Prime Minister Gordon Brown's eulogy at the funeral yesterday of John MacDougall praised the Glenrothes MP as a "tireless fighter for social justice and endlessly loyal champion of decent values."

Mr Brown lavished praise on Mr MacDougall's time as leader of Fife Council, and the fight to save Rosyth dockyard, calling him "a friend, a people's champion, a true servant of the people who delighted in serving people and working over four decades as shop steward, councillor, council leader and then Member of Parliament for the communities of Fife".

The Prime Minister also made several references to former First Minister Henry McLeish in relation to many of these same battles, citing the miners' strike. The runes of his remarks are already being read in terms of predicting who will be the candidate for the Glenrothes by-election, with Mr McLeish seen in some quarters as a possible candidate.

Mr Brown said of Mr MacDougal: "His parliamentary interests were wide-ranging, from foreign affairs to local services, and his views always valued for their common sense. Courage - we rightly say - is the finest quality of all because without it nothing else is possible.

"More than anyone John demonstrated in this last year a stoicism, resilience and bravery that I saw from the moment his illness was detected to the last days."

Defence Secretary Des Browne, International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander, and many of Mr MacDougall's back bench colleagues were also in attendance, including Frank Roy, Gavin Strang, Tom Clarke, Jim Devine, Anne Moffat, Jim McGovern and Nick Brown.

The funeral was led by John Allan, a retired minister and family friend while Scott Brady, a close family friend, gave a eulogy.

A lone piper played in the mourners, who also included former first minister Jack McConnell, Sir Menzies Campbell, the ex-Liberal Democrat leader who represents nearby North-East Fife, Angus Robertson, SNP leader at Westminster, Mr McLeish and the SNP's Tricia Marwick.