Robin Cook

British Labour Party politician (1946-2005)

Robin Cook (28 February 1946 – 6 August 2005) 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 the cabinet in 2003 in protest after the Invasion of Iraq.


Robin Cook
Leader of the House of Commons
Lord President of the Council
In office
8 June 2001 – 17 March 2003
Prime MinisterTony Blair
Preceded byMargaret Beckett
Succeeded byJohn Reid
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
In office
2 May 1997 – 8 June 2001
Preceded byMalcolm Rifkind
Succeeded byJack Straw
Member of Parliament
for Edinburgh Central
In office
28 February 1974 – 9 June 1983
Preceded byThomas Oswald
Succeeded byAlexander Fletcher
Member of Parliament
for Livingston
In office
9 June 1983 – 6 August 2005
Preceded by(new constituency)
Succeeded byJim Devine
Personal details
Born(1946-02-28)28 February 1946
Bellshill, Scotland
Died6 August 2005(2005-08-06) (aged 59)
Inverness, Scotland
Political partyLabour

Shortly after becoming Foreign Secretary, he left his wife, Margaret, to live with Gaynor Regan, his secretary.

He died of heart disease whilst on a walking holiday in the Highlands.

Cook was an atheist.[1]

References change

  1. Mourners' funeral tribute to Cook