John Farquhar Munro
Encyclopedia
John Farquhar Munro (born 26 August 1934) is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician, and was the MSP
for Ross, Skye and Inverness West
from 1999 until his retirement in 2011.
Previously a crofter and a local councillor
for 33 years, he was first elected to the Scottish Parliament
at the 1999 election. Running against him for Labour
was Donnie Munro
, former member of the band Runrig
, but Munro won by 1,539 votes. He was one of three Lib-Dem MSPs to oppose his party's coalition with the Labour Party
(along with Keith Raffan
and Donald Gorrie
) and has deviated from the Executive on a number of issues (such as land reform
, on which he believes they are not moving quickly enough).
He has also been prominent within the parliament in opposing the Skye Bridge
tolls, to the extent of threatening to resign from the Lib Dems if they were not removed. The tolls were abolished in December 2004.
As befits one of the few native Gaelic speakers in the Scottish Parliament
he co-sponsored (along with the Scottish National Party
's Michael Russell) a bill to secure the language's status as being equal to English
. He was angry when the Labour-Liberal Scottish Executive
refused to back it.
He was re-elected to the Scottish Parliament at the 2003 election with an increased share of the vote.
After the 2007 election he was the oldest MSP in Holyrood. He stepped down as an MSP at the Scottish Parliament general election, 2011 at which time his constituency was abolished. Munro expressed support for Alex Salmond
in the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
for Ross, Skye and Inverness West
Ross, Skye and Inverness West (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Ross, Skye and Inverness West is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
from 1999 until his retirement in 2011.
Previously a crofter and a local councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
for 33 years, he was first elected to the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
at the 1999 election. Running against him for 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...
was Donnie Munro
Donnie Munro
Donnie Munro is a Scottish musician, and former lead singer of the band Runrig.A native speaker of Scottish Gaelic, much of his work is in that language.-Early life:...
, former member of the band Runrig
Runrig
Runrig are a Scottish Celtic rock group formed in Skye, in 1973 under the name 'The Run Rig Dance Band'. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The current line-up also includes longtime members Malcolm Jones, Iain Bayne, and more...
, but Munro won by 1,539 votes. He was one of three Lib-Dem MSPs to oppose his party's coalition with the Labour Party
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...
(along with Keith Raffan
Keith Raffan
Keith William Twort Raffan, in Aberdeen, is a former Conservative Member of Parliament and Scottish Liberal Democrat Member of the Scottish Parliament ....
and Donald Gorrie
Donald Gorrie
Donald Cameron Easterbrook Gorrie is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician, and former Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Scotland Region. He was also a Member of Parliament from 1997 until 2001, representing Edinburgh West....
) and has deviated from the Executive on a number of issues (such as land reform
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
, on which he believes they are not moving quickly enough).
He has also been prominent within the parliament in opposing the Skye Bridge
Skye Bridge
The Skye Bridge is a road bridge over Loch Alsh, connecting mainland Highland with the Isle of Skye, Scotland. It forms part of the A87. The bridge is located at around , with one pillar standing on the island of Eilean Bàn....
tolls, to the extent of threatening to resign from the Lib Dems if they were not removed. The tolls were abolished in December 2004.
As befits one of the few native Gaelic speakers in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
he co-sponsored (along with 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....
's Michael Russell) a bill to secure the language's status as being equal to English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. He was angry when the Labour-Liberal Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
refused to back it.
He was re-elected to the Scottish Parliament at the 2003 election with an increased share of the vote.
After the 2007 election he was the oldest MSP in Holyrood. He stepped down as an MSP at the Scottish Parliament general election, 2011 at which time his constituency was abolished. Munro expressed support for Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
in the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections.
External links
- John Farquhar Munro MSP official biography at the Scottish Parliament website
- John Farquhar Munro MSP profile at the site of Scottish Liberal Democrats