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Lord Jim Wallace, notable for being Scotland’s inaugural deputy first minister, has passed away at the age of 71. The former leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats was undergoing a medical procedure at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary on Thursday when complications arose, leading to his unexpected death.
Rosie Wallace, his wife, expressed the family’s profound shock, emphasizing how sudden the event was. She highlighted that Lord Wallace had remained very active across numerous fields right up to the end. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton paid tribute to Wallace, describing him as “one of the architects of modern Scotland” and lauding his enduring influence.
Wallace’s political career began in 1983 when he became the Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland. With the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, he was elected as the MSP for Orkney. During his tenure as deputy first minister, he notably stepped into Scotland’s top political role on several occasions, including following the death of Donald Dewar and the resignation of Henry McLeish. After stepping down from the Scottish Parliament in 2007, he was appointed to the House of Lords. He also participated in Sir Kenneth Calman’s commission on devolution, which recommended expanding the powers of Holyrood. Wallace remained an influential and popular figure within the Liberal Democrats, campaigning alongside his successor, Alex Cole-Hamilton, as recently as 2024.
Cole-Hamilton spoke warmly of Wallace’s legacy, calling him “one of the finest liberals our party has ever produced.” He shared, “For me personally, he was a mainstay of support throughout my adult life. Even as he went into hospital for the final time, he was still sending me words of advice and I will always try to live up to the standards he set.” He further noted that Wallace was respected across party lines for his integrity, calm judgment, and steadfast commitment to liberal principles such as fairness, the rule of law, and respect for communities regardless of their remoteness. According to Cole-Hamilton, “Scotland is a better country because of Jim Wallace, and the Liberal Democrats are a better party because of his example.”
Born in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, Wallace received his early education at Annan Academy before studying at Cambridge and Edinburgh universities. He was called to the bar in 1979, primarily practicing civil law, and achieved the rank of Queen’s Counsel in 1997. A lifelong member of the Church of Scotland—his father being an elder—Wallace’s faith and politics were closely intertwined throughout his life. In 2021, he served as the moderator of the Church of Scotland. The current moderator, the Rt Rev Rosie Frew, described him as “kind, accommodating, informative and entertaining,” and praised his faithful service to both church and state. She extended her condolences to Rosie Wallace and the family during this difficult period.
In personal reflections, Rosie Wallace shared that Jim had been singing in the Dunblane Cathedral choir over the Christmas season and was eagerly anticipating more time with their grandchildren. She found some solace in knowing he was surrounded by loved ones when he passed and expressed gratitude that the entire family had been together in Scotland during the festive period, including one of their daughters, Clare, who had traveled from New Zealand
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