Ian Campbell (Scottish politician)
Encyclopedia
Ian Campbell was a Scottish
politician who served as a backbench Labour
Member of Parliament
(MP) of the United Kingdom
from 1970 to 1987.
, and studied electrical engineering at the Royal College of Science and Technology
in Glasgow
(now Strathclyde University). After National Service
in Germany with the Royal Engineers
, he became a chartered engineer
, and worked for the South of Scotland Electricity Board
from 1948 to 1965. He married Mary Millar in 1950; they had two sons and three daughters.
of Dumbarton in 1962. In 1968, was re-elected unopposed for an almost unprecedented third term. The Labour administration in Dumbarton during these years embarked on a significant programme of slum clearance, house building, and town centre redevelopment. The closure of the Denny Shipyard in 1963 was the most significant sign of a shift from heavy industry as the major source of employment in the town requiring a major investment of effort from the council and its leadership in economic development.
When Tom Steele
, the Labour MP for Dunbartonshire West
, indicated that he would stand down at the 1970 general election
, Campbell was selected by the Constituency Labour Party
as their candidate. He was duly elected, serving as MP for Dunbartonshire West until 1983 and then for the successor seat, Dumbarton
, until 1987.
He won at five general elections, although his seat was not always particularly safe, particularly in the two general elections of 1974: his majority was reduced to just over 1,800 votes by the Scottish National Party
at the October 1974 general election
. As a Member of Parliament, his focus was firmly on the interests of his constituency and constituents. Throughout his time in parliament, he took a keen interest in the Scotch whisky
industry, which was the key employer in the constituency. The nuclear base at Faslane was also in his constituency, and his constituents were also affected by the decline of the shipbuilding industry on the Lower Clyde. Although a backbencher
for all of his time in the Commons, he was Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the Secretary of State for Scotland
, Bruce Millan
, from 1976 until 1979, during the period when the Labour government was proposing to implement Scottish devolution. He also served for many years as a member of the Chairman's panel, and eventually as the regular Chairman of the Scottish Grand Committee
. He was significantly, and controversially, involved in the campaign against abortion
, co-sponsoring an ultimately unsuccessful private member's bill
introduced by his friend and colleague, James White
, MP for Glasgow Pollok
, to tighten the requirements of the Abortion Act 1967
. Campbell acted as an informal whip
in the committees considering various bills aimed at tightening the law in this area. Early in the 1979 parliament, he successfully piloted a private member's bill
through the House of Commons
to enable Scottish local authorities to offer concessionary transport to people with mental disabilites.
In the run-up to the 1983 general election
, he narrowly won a re-selection battle within his own Constituency Labour Party, against a challenge from a Leo Crawley, later a left-wing councillor in the constituency. In that election he was re-elected for the new Dumbarton
constituency, which was practically the same as his old constituency, the only change was the addition of the villages of Bowling, and Milton
. He retired at the 1987 general election
and was replaced by John McFall.
Local Valuation Panel, and a magistrate
.
He was diagnosed with prostate cancer
in 2000, and died in Dumbarton. He was survived by his wife and five children.
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...
politician who served as a backbench Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from 1970 to 1987.
Early life
Campbell was born in Dumbarton, the second of the four children of William Campbell and his wife Helen (née Crockett). He was educated at Knoxland Primary School and Dumbarton AcademyDumbarton Academy
Dumbarton Academy is a non denomonational secondary school in West Dunbartonshire and serves the town of Dumbarton and the surrounding area.-Admissions:It is situated near the railway, off the B830 in the east of Dumbarton...
, and studied electrical engineering at the Royal College of Science and Technology
Royal College of Science and Technology
The Royal College of Science and Technology, situated at 138 George Street in Glasgow, Scotland was the principal predecessor institution of the University of Strathclyde, and now serves as one of the main educational buildings of the campus.-History:...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(now Strathclyde University). After National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in Germany with the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
, he became a chartered engineer
Chartered Engineer (UK)
In the United Kingdom, a Chartered Engineer is an engineer registered with Engineering Council UK . Contemporary Chartered Engineers are master's degree-qualified and have gained professional competencies through training and experience...
, and worked for the South of Scotland Electricity Board
South of Scotland Electricity Board
The South of Scotland Electricity Board , was formed as a result of the Electricity Reorganisation Act 1954. On 1 April 1955, the two southern Scottish Area Electricity Boards were merged into the South of Scotland Electricity Board...
from 1948 to 1965. He married Mary Millar in 1950; they had two sons and three daughters.
Political career
Campbell joined the Labour Party in 1953. He was elected to Dumbarton Burgh Council in 1958 and was first elected as ProvostProvost (civil)
A provost is the ceremonial head of many Scottish local authorities, and under the name prévôt was a governmental position of varying importance in Ancien Regime France.-History:...
of Dumbarton in 1962. In 1968, was re-elected unopposed for an almost unprecedented third term. The Labour administration in Dumbarton during these years embarked on a significant programme of slum clearance, house building, and town centre redevelopment. The closure of the Denny Shipyard in 1963 was the most significant sign of a shift from heavy industry as the major source of employment in the town requiring a major investment of effort from the council and its leadership in economic development.
When Tom Steele
Tom Steele
Tom Steele was a Scottish Labour politician.Steele worked as a station master and served on the board of the Lanark Co-operative Society....
, the Labour MP for Dunbartonshire West
West Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
West Dunbartonshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election and covers the same area as the county of West Dunbartonshire.The current constituency was first used in...
, indicated that he would stand down at the 1970 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
, Campbell was selected by the Constituency Labour Party
Constituency Labour Party
A Constituency Labour Party is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular UK parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales. The Labour Party in Northern Ireland has, since February 2009, been organised as a province-wide Constituency Labour Party...
as their candidate. He was duly elected, serving as MP for Dunbartonshire West until 1983 and then for the successor seat, Dumbarton
Dumbarton (UK Parliament constituency)
Dumbarton was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 2005. It was largely absorbed into the new constituency of Dunbartonshire West, with Helensburgh joining Argyll and Bute....
, until 1987.
He won at five general elections, although his seat was not always particularly safe, particularly in the two general elections of 1974: his majority was reduced to just over 1,800 votes by the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
at the October 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
. As a Member of Parliament, his focus was firmly on the interests of his constituency and constituents. Throughout his time in parliament, he took a keen interest in the Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
industry, which was the key employer in the constituency. The nuclear base at Faslane was also in his constituency, and his constituents were also affected by the decline of the shipbuilding industry on the Lower Clyde. Although a backbencher
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
for all of his time in the Commons, he was Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to the Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
, Bruce Millan
Bruce Millan
Bruce Millan is a Scottish Labour politician. He was born in Dundee and educated at the Harris Academy in that city.He was elected as Member of Parliament for Glasgow Craigton at the 1959 general election and served for that seat, and after its abolition for Glasgow Govan, until 1988...
, from 1976 until 1979, during the period when the Labour government was proposing to implement Scottish devolution. He also served for many years as a member of the Chairman's panel, and eventually as the regular Chairman of the Scottish Grand Committee
Scottish Grand Committee
The Scottish Grand Committee is a committee of the House of Commons. It is not a select committee , but rather a grand committee composed of all 59 Scottish MPs ....
. He was significantly, and controversially, involved in the campaign against abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, co-sponsoring an ultimately unsuccessful private member's bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
introduced by his friend and colleague, James White
James White (Scottish politician)
James White was a British Labour Party politician. White was Member of Parliament for Glasgow Pollok from 1970 to 1987, when he retired. He served in the Eighth Army under Field Marshal Montgomery during World War II...
, MP for Glasgow Pollok
Glasgow Pollok (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Pollok was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 2005, when it was replaced by Glasgow South West...
, to tighten the requirements of the Abortion Act 1967
Abortion Act 1967
The Abortion Act 1967 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom legalising abortions by registered practitioners, and regulating the free provision of such medical practices through the National Health Service ....
. Campbell acted as an informal whip
Whip
A whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage...
in the committees considering various bills aimed at tightening the law in this area. Early in the 1979 parliament, he successfully piloted a private member's bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
through the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
to enable Scottish local authorities to offer concessionary transport to people with mental disabilites.
In the run-up to the 1983 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
, he narrowly won a re-selection battle within his own Constituency Labour Party, against a challenge from a Leo Crawley, later a left-wing councillor in the constituency. In that election he was re-elected for the new Dumbarton
Dumbarton (UK Parliament constituency)
Dumbarton was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 2005. It was largely absorbed into the new constituency of Dunbartonshire West, with Helensburgh joining Argyll and Bute....
constituency, which was practically the same as his old constituency, the only change was the addition of the villages of Bowling, and Milton
Milton, West Dunbartonshire
Milton is a village in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.It lies about 1 mile east of Dumbarton, on the A82 Glasgow-Loch Lomond road and below the Overtoun Bridge....
. He retired at the 1987 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
and was replaced by John McFall.
Later life
After he retired from Parliament, Campbell he was active as an elder at Riverside Church in Dumbarton. He was also a member of the Dumbarton District Enterprise Trust, a member of the StrathclydeStrathclyde
right|thumb|the former Strathclyde regionStrathclyde was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created by the Local Government Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc Act 1994...
Local Valuation Panel, and a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
.
He was diagnosed with prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
in 2000, and died in Dumbarton. He was survived by his wife and five children.