FORMER Chancellor Alistair Darling has died aged 70.
The Labour MP leaves behind his grieving family, which includes his children.
During his life Alistair Darling welcomed two children – a son and a daughter.
Sadly the veteran politician – who memorably led the Treasury during the financial crisis under between 2007 and 2010 – passed away on November 30, 2023.
Darling died aged 70 after a short battle with cancer.
A statement issued on behalf of his wife and children said: “The death of Alistair Darling, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer and long-serving member of the Labour cabinet, was announced in Edinburgh today.
“Mr Darling, the much-loved husband of Margaret and beloved father of Calum and Anna, died after a short spell in Western General Hospital under the wonderful care of the cancer team.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he was “deeply saddened” to learn of the news as he led tributes to the late politcian.
He added: “My heart goes out to his family, particularly Maggie, Calum and Anna, whom he loved so dearly.”
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt added: “A sad day – I want to pay particular tribute to one of my predecessors, Alistair Darling.
“One of the great Chancellors, he’ll be remembered for doing the right thing for the country at a time of extraordinary turmoil. My deepest sympathies to his family.”
Together with his wife Margaret, Darling first welcomed Callum in 1988, followed by daughter Anna in 1990.
Unlike their famous father, the siblings have kept themselves out of the spotlight.
Their dad leaves behind an incredible legacy, and career in politics.
Darling joined the Labour party at the age of 23 in 1977 before becoming a solicitor in 1978.
In 1982, he was elected to the Lothian Regional Council until he was elected to the House of Commons.
In 1987, Darling first entered Parliament after winning the Edinburgh Central seat in a general election.
When Gordon Brown became Prime Minister in June 2007, he quickly appointed Darling as Chancellor of the Exchequer, a promotion widely anticipated in the media.
Journalists at the time noticed that his four junior ministers at the Treasury were all female and so they were dubbed “Darling’s Darlings”.
Darling also led the Better Together campaign, which won the Scottish independence vote in 2014.
Darling was married twice in his life.
He had a brief previous marriage when young, but he has never talked about his first wife publicly.
However, from 1986 until his death, Darling was married to Margaret McQueen Vaughan.
Margaret is a former journalist, who worked for Radio Forth, the Daily Record and Glasgow Herald until Labour’s election victory in 1997.
