Tributes paid as former Edinburgh Lord Provost Norman Irons dies, aged 82

Edinburgh’s first SNP Lord Provost – ‘a truly dedicated public servant’

Tributes have been paid to Former Edinburgh Lord Provost Norman Irons, who has died aged at the age of 82.

Mr Irons became the Capital’s first SNP Lord Provost in 1992, when the party had only two councillors in the city, after making an agreement to support the Labour administration which had just lost its overall majority. He was a long-serving councillor for Corstorphine, having first been elected at a by-election in 1976. Throughout his council service he continued is professional work as a chartered engineer. And after retiring from the City Chambers he served as honorary consul for Denmark and then Hungary.

He died on Sunday, November 26, after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He is survived by his wife Anne, daughter Elizabeth and son Kenneth.

Former Edinburgh Lord Provost Norman Irons was the Capital's civic head from 1992 until 1996. Picture: Jack Crombie.

Current Lord Provost Robert Aldridge said: “I was saddened to hear the news today of the passing of former Lord Provost Norman Irons. Norman was a truly dedicated public servant as a ward councillor for over 20 years and was a fantastic ambassador for the city during his time as Lord Provost between 1992-1996. My thoughts and condolences are with his wife Ann, his family, and friends at this difficult time."

And Edinburgh SNP group leader Councillor Adam McVey said: “Norman Irons was an outstanding champion for his community in Corstorphine. It says a lot about his personality, integrity and force of will that he became Edinburgh’s first ever SNP Lord Provost, more than 20 years before the SNP became Edinburgh’s biggest party. In the SNP we must never forget that we stand on the shoulders of people like Norman Irons, people who stood in elections for our party despite the odds being stacked against them, because they believed in the better future for Scotland that could be built with independence.

"His more recent work in the consular services further cemented Edinburgh’s position as a European capital and helped link communities together across the city. He’ll be sorely missed and we're ever grateful for his enormous contribution to our Capital and to the independence movement.”