LEADING Scottish nationalists paid tribute yesterday to Mr Arthur
Donaldson, a founder of the SNP, who died in a Forfar nursing home on
Monday aged 91.
A superb orator, he joined the National Party of Scotland in 1928,
which became the SNP four years later. He was chairman in l960 and,
during his nine-year leadership, he transformed a fringe grouping into a
mainstream party.
Former MP and party chairman, Mr Gordon Wilson, who was national
secretary under Mr Donaldson's chairmanship, said: ''Arthur was the
dominant member of the SNP in his time. Under his inspired leadership,
the party mushroomed in size.''
SNP leader Mr Alex Salmond described him as an inspirational figure
Mr Andrew Welsh, MP for Angus East, said: ''Arthur was a foundation
stone on which a free Scotland will be built.''
A Dundonian, Mr Donaldson retired as editor of the Forfar Dispatch to
become chairman of the SNP.
He fought six parliamentary seats and it is significant that four of
these -- Galloway, Moray, Dundee, and Perthsire -- later returned
nationalist MPs.
He is survived by his widow, Vi, a son, seven grandchildren, and six
great-grandchildren.
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