A BRIGHT light has gone out in the lives of many people across Scotland and beyond this week. Cruelly struck down by illness in her prime, Roz Paterson fought back with all her strength. She was desperate to see her beloved children grow up and to spend the rest her life with her soul-mate Malcolm.
I had the great privilege of being a colleague then a friend of Roz for the best part of two decades. Before I met her, I was already familiar with her byline and had read many of her exquisitely crafted feature articles in various newspapers she had worked for.
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When she agreed to join the small editorial team of the Scottish Socialist Voice, we knew we had brought something special to the publication. Roz had flair, wit and style in abundance. Her natural eloquence flowed though every paragraph she wrote. Her humour sparkled like sunshine on snow. Her humanity touched people’s hearts. And she was a superb editor, able to infuse even the dullest political manifesto with a touch of poetry.
More than that, she was a great human being. Calm, unassuming, warm, conscientious and professional. Everyone loved and respected Roz.
Years before the quote was engraved on the wall of the Scottish Parliament, the words of Alasdair Gray – “work as if you live in the early days of a better nation” – were displayed on a poster above her desk.
Her political outlook might best be summed up as green socialist. She was a strong supporter of independence for Scotland, which she saw as a route to a better country and ultimately a better world and campaigned hard for a Yes vote in the 2014 referendum. She detested injustice and inequality and yearned for a better society free of greed and exploitation.
She also understood better than most the intricate planetary ecosystem with its trillion species and complex web of interconnections upon which all life depends. She brought into the Scottish socialist movement a much deeper understanding of the natural world and the destructive power of consumer-driven capitalism. And she lived her life in line with her principles: ethical, compassionate and caring. In her characteristic low-key fashion, Roz played a crucial role in one of the great breakthroughs for the Scottish left: the 2003 Scottish Parliament election, in which six Scottish Socialist MSPs were elected alongside seven Greens.
Behind the scenes she wrote media releases, organised press conferences and was part of a small team that produced leaflets, election addresses and newsletters which won admiration even from political opponents for their humour and imagination.
And later, during the dark days of 2004 to 2010 when every SSP activist was forced to choose sides between truth and fraud, there was never any doubt which side Roz would take. In the sometimes murky world of politics she never wavered in her honesty, integrity and courage.
I later worked with Roz on the book Restless Land: A Radical Journey Through Scotland’s History. The book was praised for its style, wit and clarity – a testimony to Roz’s expert editorial eye and beautiful turn of phrase.
When the book was launched, she preferred to stay in the background and send a written statement down from the Highlands rather than appear at public events in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
That was typical – yet in her final months, she was reluctantly forced into become something of a public figure. To raise what she called the “telethonic sum of money” needed to treat her otherwise incurable illness, she had to make an audacious appeal.
It was against her nature, but she did it with style and sensational success, including through a column in the Sunday National.
In a matter of weeks she was well on course to raise half a million pounds. When NHS Scotland stepped in to fund the pioneering new treatment in London, she insisted that every penny that could be returned was returned, or donated to four cancer charities.
We have long been told there is no point in trying to build a better world, because people are inherently selfish and incapable of rising above ruthless rivalry. Roz Paterson proved otherwise.
Her simple story of a woman fighting for life so she could see her children reach adulthood touched something deep in the heart of humanity.
People in the local community, irrespective of whether they were Yes or No, Brexit or Leave, left or right, rallied round in a great outpouring of kindness.
She demonstrated that when the chips are down, there are many, many people whose natural impulse is to do whatever they can to help.
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