Jim Wallace: A Life of Service, Integrity and Quiet Authority

Former Scottish Deputy First Minister Jim Wallace has died at the age of 71 from complications of heart surgery. His death marks the passing of one of the most significant figures in modern Scottish public life: a central architect of devolution, a steady hand in the early years of the Scottish Parliament, and a public servant whose influence was felt across politics, law, faith and civic life. Jim Wallace helped shape not only Scotland’s institutions, but the tone and values with which they were first brought into being.

Wallace’s life in public service was marked by a rare combination of intellectual seriousness, moral steadiness and a deep, instinctive understanding of Scotland as it is — and as it might be.

From the outset, Jim Wallace was committed to devolution not as a slogan or a tactical position but as a constitutional settlement rooted in Scotland’s history, institutions and civic traditions. At a time when devolution was still contested, uncertain and fragile, he worked patiently and persistently to turn principle into practice. He understood that self-government was not an end in itself but a means of allowing Scotland’s distinctive voice to be expressed responsibly within the United Kingdom. The success and stability of devolution owe much to his quiet determination and his refusal to treat constitutional change as a zero-sum game.

That instinctive understanding of Scotland ran through all his work. Wallace recognised that constitutional reform had to speak to the country’s legal inheritance and moral culture, not simply its electoral arithmetic. This was where his legal background proved invaluable. Trained as a lawyer, he brought to Scottish politics a respect for process, clarity of reasoning and a belief that constitutional questions must be handled with care and balance. At a moment when the future of the Union and the nature of Scottish self-government dominated political life, his legal mind helped ensure that reform was thoughtful, credible and durable.

During his time as leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Jim Wallace helped shape a party that took responsibility seriously at the very moment Scotland was taking responsibility for itself. In the first years of the Scottish Parliament, he played a central role in the 1999 coalition negotiations with Labour, approaching them not as a partisan contest but as a constitutional necessity: the task of ensuring that the new Parliament began its life with stability, legitimacy and a clear sense of purpose. As Deputy First Minister, he proved himself a steady and conscientious figure at the heart of government, respected well beyond his own party. On two occasions he was required to serve as Acting First Minister and each time he did so with the same calm authority — not seeking to imprint himself on the office, but to safeguard it. In those formative years, when the institutions of devolution were still finding their feet, Wallace’s reliability, judgement and sense of constitutional proportion were indispensable.

His contribution to liberalism more generally was equally significant. Jim Wallace embodied a liberalism that was practical rather than performative, grounded in respect for institutions, individual dignity and the rule of law. He believed that liberty flourishes best when power is dispersed, accountability is clear, and disagreement is handled with civility. In an age of louder, harsher politics, his liberalism was calm, humane and quietly radical.

That approach was evident during his time in the House of Lords, where he served with distinction as Advocate General for Scotland and as Liberal Democrat leader in the Lords. There, he became a respected figure across parties, known for his authority on Scottish constitutional matters and for the seriousness with which he approached scrutiny and debate. His work on the Calman Commission further reflected his commitment to careful, consensual constitutional development, helping to shape reforms that strengthened devolution while maintaining the integrity of the wider constitutional settlement.

Yet Wallace’s public life cannot be fully understood without acknowledging his faith. He showed, by example rather than assertion, how political life and a sincere Christian faith can inform one another without tension or showmanship. Both his politics and his Christian faith were characterised by generosity of spirit - others could learn much from the way he allowed his beliefs to shape his sense of duty, humility and care for others, while remaining open, generous and profoundly respectful of difference. Later, as Moderator of the Church of Scotland, he demonstrated that it is possible to bring faith and politics into conversation without collapsing one into the other with an ease few others could. He showed how moral conviction can inform public service without dogmatism and how humility and reflection can coexist with political responsibility. In doing so, he offered a model of public leadership that was thoughtful, grounded and humane.

I had the privilege of knowing him personally, and what struck me most was not simply his intellect or his experience, but his kindness. He was a deeply compassionate man, genuinely concerned with making Scotland a better place — not in the abstract, but in the everyday lives of the people who lived here. In politics, he was a true pluralist rather than a tribalist. He listened carefully, treated opponents with respect, and never confused disagreement with bad faith.

Jim Wallace was not a politician of grandstanding gestures or theatrical confrontation. His legacy lies instead in institutions strengthened, arguments clarified and a political culture made more generous and more serious. Scotland’s public life is better for his service, and his example remains a reminder that integrity, intellect and kindness are not obstacles to political success but its foundation.