Former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook dies

INVERNESS, Scotland, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook died Saturday after collapsing while hiking in Scotland with his wife.

Cook, 59, was pronounced dead at a hospital in Inverness after being taken there by helicopter from Ben Stack in Sutherland, the BBC reported.

A longtime member of Parliament from Scottish constituencies, Cook served as foreign secretary from 1997 to 2001. Prime Minister Tony Blair replaced him with Jack Straw after the 2001 election.

Cook resigned as Leader of the Commons in 2003 because of his opposition to Blair's decision to join President Bush in the invasion of Iraq.

First Minister Jack McConnell called Cook "a powerful voice" for the disadvantaged.

"He was always willing to challenge orthodox thinking and he was a great champion of less popular causes," McConnell said. "He played a key role in making Labor electable again and he helped convince many that it was possible to be both pragmatic and radical."

Cook is survived by his wife, Gaynor, and two sons.