Eric Mackay, one of the longest-serving editors of The Scotsman, has died. He was 83.

He had been diagnosed with lung cancer only two weeks ago, after being admitted to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with suspected pneumonia.

Eric was the 13th editor of The Scotsman and held the post for 13 years, from 1972 to 1985.

He was remembered by Fordyce Maxwell, who wrote in the Scotsman: “His career and the rise of The Scotsman were inextricably linked.

“From a place on the down-table sub-editors’ desk he became deputy chief sub-editor, London editor, deputy editor to Alastair Dunnett for 11 years and then editor from 1972 to 1985.

“Those were great years for the paper, starting quietly in typical under-stated Mackay style, and moving on to the first battle over devolution in the late 1970s.

“The Scotsman, and Mackay, were for it, as were many of the growing army of readers as debate-driven circulation hovered within touching distance of 100,000.”