Robin Cook

The Right Honourable Robert Finlayson Cook usually called Robin Cook (February 28, 1946, Bellshill – August 6, 2005, Inverness), was a politician in the British Labour Party. He was Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2001. He resigned from his post as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council on March 17, 2003 while protesting the 2003 invasion of Iraq. At the time of his death he was president of the Foreign Policy Centre and a vice-president on the America APPG and the Global Security and Non-Proliferation APPG.

Background and personal life

Cook was born in Bellshill, Scotland, the only son of Peter and Christina Cook. His father was a science teacher and his grandfather was a miner before being blacklisted for being involved in a strike. He studied English Literature at Edinburgh University earning an MA, and after a brief period as a schoolteacher became a local councillor in Edinburgh in 1971. He was introduced to horse racing by his wife, Margaret Cook (whom he married in 1969 and with whom he had two sons, Peter and Christopher) and worked as a racing tipster in his spare time.

Related Topics:
Bellshill - Scotland - Science - English Literature - Edinburgh University - MA - Councillor - Edinburgh - Horse racing

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Shortly after he became Foreign Secretary, he ended his marriage with Margaret, revealing that he had an extra-marital affair with one of his staff, Gaynor Regan. His first wife subsequently accused him of having several extra-marital affairs and alleged he was an alcoholic. He married Ms Regan in 1998, shortly after his divorce was finalised.

Related Topics:
Foreign Secretary - Gaynor Regan - Alcoholic

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On August 6, 2005, Cook collapsed while climbing the mountain Ben Stack in Sutherland, Scotland, with Gaynor Regan. He then fell down a ridge onto rocky terrain. He was taken by helicopter from the mountain to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness where he was pronounced dead on arrival at the age of 59.

Related Topics:
August 6 - 2005 - Ben Stack - Sutherland - Scotland - Raigmore Hospital - Inverness

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The post mortem revealed that Cook died of hypertensive heart disease (see ). A funeral service was held on August 12, 2005, at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, even though Cook had been an atheist (see ). Gordon Brown gave the eulogy, and Madeleine Albright was one of the attendees, but British Prime Minister Tony Blair, on holiday, did not attend the funeral, possibly due to the mutual disenchantment between Cook and Blair regarding the war in Iraq.

Related Topics:
Post mortem - Heart disease - Funeral - August 12 - 2005 - St Giles Cathedral - Edinburgh - Atheist - Gordon Brown - Eulogy - Madeleine Albright - Tony Blair - Iraq

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