Tributes as former Edinburgh Tory group leader Daphne Sleigh dies, aged 82

‘For two years she was the most senior elected Conservative in Scotland’

Daphne Sleigh was a councillor for 21 years and Tory group leader for nine

TRIBUTES have been paid to long-serving former city councillor and Edinburgh Tory group leader Daphne Sleigh, who has died aged 82.

Former colleagues spoke of her dedication to her constituents and her lively sense of humour.

She was councillor for Fairmilehead for 21 years and led the Conservative group at the City Chamber for nine years.

Her husband Lindsay Walls, also a former Tory councillor, said: “She could walk into a room and just light it up.”

Earlier this year he spoke candidly about how they had coped in recent years with the onset of her dementia, hoping to help other people facing a similar situation.

Mrs Sleigh had become ill in the last few weeks and moved into the Northcare Manor nursing home shortly before she died.

Former Edinburgh Pentlands MP and Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind said he was “deeply saddened” to hear of her death. “I liked her enormously.

She was highly intelligent, full of fun and quite mischievous. She had a love of life and served her local community splendidly. She was a lovely person.”

And Tory group leader Iain Whyte said: “For Scottish Conservatives Daphne Sleigh was a giant in local government. She was always a witty and insightful debater who was never afraid to push her own line. She had a knack for media comments that showed she was in tune with Edinburgh people’s thoughts.

“For a two-year period from 1997, when we had no MPs and the Scottish Parliament was yet to be established, she was the most senior elected Conservative in Scotland leading the largest Conservative group on a council.

“I learned most of what I know about the council and politics from Daphne and it was an honour to have served alongside her and to be able to call her a friend.”

Mrs Sleigh was born in 1937 in Lahore, now in Pakistan, where her father was a doctor in charge of a military hospital. She later lived in Rutherglen and was sent to Craigmount boarding school, housed in Scone Palace and then at Minto in the Borders.

After school she worked for French perfume house Guerlain before marrying Tom Sleigh of the motor company Rossleigh. They moved to Edinburgh in 1971 and she quickly became involved in the local Colinton branch of the Conservative Party.

She stood unsuccessfully as Tory candidate for Lothian Regional Council in Hailes ward but was elected to Edinburgh District Council at a by-election in Fairmilehead in 1982. She was leader of the Conservative group from 1993 until 2002. She and Mr Walls married in 1998 and she stood down from the council in 2003 elections. The same year, she was awarded an MBE for services to local government.

Due to the Covid crisis Mrs Sleigh’s funeral will be private, but a memorial celebration of her life will be arranged once restrictions are lifted.

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