I was devastated to hear the news about Christopher's death and consider it a tragic loss.  I know I speak on behalf of the whole Conservative Party when I tell you how much we appreciated Chris's presence in the Scottish Parliament and how much we miss him.  I thought highly of his skills and, most especially, of his dedication and loyalty to the job, and his concern to maintain high standards on my behalf.  His work to set up the parliamentary rugby club exemplified that: many of my colleagues greatly admired the commitment he showed to this new venture and I am sure the tradition he established will continue.  He was always good company, a good person and he was a good friend. 

“I was devastated to hear about the death of Chris. He had a huge impact on my life, recommending that I go for the role at Parliament and everything that has come with it. I have very fond memories of Chris, especially playing Scottish Parliament rugby together. Establishing the Parliament rugby team is a tremendous achievement, which has created friendships across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Chris was intensely competitive, had a fun sense of humour and a real passion for rugby. I will be eternally grateful for knowing Chris and the influence he has had on my life.”

“I am one of the posties at the Parliament and saw Chris every day. Over the 5 years in my post I, and the other posties, built up a lovely friendship with Chris.

I am terribly forgetful and, unsurprisingly, lost my phone in the Garden Lobby at work. Chris found it and handed it in to the mailroom for me. That was the kindness of Chris.

Chris’ death has affected me deeply. I find myself thinking of him every day and find it unbelievable that he’s not with us anymore. I would like you to know that he will be sorely missed, but his achievements will be remembered. He was a lovely man.”

Chris was one of the most intelligent people I've ever met, a source of good humour and really excellent company.

“Two memories stand out for me. The first was an anecdote he told about being interviewed for a job by Paddy Ashdown after University. Chris told us how the interview was conducted in Mandarin, to test his potential ability to work easily in China. After they had spoken for a while, Paddy said to Chris: "Excellent Chinese, but your accent reveals you are not a native speaker". And Chris replied, somewhat perplexed, that yes, it was unfortunate his accent alone would reveal he's not native Chinese. We laughed so hard at that story in the pub that night. Chris told it so well, I can't even do it justice.

The second memory was a trip in a minicab. We were on our way to Bar Napoli after a few drinks near the Scottish Parliament and Chris began chatting to the driver in Hindi. They got on so well that we didn't have to pay for the cab at the other end! As someone who has always struggled with languages, I remember being in awe at his ability to connect on such a personal level in a language that seemed so complex and unrelatable. But Chris was too modest to take any praise - it was just something he was able to do.

I can't believe I'll never get another chance to chat with him about politics, or spend an evening sharing pints of beer - I remember he always had an eccentric preference for Fosters with a lemonade top - in that pub down by parliament. I will always value the friendship, time and support he gave me - especially with my book - even though we came from different sides of the political divide. I will greatly miss him.”

“I had the pleasure and privilege of knowing Chris when he started working in the Scottish Parliament several years ago. He had an infectious laugh, enthusiasm and immense patience when needed! One of his greatest attributes was the fact that he was not a guy who was self-centred, unlike many involved in politics. When he asked you how your day was going, he genuinely was interested. I will remember a caring, considerate, funny, tolerant and beautiful person. Chris was also one of the brightest guys I have ever met and I was incredibly lucky to know him.”