Hundreds of mourners packed Kirkcaldy crematorium yesterday to say farewell to Scotland's longest serving regional council convener, Mr Bert Gough. The Labour stalwart, who served his beloved Fifers for almost half-a-century and headed Fife Regional Council for 18 years until his retiral in 1996, died on Monday aged 73.
Those paying their respects included Chancellor Gordon Brown; Scottish Office Minister of State Henry McLeish; Lord Elgin, the Lord Lieutenant of Fife; Lord Ewing of Kirkford; Sir George Sharp; former colleagues; council officials and dozens of representatives of the business community. The former miner's coffin arrived at the crematorium draped in a New Labour banner.
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