FORMER education minister Sam Galbraith has been remembered at a memorial in Glasgow University.

Reverend Stuart MacQuarrie, Chaplain to the university, led the service, which saw ­tributes paid by Sir Harry Burns, Sir Graham Teasdale, Alasdair Darling MP and ex-politician Brian Wilson.

Chancellor of the university, Sir Kenneth Calman, opened the thanksgiving with a formal welcome, saying Mr Galbraith could be "charming" but "blunt". Sir Kenneth invited speakers to tell their own fond stories of Mr Galbraith, and started with his own.

He said: "Sam once told a nurse who was looking after him, and who he had helped to train: 'You need to lose some weight, you're getting fat.'

"It is his life we appreciate tonight as we journey through it by hearing stories and tributes from people who played a key role in his life."

Dr Mhairi Galbraith, the eldest of the former Education Minister and Environment Minister's three daughters, also spoke.

His wife, Nicola, spoke last and ended the service by saying: "The girls have been his greatest pride and joy, he once thought he would never see Mhairi growing up but not only has seen one daughter into her adult life he has seen three.

"The girls and I would like to thank our family, our GPs at the Jackson practice, the transplant team at the Freeman hospital in Newcastle and the staff at Gartnavel hospital and the Western Infirmary Glasgow for their amazing support over the last 26 years before and after Sam's transplant in 1990."

The memorial followed a private family service at ­Dalnottar Crematorium.

Mr Galbraith, a neurosurgeon, was elected to Parliament in 1987 as Labour MP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, winning for Labour what was considered a safe Tory seat.

Donations were collected during the last night's memorial and will be given to a cause chosen by Mr Galbraith's family.

Mr Galbraith, who died last week at the age of 68, was ­believed to be the world's longest-surviving lung transplant recipient.

catriona.stewart@eveningtimes.co.uk