Gus Macdonald, Baron Macdonald of Tradeston
Encyclopedia
Angus John "Gus" Macdonald, Baron Macdonald of Tradeston, CBE
, PC
(born 1940, Larkhall
, Scotland
), is a member of the House of Lords
, taking the Labour Party Whip.
Macdonald was educated at Allan Glen's School
, Glasgow on a scholarship. Leaving school at 14, he became an apprentice marine engineer at the shipyards of Alexander Stephen and Sons’ in Govan. Involved in an apprentices' strike in 1959, Macdonald was leader of the Govan and Gorbals' branch of the Labour Party's Young Socialists. He was briefly involved in revolutionary socialist politics as a member of the International Socialists and lived for a time in the London home of its foremost member, Tony Cliff
. He has said that he returned to his Tribune
based political roots around 1964, where he was appointed as the circulation manager by Michael Foot
.
He has worked as a journalist on The Scotsman
and as a member of the Insight team on The Sunday Times
. Originally taken on a researcher, he was with Granada Television
from 1967 to 1986 where he was soon appointed joint editor of World in Action
with John Birt
; Macdonald had an association with the programme for many years. He also presented Granada's What the Papers Say
and Right to Reply on Channel 4
. He returned to Scotland in 1986 as Director of Programmes for Scottish Television
, becoming Managing Director in 1990. While at STV he cut the core workforce from 800 to 330, and the company took over two newspapers The Herald and the Evening Times plus the other ITV contractor in Scotland, Grampian Television
. He became Chair of Scottish Media Group plc
at the end of 1997, and of Taylor and Francis plc.
He was elevated to the House of Lords
as Baron Macdonald of Tradeston, in the City of Glasgow on 2 October 1998. He served as Minister for Business and Industry in the Scottish Office
(1998–99), Minister for Transport in the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions, in attendance at cabinet (1999–2001) and Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
(2001–03)
Member of Cabinet Office Advisory Committee on Business Appointments. Also member of House of Lords
' Select Committees on Economic Affairs (2004–2008), and Communications (2009-).Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Humanist
Group. On Steering Group of OECD Futures Programme on Infrastructure and Advisory Board of OECD International Transport Forum.
Lord Macdonald was installed as Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University
in October 2007, succeeding Magnus Magnusson
.
Member of the Council (2006–2008) and of Court (2009-) at the University of Sussex
.
Patron, Dystonia Society.
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Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(born 1940, Larkhall
Larkhall
Larkhall is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is around southeast of Glasgow. It is twinned with Seclin in northern France.Larkhall sits on high ground between the River Clyde to the East and the Avon Water to the West...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
), is a member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, taking the Labour Party Whip.
Macdonald was educated at Allan Glen's School
Allan Glen's School
Allan Glen's School was for most of its existence a selective fee-paying independent secondary school for boys in Glasgow, Scotland. It was founded by the Allan Glen's Endowment Scholarship Trust on the death in 1850 of Allan Glen, a successful Glasgow tradesman and businessman, "to give a good...
, Glasgow on a scholarship. Leaving school at 14, he became an apprentice marine engineer at the shipyards of Alexander Stephen and Sons’ in Govan. Involved in an apprentices' strike in 1959, Macdonald was leader of the Govan and Gorbals' branch of the Labour Party's Young Socialists. He was briefly involved in revolutionary socialist politics as a member of the International Socialists and lived for a time in the London home of its foremost member, Tony Cliff
Tony Cliff
Tony Cliff , was a Trotskyist who was a founding member of the Socialist Review Group which went on to become the Socialist Workers Party...
. He has said that he returned to his Tribune
Tribune (magazine)
Tribune is a democratic socialist weekly, founded in 1937 published in London. It is independent but supports the Labour Party from the left...
based political roots around 1964, where he was appointed as the circulation manager by Michael Foot
Michael Foot
Michael Mackintosh Foot, FRSL, PC was a British Labour Party politician, journalist and author, who was a Member of Parliament from 1945 to 1955 and from 1960 until 1992...
.
He has worked as a journalist on The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
and as a member of the Insight team on The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
. Originally taken on a researcher, he was with Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
from 1967 to 1986 where he was soon appointed joint editor of World in Action
World in Action
World in Action was a British investigative current affairs programme made by Granada Television from 1963 until 1998. Its campaigning journalism frequently had a major impact on events of the day. Its production teams often took audacious risks and gained a solid reputation for its often...
with John Birt
John Birt, Baron Birt
John Birt, Baron Birt is a former Director-General of the BBC who was in the post from 1992 to 2000.After a successful career in commercial television, first at Granada and then at LWT, Birt was brought in as deputy director-general of the BBC in 1987 for his current affairs expertise...
; Macdonald had an association with the programme for many years. He also presented Granada's What the Papers Say
What the Papers Say
What The Papers Say is a BBC radio programme that originally ran for many years on British television.Its first incarnation was the second longest-running programme on British television after Panorama...
and Right to Reply on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. He returned to Scotland in 1986 as Director of Programmes for Scottish Television
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
, becoming Managing Director in 1990. While at STV he cut the core workforce from 800 to 330, and the company took over two newspapers The Herald and the Evening Times plus the other ITV contractor in Scotland, Grampian Television
Grampian Television
Grampian Television is the ITV franchisee for the North and North East of Scotland. Its coverage area includes the Scottish Highlands , Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and parts of north Fife...
. He became Chair of Scottish Media Group plc
SMG plc
STV Group plc is a Scottish media company. It is a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling Index. Originally formed as Scottish Television, it changed its name to Scottish Media Group in 1996 when it acquired Caledonian Publishing, owners of Glasgow-based newspapers The Herald and Evening Times...
at the end of 1997, and of Taylor and Francis plc.
He was elevated to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as Baron Macdonald of Tradeston, in the City of Glasgow on 2 October 1998. He served as Minister for Business and Industry in the Scottish Office
Scottish Office
The Scottish Office was a department of the United Kingdom Government from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland...
(1998–99), Minister for Transport in the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions, in attendance at cabinet (1999–2001) and Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a ministerial office in the government of the United Kingdom that includes as part of its duties, the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster...
(2001–03)
Member of Cabinet Office Advisory Committee on Business Appointments. Also member of House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
' Select Committees on Economic Affairs (2004–2008), and Communications (2009-).Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
Group. On Steering Group of OECD Futures Programme on Infrastructure and Advisory Board of OECD International Transport Forum.
Lord Macdonald was installed as Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow Caledonian University is a public university in Glasgow, Scotland.The university was constituted by an Act of Parliament on 1 April 1993 as a result of a merger between Glasgow Polytechnic and The Queen's College, Glasgow....
in October 2007, succeeding Magnus Magnusson
Magnus Magnusson
Magnus Magnusson KBE was a television presenter, journalist, translator and writer. He was born in Iceland but lived in Scotland for almost all of his life, although he never took British citizenship...
.
Member of the Council (2006–2008) and of Court (2009-) at the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
.
Patron, Dystonia Society.
Publications
- "Camera: A Victorian Eyewitness", B.T. Batsford Ltd, London, 1979, ISBN 0 7134 2095 2
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External links
- Announcement of his introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 8 October 1998.