John MacKay
Encyclopedia
John Jackson MacKay, Baron MacKay of Ardbrecknish (15 November 1938 – 21 February 2001) was a Scottish
Conservative and Unionist Party
politician.
He started his career as a mathematics teacher, becoming Head of Mathematics at Oban High School. He was a Tory candidate for the Western Isles in the 1970 election having, in the climate of the era, accepted he could realise his original Liberal Parliamentary ambitions only by joining the Conservatives. He was Member of Parliament
for Argyll from 1979 to 1983, and after boundary changes, for Argyll and Bute (UK Parliament constituency)
from 1983 to 1987, when he lost the seat to the Liberal candidate Hon Mrs Ray Michie
- the daughter of Lord Bannerman, a local Liberal. MacKay was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
from 1982 to 1987 with responsibility for Health and Social Work and was Commons Scottish spokesman on Agriculture (which was the responsibility of the Earl of Mansfield sitting in the Lords). Following his defeat, he was given a life peerage as Baron MacKay of Ardbrecknish, of Tayvallich in the District of Argyll and Bute
. Against the advice of officials he supported a Private Member's Bill on solvent abuse, a scourge of the time, which became law in 1983. In Health he threw himself into the 1982 NHS strikes and a modernisation of mental health legislation. He rejoined the government as a Lord in Waiting in 1993. In January 1994, he joined the Department of Transport
as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, being promoted later that year to become Minister of State at the Department of Social Security
, a post he held until 1997. In opposition, he served as Deputy Leader of the Conservative peers. He died in 2001 in Wandsworth
at the age of 62.
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...
Conservative and Unionist Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
He started his career as a mathematics teacher, becoming Head of Mathematics at Oban High School. He was a Tory candidate for the Western Isles in the 1970 election having, in the climate of the era, accepted he could realise his original Liberal Parliamentary ambitions only by joining the Conservatives. He was 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,...
for Argyll from 1979 to 1983, and after boundary changes, for Argyll and Bute (UK Parliament constituency)
Argyll and Bute (UK Parliament constituency)
Argyll and Bute is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created for the 1983 general election, merging most of Argyll with some of Bute and Northern Ayrshire...
from 1983 to 1987, when he lost the seat to the Liberal candidate Hon Mrs Ray Michie
Ray Michie, Baroness Michie of Gallanach
Janet Ray Michie, Baroness Michie of Gallanach was a British speech therapist and Liberal Democrat politician. She served as Member of Parliament for Argyll and Bute for 14 years, from 1987 to 2001, and then became a life peer in the House of Lords...
- the daughter of Lord Bannerman, a local Liberal. MacKay was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
from 1982 to 1987 with responsibility for Health and Social Work and was Commons Scottish spokesman on Agriculture (which was the responsibility of the Earl of Mansfield sitting in the Lords). Following his defeat, he was given a life peerage as Baron MacKay of Ardbrecknish, of Tayvallich in the District of Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
. Against the advice of officials he supported a Private Member's Bill on solvent abuse, a scourge of the time, which became law in 1983. In Health he threw himself into the 1982 NHS strikes and a modernisation of mental health legislation. He rejoined the government as a Lord in Waiting in 1993. In January 1994, he joined the Department of Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, being promoted later that year to become Minister of State at the Department of Social Security
Department of Social Security
The Department of Social Security is the name of a defunct governmental agency in the United Kingdom.The DSS replaced the older Department of Health and Social Security, from 1988 until 2001, when it was itself largely replaced as a department of the Government of the United Kingdom by the...
, a post he held until 1997. In opposition, he served as Deputy Leader of the Conservative peers. He died in 2001 in Wandsworth
London Borough of Wandsworth
The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
at the age of 62.