John MacDougall, who has died aged 60 after a battle with cancer, was the complete Fifer. Born, raised, educated, married and dying in the Kingdom, he moved into public service from work as a time-served boilermaker at the Rosyth dockyard.

Politcian;
Born December 8, 1947;
Died August 13, 2008.

JOHN MacDougall, who has died aged 60 after a battle with cancer, was the complete Fifer. Born, raised, educated, married and dying in the Kingdom, he moved into public service from work as a time-served boilermaker at the Rosyth dockyard.

MacDougall, gravelly-voiced and square-faced, was a low-profile MP, absolutely loyal to the Labour government to the extent of complete support for the invasion of Iraq and subsequent war. Then, last year, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an incurable cancer of the lining of the lungs, and became chronically ill. He never fully recovered from surgery in London last year.

Thereafter, his participation in parliament became fleeting. He died in hospital in Kirkcaldy yesterday. On Monday, one of his last visitors was the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, whose constituency of Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy abuts that of MacDougall's Glenrothes.

John William MacDougall, born in Scotland's old Royal capital of Dunfermline, followed the well-trodden Old Labour career path of engagement through trade unions, local councils and placing himself in a position ready to inherit a likely Westminster seat. In his case, it was Central Fife, held by Henry McLeish until 2001 - who vacated it to enter Holyrood and go on to become Scotland's second First Minister.

Following boundary changes in 2005, MacDougall continued as MP for the new Glenrothes constituency, establishing a majority of 10,664, in a seat that sits 19th on an SNP hitlist.

He stuck to the party line, coming out in favour of ID cards, the introduction of foundation hospitals, students' top-up fees and - somewhat controversially - loyally in favour of invading Iraq.

MacDougall cultivated extensive connections in the EU, having sat on the body which investigated financial irregularity in the European Community. He also served as vice-president of the Assembly of the European Regions. An interest in foreign affairs saw him chair the all-party British-Netherland Parliamentary Group as well as take on secretaryship of the all-party Singapore Parliamentary Group.

While never a major player, he worked assiduously in committee, a throwback to his local government days when he gained a reputation for being a member who read his papers thoroughly, never arriving at a meeting unbriefed. At Westminster, he was a member of the Consolidation etc Bills (Joint Committee), the Statutory Instruments (Select Committee), the Scottish Affairs Committee, the Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee), and until 2005, the Regulatory Reform Committee.

MacDougall's somewhat dour appearance belied his standing as someone who built his life on hard work. Starting as an apprentice in the RCG rig construction yard in Methil as a 16-year-old in 1964, he gained an early taste for politics through the ferociously-named General Municipal Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union (GMBATU), becoming a shop steward by 1978. He gained his first taste of Westminster when, as shop stewards convener, he visited parliament in a lobbying role.

He strove to better himself, studying naval architecture in day-release and evening classes, working through Rosyth Dockyard College, Fife College and Glenrothes College, gaining a diploma in industrial management and recognition as a full member of the Institute of Industrial Managers.

Active in his local Labour Party, he was elected to Fife Council, and served there for nearly two decades, giving up full-time work after six years to devote all his effort to the local authority, including being leader of the council for nine years. He was also council convener for five years until he was elected to Westminster in 2001.

In a tribute, the Prime Minister called his neighbouring parliamentary colleague "a true servant of the people", and went on: "John MacDougall gave more than 30 years of distinguished public service to Fife. Over three decades, he has been a good personal friend of mine. John carried the respect of people right across the chamber and was passionate for the issues he believed in."

He is survived by his mother, wife Cathy, and children Scott and Julie.