Commemorating the Life of Dame Esther Rantzen

That the Parliament notes with great sadness the death of Dame Esther Rantzen on 30 September 2026, at the age of 86; pays tribute to an outstanding broadcaster, campaigner and charity founder whose work improved countless lives across Scotland and the rest of the UK; recognises her pioneering contribution to British television, particularly during her 21 years as presenter and producer of the BBC’s That’s Life!, through which she combined warmth and humour with determined campaigns on consumer rights, child safety, organ donation and other important issues; celebrates what it sees as her greatest legacy, the founding of Childline in 1986, which gave children and young people a free and confidential service where they could be heard and supported; acknowledges what it views as the invaluable work of Childline’s counsellors and volunteers in Scotland, including at its bases in Glasgow and Aberdeen; recognises Dame Esther’s determination to tackle loneliness and isolation among older people through the creation of The Silver Line and the launch of Silver Line Scotland in partnership with Age Scotland in 2013; notes that she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2015 for services to children and older people through Childline and The Silver Line; believes that Dame Esther possessed an extraordinary ability to turn public concern into practical action and to ensure that vulnerable people were no longer ignored; considers that her compassion, courage and determination represented the very best traditions of public service; sends its deepest condolences to her children, Miriam, Rebecca and Joshua, her grandchildren, friends and former colleagues, and believes that her remarkable legacy will continue whenever a child in distress or an older person experiencing loneliness finds someone ready to listen.