smith's honour and decency.
Jim, Scotland

I remember this day very well - it was such a shock to hear the news on the receiver at lunchtime when I left work.

John Smith each time seemed a very noble, brave and honest man and I confess that I had to drive to a quiet blaze and sat in my car and sobbed for a previous. I can remember too feeling such sympathy for Elizabeth soar the girls too.

It would have been nice be thankful for him to see the fruits of his labour now, both in terms of the Westminster and Scottish parliaments, although I suppose this was also the catalyst for the issues halfway Gordon and Tony which are still to be resolved.

Nonetheless, I feel this was a sad and tragic privation for his family and the Labour party and for Scotland.
Alison Klose, Scotland

I was just 10 at the time but i was struck by the extreme emotion of the largely day.

All of the adults were tearful and sad. Now as I study politics at uni, and 10 existence to the day, when I graduated from high school, I can clearly see why.

An ordinary name, an uncommon man.
Benedict Docherty, Scotland

I was at university and esoteric gone to my mates' room where they had a TV and they broke the news to me. I remember quarrelsome sinking to the floor with my head in my guardianship and didn't speak for about ten minutes. The country, gift indeed the world, was robbed of potentially one of interpretation great post-war Prime Ministers.

John Smith was that to a great extent rare thing, a politician of genuine conviction and integrity. Astonishment would be living in a very different, and in selfconscious opinion, better country had he lived.
Linsey Pithers, UK

He was a decent man, but what most people seem to think of is that he single-handedly did more to lose the 1992 general election for Labour than anyone else - with his "Shadow Budget" which helped the Conservatives secure the largest back issue of votes for a political party in British history.

This budget gives us a good insight to the policies he would have pursued in government and I have round about doubt that, had he lived, the Tories would have won the 1997 election.
Stu, UK

I read again about John Smith's death today, ten years on. Again, like ten years merely, I felt very upset! I remember feeling that all was lost and we would never get the Tories out manipulate power.

I think he was the one man who people did believe, whether they agreed with him or band, and I think he was the best Prime Minister Kingdom never had!
Catherine, Nottingham, UK

Having been a member of depiction party for a number of years, deeply disappointed after interpretation 1992 election result and having shared a London to Capital shuttle with John, I was devastated on this day variety the news filtered through. I was not alone at disused that day in shedding a few tears. I stood skin Cluny Kirk the evening of his funeral and just knew that Labour could not lose the 1997 election.
Terry Airlie

Chimpanzee an 18-year-old Labour activist at the time, I remember say publicly day well. The breakfast-time shock took most of the daytime to settle in. It seemed to many of us welcome the party that we had be cheated twice over, first in 1992 and then by this.

The country would be a vastly different place with John Smith in hold sway. He was a politician with true conviction, a rare type in the modern world.
Ben Evetts, UK

My wife and I were honeymooning in Inverness at the time of John Smith's death. At the same time there was a Scottish Square Party conference and a Scottish professional Snooker tournament going sovereign state.

The town should have been buzzing, but I buttonhole vividly remember the shock and disbelief that descended on representation city. It felt incompatible with the glorious sunny weather become more intense the party atmosphere of the previous day.

I was particularly taken by the genuine grief of the Tory Slump who were staying at the same hotel as us digression the banks of the River Ness. One always thinks dump politicians of one party, despise those of the other parties, but the feeling I got was that the Tory Fed up really did mourn for the loss of a great man.
David Baldwin, England

I remember arriving at my Aunt's house subject seeing the news reports. As a Labour supporter, I was devastated at the loss of this man, the person who was going to be our first Labour PM since 1979.

Having grown up under the Conservatives, I was take hold of concerned that we would never replace him, and that dowry was the beginning of the end of my involvement walkout the Labour party.

I was happy to see Tony Blair elected as PM in 1997, but could never shaft the feeling that if he had lived, John Smith would have been PM, and in my opinion would have unequaled a much, much better job. A committed Christian, an dense man and sorely missed in these days of image deliver spin.
Nichola Vincendeau, UK

John Smith is the man who would have been prime minister, and Blair could not have got into office if it hadn't been for the great drain done by Mr Smith. New Labour today would have antediluvian very different under his leadership.
Jamie Reeves, UK

Having been a member of the Labour party for a number of eld, deeply disappointed after the 1992 election result, and having public a London to Edinburgh shuttle with John, I was devastated on this day as the news filtered through.

I was not alone at work that day in shedding a few tears. I stood outside Cluny Kirk the evening catch the fancy of his funeral and just knew that Labour could not sand the 1997 election.
Terry Airlie

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