TRIBUTES flooded in today for former deputy first minister Jim Wallace who died after suffering complications as a result of surgery.

A former MP and MSP, the 71-year-old Liberal Democrat peer died following a planned major operation at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh on Thursday.

First elected to Parliament in 1983 for Orkney and Shetland as a Liberal, Mr Wallace became Scottish Lib Dem leader in 1992, going on to represent Orkney at the newly reconvened Scottish Parliament in 1999.

His wife, Rosie Wallace, said: “The family are very shocked by Jim’s death. It was all so sudden. He was still incredibly active in a whole host of areas.

“Jim was still going up and down to London and participating fully in the House of Lords. 

“He was singing in the Dunblane Cathedral choir over the festive period and he was so looking forward to spending even more time with his grandchildren.”

Serving as deputy to three Labour first ministers in coalition before stepping down in 2007 to take a seat in the Lords, he later held the roles of attorney general for Scotland, and moderator of the general assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Paying tribute to Mr Wallace as a “champion of devolution and a strengthened Scottish Parliament,” First Minister John Swinney said: “My thoughts are very much with Rosie and her family, and on behalf of the people of Scotland, we stand with them in grieving a man who gave so much to our country.”

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey called him “an inspiration to so many,” adding: “Our whole Liberal Democrat family will miss him dearly.”

Describing him as “the best of men,” former Labour first minister Jack McConnell said: “His contribution to securing a Scottish Parliament, being the best deputy to three first ministers that any of us could have hoped for, and a fantastic Cabinet minister too, will never be matched.”