Angus Graham

A Govan Gael, Graham spent his formative years and most of his working life on Lewis, although during the oil construction boom of the 1970s and 1980s he worked across the Highlands. He was there when the first sod was turned at the Sullom Voe oil terminal in Shetland; he poured concrete at Kishorn fabrication yard (sometimes over the foremen if they irritated him) and he cut his political teeth there as a shop steward in the toughest of industries.

He counted 20 jobs in his lifetime, from merchant seaman to tweed weaver, and latterly he spent a lot of his political energy trying to attract industrial enterprise to the Arnish fabrication yard, where he'd also worked, to underpin the island population. Always a strong fighter for the interest of the workers Graham was for many years chair of the Low Pay Unit, the national organisation that lobbies against poverty and low pay.

His political involvement began in a local tenants' association, where he achieved considerable improvements in the housing stock. He became a thorn in the flesh of the local authority, invoking court proceedings and discovering a talent for a soundbite when he ridiculed drafty council houses that left one tenant "floating like Ali Baba on a flying carpet".

Following a by-election in the Gress ward, he joined the council in 1983 and became a vociferous back bencher who chose popular causes and relished a political punch-up. Like most councillors on Comhairle nan Eilean he served as an independent but he was instinctively and unshakeably Labour, although often frustrated that party policy was not as radical as his own socialist beliefs.

He was a key figure in the revival of the party's fortunes in the islands and used his position as a councillor to enormous social and economic effect in the Western Isles. He was elected as chair of Development Services in 1986 and set up consultative committees that gave crofters and fishermen a voice in council matters. He also pushed for the establishment of the Highlands and Islands Convention, and served on the Northern Board of Scottish Natural Heritage.

He became vice-convener of the council in 1994 during a five-year term that was the most productive in the history of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. A new library and youth centre in Stornoway and a near complete causeway and road infrastructure were built during his tenure with convener Donald MacKay.

He campaigned to retain an abattoir on the islands and was behind the marketing com-pany Heather Isles Meats, a boon to crofters, until bureaucracy resulted in its demise.

In 1999, he served as chairman of transportation. Challenged in an election that year, he was returned with one of the biggest turn-outs in a local government ward. Even though some constituents said they disagreed with him, they recognised him as a champion of the people.

Politics and the Scottish Crofters Union were his twin passions. Graham became a key organiser for the revived crofting organisation in the mid-1980s, underpinning its financial stability by running a branch of the insurance brokerage the union franchised from the NFU. Ironically, the firebrand politician turned out to be highly successful businessman but people came to him with their money because he had earned their trust with his unimpeachable political integrity.

He was irascible with his opponents but he had enormous charm and charisma. Intellectually, he was sharp and he could dissect, analyse and strategise any political problem. Once he had his teeth into an issue he would not let go. One of his last campaigns led to the resignation of senior officials from the Western Isles Health Board.

Hundreds attended his funeral at Back Free Church and in a graveside oration, his friend and fellow councillor Donald John MacSween described him as a hero of the ordinary people.

He is survived by his wife, Isabel, their children, Alasdair, Michael and Avril, and the grandchildren whom Angus so loved, Katy and Erin.

Torcuil Crichton