Editing Donald Dewar (section)

==Death and funeral==
[[File:Henry Mcleish.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Dewar was succeeded as first minister by his [[Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning]], [[Henry McLeish]] on 27 October 2000 following Dewar's death]] 

In early 2000, Dewar was admitted to the [[Glasgow Royal Infirmary]] after tests at [[Stobhill Hospital]] highlighted "minor irregularity" in his heart.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-10-11 |title=Donald Dewar's year of ill health |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2000/oct/11/scotlanddevolution.devolution |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC NEWS {{!}} In Depth {{!}} Donald Dewar {{!}} Dewar undergoes heart tests |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/725576.stm |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> In May 2000, tests revealed he had a faulty aortic valve and he underwent a four-hour heart operation to repair a leaking heart valve.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Dewar to have heart surgery |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/dewar-to-have-heart-surgery-1.268464 |access-date=2022-05-01 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref> His personal spokesperson, [[David Whitton]], stated  "he is as concerned about his health as anyone else would be". Although Dewar was not going under surgery, considerations over whether to cancel foreign trips to Japan were under close watch.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-10-11 |title=Donald Dewar's year of ill health |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2000/oct/11/scotlanddevolution.devolution |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

Dewar was forced to take a three-month break and Deputy First Minister [[Jim Wallace]] took over as acting first minister.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC News {{!}} SCOTLAND {{!}} Dewar takes post-op steps |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/744733.stm |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> After returning to office, Dewar was described as being "visibly tired" and fears for his health at this stage were officially dismissed following a [[First Minister's Questions (Scottish Parliament)|First Minister's Question Time]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC News {{!}} SCOTLAND {{!}} Timeline: Donald Dewar's death |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/967544.stm |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leonard |first=Richard |date=2020-10-11 |title=Donald Dewar died 20 years ago today but his vision of social justice lives on |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/donald-dewar-died-20-years-22822304 |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC NEWS {{!}} In Depth {{!}} Donald Dewar {{!}} First Minister returns to the fray |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/scotland/2000/donald_dewar/879123.stm |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

Dewar dealt with the [[2000 SQA examinations controversy|2000 exam results controversy]] and the lorry drivers' strike, and attended the Labour Party conference in [[Brighton]], but on 29 September 2000<Ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.celticcountries.com/politics/34-scottish-first-ministers-address-at-the-trinity-college-29092000 | title=Scottish First Minister's address at the Trinity College, 29/09/2000 | date=22 October 2007 }}</ref> he told the historian [[Tom Devine]] in [[Dublin]] that if he did not feel any better, he would have to reappraise the situation in a few months' time.<ref>[http://www.electricscotland.com/history/donald_dewar.htm "Donald Dewar"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513102041/http://www.electricscotland.com/history/donald_dewar.htm|date=13 May 2012}}, ''Electronic Scotland'', October 2000</ref>

On 10 October 2000, Dewar sustained a seemingly harmless fall outside his official residence at [[Bute House]] following a meeting of the [[Scottish Cabinet]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-10-10 |title=Donald Dewar critically ill after fall on pavement |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/donald-dewar-critically-ill-after-fall-on-pavement-634608.html |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> He seemed fine at first, but later that day suffered a massive [[brain haemorrhage]] which was possibly triggered by the [[anticoagulant]] medication he was taking following his heart surgery. At 7pm, five hours after his fall, Dewar was admitted to the [[Western General Hospital]] in [[Edinburgh]] after his condition rapidly deteriorated. By 9pm, he was put on a life-support machine in the hospital's [[intensive care unit]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dewar fights for his life |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12153856.dewar-fights-for-his-life/ |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=HeraldScotland |date=11 October 2000 |language=en}}</ref> Dewar's condition worsened and he failed to regain consciousness. On 11 October at 12:18pm, after his children gave permission for his life support to be switched off, Dewar was officially pronounced dead, aged 63.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Donald Dewar dies in hospital, aged 63 |language=en |newspaper=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/scotland-travel/donald-dewar-dies-in-hospital-aged-63-n3mt97frtlb |access-date=2022-05-01 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2010-10-03 |title=Remembering Donald Dewar - a decade on |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-11455257 |access-date=2022-05-01}}</ref>

=== Funeral ===
Dewar's funeral service was held at [[Glasgow Cathedral]], he was cremated on 18 October 2000 and his ashes were scattered at [[Lochgilphead]] in [[Argyll]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-10-13 |title=Dewar to have cathedral funeral |url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/oct/13/scotland.labour |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-10-19 |title=Laughter and tears for Donald Dewar |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2000/oct/19/uk.scotlanddevolution |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

=== Guests ===

==== Royal family ====

* [[Charles III|The Duke of Rothesay]]<ref name=":0a">{{Cite web |date=2000-10-19 |title=Laughter and tears for Donald Dewar |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2000/oct/19/uk.scotlanddevolution |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

==== Heads of government ====
* [[Tony Blair]], [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]], and [[Cherie Blair]]<ref name=":0a" />
* [[Jim Wallace]], Acting [[First Minister of Scotland]]<ref name=":1a">{{Cite web |title=BBC NEWS {{!}} In Depth {{!}} Donald Dewar {{!}} A nation says goodbye |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/scotland/2000/donald_dewar/977529.stm |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Bertie Ahern]], [[Taoiseach]] (Irish Prime Minister)<ref name=":0a" />
* [[David Trimble]], [[First Minister of Northern Ireland]]<ref name=":1a" /> 

==== Politicians ====
* Members of the [[Scottish Government Cabinet|Scottish Executive Cabinet]], including;<ref name=":0a" /> 
** [[Wendy Alexander]], [[Minister for Communities and Housing|Minister for Communities]]<ref name=":1a" />
** [[Henry McLeish]], [[Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning]]<ref name=":1a" />
* Members of the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom]], including;
** [[Gordon Brown]], [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], and [[Sarah Jane Brown|Sarah Brown]]<ref name=":0a" /><ref name=":1a" /> 
** [[Jack Straw]], [[Home Secretary]]<ref name=":1a" /> 
* [[John Swinney]], [[Leader of the Scottish National Party]]<ref name=":1a" /> 
* [[Charles Kennedy]], [[Leader of the Liberal Democrats]]<ref name=":1a" />
* [[Neil Kinnock]], Former [[Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Leader of the Labour Party]]<ref name=":1a" />
* [[Menzies Campbell]], Liberal Democrats [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<ref name=":1a" />
* [[James Douglas-Hamilton]], Conservative Member of Parliament<ref name=":1a" />

==== Other dignitaries ====
* Ruth Wishart, Broadcaster and friend<ref name=":0a" />
* [[George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen|Lord Robertson]], [[Secretary General of NATO]]<ref name=":1a" />
* [[Alastair Campbell]], [[Downing Street Press Secretary]]<ref name=":1a" />
* [[Lord Hardie]], [[Senator of the College of Justice]]<ref name=":1a" />
* [[John Monks]], [[General Secretary of the TUC|General Secretary]] of the [[Trades Union Congress]] (TUC)<ref name=":1a" /> 

=== Reactions and aftermath ===
Dewar's death came as a shock to Scotland. UK Foreign Secretary described his death as "a tragedy for Donald and a tragedy for Scotland." Henry McLeish said: "this is a day of enormous sadness for Scotland and for me personally. Donald was devolution. The architect of the most successful constitutional change this century."<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC NEWS {{!}} In Depth {{!}} Donald Dewar {{!}} Tributes flood in |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/967258.stm |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

<blockquote>"Although he has become something of a political legend, Donald would have abhorred any attempt to turn him into some kind of secular saint. He would have been horrified at a Diana-style out-pouring of synthetic grief at his untimely death."&nbsp;— [[Iain Macwhirter]], ''[[Sunday Herald]]'', 15 October 2000.</blockquote>

Dewar was succeeded by [[Henry McLeish]] as [[First Minister of Scotland|First Minister]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC News {{!}} SCOTLAND {{!}} McLeish wins first minister title |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/991398.stm |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>