With the passing of Margo MacDonald we have lost one of the most talented and passionate Scottish politicans ever. She was the genuine article, had no airs or graces , was a tireless campaigner for the disadvantaged and as her husband Jim Sillars said: ‘Her talent acted like a magnet and she gave her time so freely to so many for so long’.
I first met Margo when I worked in the early eighties as a young news reporter at Radio Forth in Edinburgh. She was an inspiration to all of the young women working at the radio station and not just those in the newsroom. She encouraged all of us to reach our potential which instilled a sense of confidence in anything we tackled. She was a natural broadcaster who connected with the people. We learned so much from her especially through her campaigning zeal which drove her to expose injustice and unfairness in the features and documentaries she produced at Forth. When I left Forth, years later our paths crossed again as I became a news presenter on Good Morning Scotland and Newsdrive on BBC Radio Scotland and she was a regular interviewee.

Latterly, myself and two of my dearest friends from Radio Forth days used to meet with Margo for lunch at Holyrood. What fun we had at those lunches with Margo holding court at her favourite table in the corner with the conversation as razor sharp and peppered with such good humour that we always came away feeling so revitalised – Being with Margo was always a life enhancing experience ! So my thoughts are  now very much with Jim and the family. As Jim says’ her legacy speaks for itself’.

Scotland will be the poorer without her presence.