Henry McLeish
Encyclopedia
Henry Baird McLeish is a Scottish Labour Party
politician, author
and academic. Formerly a professional association football player, McLeish was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Central Fife
from 1987
to 2001
and the Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Central Fife from 1999
to 2003
, during which time he also served as the second First Minister of Scotland
, from 2000 to 2001, following the sudden death of Donald Dewar
. He resigned in 2001 following a financial scandal.
and represented Scotland as a youth international. He then played in the Scottish Football League
for East Fife
.
After retiring as a football player he became a lecturer at Heriot-Watt University
before entering politics.
McLeish was leader of Fife Regional Council, before his election as a Labour MP for Central Fife at the 1987 General Election
. In the late 1980s and into the 1990s, McLeish was a Labour shadow spokesman for several portfolios, including the Scottish Office
, transport, employment, and health and social security. When Labour came to power in 1997, McLeish was appointed as a Minister of the Scottish Office.
As Donald Dewar
's right hand man in Westminster, McLeish helped secure devolution for Scotland and manoeuvre the Scotland Act through the Westminster Parliament. After the creation of the Scottish Parliament
in 1999, McLeish was elected as MSP for Fife Central
and became Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
.
by 44 votes to 36 in the race to become the second First Minister. The ballot was held amongst a restricted electorate of Labour MSP
s and members of Scottish Labour's national executive, because there was insufficient time for a full election to be held. Professor John Curtice
, a prominent political analyst, commented that McLeish would not have the "kind of authority" that Donald Dewar enjoyed.
While First Minister, McLeish was widely commended as being a business-like manager of the Scottish Executive
, with good political instincts and good relations in Westminster and Holyrood. He travelled widely, particularly in the United States, where he capitalised on sentimentalism for Scotland among American politicians to advance the cause of Scottish industry and export. He managed several taskforces designed to improve the competitiveness
of Scottish industry, especially the PILOT project for Scottish oil and gas supply chains. Even so, he was embarrassed when an open microphone recorded him with Helen Liddell
in a TV studio, describing Scottish Secretary John Reid as "a patronising bastard" and said of his colleague, Brian Wilson, "Brian is supposed to be in charge of Africa but he spends most of his time in bloody Dublin. He is a liability".
He resigned as First Minister in 2001 amid a scandal involving allegations he sub-let part of his tax-subsidised Westminster constituency office without it having been registered in the 'register of interests' kept in the Parliamentary office. The press called the affair Officegate
. Though McLeish could not have personally benefited financially from the oversight, he undertook to repay the £36,000 rental income, and resigned to allow the Scottish Labour Party
a clean break to prepare for the 2003 Parliamentary elections
. McLeish did not seek re-election.
and the University of Arkansas
, where he holds a visiting professorship shared between the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
and the University of Arkansas School of Law
.
He is considered an expert on European-American relations and on the European Union
.
He is a consultant with political and public relations consultancy Halogen Communications
Ltd, as well as J. Chandler & Co., distributor of Buckfast Tonic Wine
and has written a number of books including Scotland First: Truth and Consequences (2004), Global Scots: Voices from Afar (with Kenny MacAskill
) (2006) (published in the UK as Global Scots: Making It in the Modern World), Wherever the Saltire Flies (with Kenny MacAskill) (2006) and Scotland: The Road Divides (with Tom Brown) (2007).
McLeish also holds the following positions and titles:
In August 2007 he was appointed to the Scottish Broadcasting Commission
(established by the Scottish Government). He also chaired the Scottish Prisons Commission
, which produced a report into sentencing and the criminal justice system in 2008 entitled "Scotland's Choice".
McLeish concluded a "major report" on the state of football in Scotland
, which had been commissioned by the Scottish Football Association
, in April 2010. McLeish claimed that Scottish football was "underachieving, under-performing and under-funded" at a press conference to unveil the report.
-
|-
|-
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
politician, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and academic. Formerly a professional association football player, McLeish was the 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) for Central Fife
Central Fife (UK Parliament constituency)
Central Fife was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from February 1974 until 2005, when it was largely replaced by the new Glenrothes constituency, with a small portion joining the expanded North East Fife.It elected one Member...
from 1987
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...
to 2001
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
and the Member of the Scottish Parliament
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 Central Fife from 1999
Scottish Parliament election, 1999
The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members...
to 2003
Scottish Parliament election, 2003
The Scottish Parliament election, 2003, was the second general election of the Scottish Parliament. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive...
, during which time he also served as the second First Minister of Scotland
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
, from 2000 to 2001, following the sudden death of Donald Dewar
Donald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar was a British politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in Scotland from 1966-1970, and then again from 1978 until his death in 2000. He served in Tony Blair's cabinet as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1997-1999 and was instrumental in the creation...
. He resigned in 2001 following a financial scandal.
Footballer and early political career
McLeish was a youth player at Leeds UnitedLeeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
and represented Scotland as a youth international. He then played in the Scottish Football League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
for East Fife
East Fife F.C.
East Fife Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the Fife coastal town of Methil...
.
After retiring as a football player he became a lecturer at Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University is a university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The name commemorates George Heriot, the 16th century financier to King James, and James Watt, the great 18th century inventor and engineer....
before entering politics.
McLeish was leader of Fife Regional Council, before his election as a Labour MP for Central Fife 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...
. In the late 1980s and into the 1990s, McLeish was a Labour shadow spokesman for several portfolios, including 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...
, transport, employment, and health and social security. When Labour came to power in 1997, McLeish was appointed as a Minister of the Scottish Office.
As Donald Dewar
Donald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar was a British politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in Scotland from 1966-1970, and then again from 1978 until his death in 2000. He served in Tony Blair's cabinet as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1997-1999 and was instrumental in the creation...
's right hand man in Westminster, McLeish helped secure devolution for Scotland and manoeuvre the Scotland Act through the Westminster Parliament. After the creation of 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...
in 1999, McLeish was elected as MSP for Fife Central
Fife Central (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Central Fife is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
and became Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
The Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning was a cabinet position in the Scottish Executive. The position was first created in the 1999 as part of the Dewar government and continued into the McLeish cabinet. Following the election of Jack McConnell as First Minister in 2001 transportation...
.
First Minister
After Dewar's death in 2000, McLeish defeated his rival Jack McConnellJack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
by 44 votes to 36 in the race to become the second First Minister. The ballot was held amongst a restricted electorate of Labour MSP
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:...
s and members of Scottish Labour's national executive, because there was insufficient time for a full election to be held. Professor John Curtice
John Curtice
John Curtice is an academic who is currently Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde. He is particularly interested in electoral behaviour, researching political and social attitudes, and is an acknowledged expert on the call for Scottish independence.- External links :*...
, a prominent political analyst, commented that McLeish would not have the "kind of authority" that Donald Dewar enjoyed.
While First Minister, McLeish was widely commended as being a business-like manager of the 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...
, with good political instincts and good relations in Westminster and Holyrood. He travelled widely, particularly in the United States, where he capitalised on sentimentalism for Scotland among American politicians to advance the cause of Scottish industry and export. He managed several taskforces designed to improve the competitiveness
Competitiveness
Competitiveness is a comparative concept of the ability and performance of a firm, sub-sector or country to sell and supply goods and/or services in a given market...
of Scottish industry, especially the PILOT project for Scottish oil and gas supply chains. Even so, he was embarrassed when an open microphone recorded him with Helen Liddell
Helen Liddell
Helen Lawrie Liddell, Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Monklands East from 1994 to 1997, and then for Airdrie and Shotts until 2005, whereafter she became the British High Commissioner to Australia until 2009...
in a TV studio, describing Scottish Secretary John Reid as "a patronising bastard" and said of his colleague, Brian Wilson, "Brian is supposed to be in charge of Africa but he spends most of his time in bloody Dublin. He is a liability".
He resigned as First Minister in 2001 amid a scandal involving allegations he sub-let part of his tax-subsidised Westminster constituency office without it having been registered in the 'register of interests' kept in the Parliamentary office. The press called the affair Officegate
Officegate
The Officegate scandal was a controversy surrounding then Scottish First Minister Henry McLeish in 2001. It resulted in his resignation from the post....
. Though McLeish could not have personally benefited financially from the oversight, he undertook to repay the £36,000 rental income, and resigned to allow the Scottish Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
a clean break to prepare for the 2003 Parliamentary elections
Scottish Parliament election, 2003
The Scottish Parliament election, 2003, was the second general election of the Scottish Parliament. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive...
. McLeish did not seek re-election.
After politics
Since leaving mainstream politics McLeish has lectured widely in the United States, particularly at the United States Air Force AcademyUnited States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
and the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, where he holds a visiting professorship shared between the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the University of Arkansas' college for students with interest in the liberal arts. It is named for former University President and United States Senator J. William Fulbright. The College has 19 different academic departments...
and the University of Arkansas School of Law
University of Arkansas School of Law
The University of Arkansas School of Law is the law school of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a state university. It has around 445 students enrolled in its Juris Doctor and Master of Law programs and is home to the federally-funded National Agricultural Law Center and the...
.
He is considered an expert on European-American relations and on the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
He is a consultant with political and public relations consultancy Halogen Communications
Halogen Communications
Halogen Communications is an independent communications consultancy based in Edinburgh, Scotland with an international office in Washington, D.C...
Ltd, as well as J. Chandler & Co., distributor of Buckfast Tonic Wine
Buckfast Tonic Wine
Buckfast Tonic Wine, commonly known as Buckfast or Buckie or Tonic , is a fortified wine licensed by Buckfast Abbey in Devon, south west England. It is distributed by J...
and has written a number of books including Scotland First: Truth and Consequences (2004), Global Scots: Voices from Afar (with Kenny MacAskill
Kenny MacAskill
Kenneth "Kenny" Wright MacAskill is the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh Eastern, formerly Edinburgh East and Musselburgh since 2007...
) (2006) (published in the UK as Global Scots: Making It in the Modern World), Wherever the Saltire Flies (with Kenny MacAskill) (2006) and Scotland: The Road Divides (with Tom Brown) (2007).
McLeish also holds the following positions and titles:
- Privy CounsellorPrivy Council of the United KingdomHer 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...
- Hartman Hotz Visiting Professor in Law and the Liberal Arts, jointly in the Fulbright College and Law School, University of ArkansasUniversity of ArkansasThe University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
- Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of DenverUniversity of DenverThe University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
- Visiting lecturer at the United States Air Force AcademyUnited States Air Force AcademyThe United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
, Colorado Springs, ColoradoColorado Springs, ColoradoColorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado... - Honorary Fellow at the College of Humanities and Social Science at Edinburgh University
- Honorary Fellow at the Cambridge Land Institute, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University
- Adviser, Consultant and Facilitator to the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions and the European Monitoring Centre for Change, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
- Adviser and Consultant to the LEED Programme of the OECD in Paris, France, including visits to Austria, Italy, and Mexico
- Consultant, in partnership with Jeremy HarrisonJeremy HarrisonJeremy Harrison, is a Canadian politician, currently representing the riding of Meadow Lake in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan...
, Cambridge (Public Value Partnership, working on new project development and evaluation of existing projects in the community and voluntary sector
In August 2007 he was appointed to the Scottish Broadcasting Commission
Scottish Broadcasting Commission
The Scottish Broadcasting Commission was established by the Scottish Government in August 2007. Its purpose is to conduct an independent investigation into television production and broadcasting in Scotland, and to define a strategic way forward for the industry...
(established by the Scottish Government). He also chaired the Scottish Prisons Commission
Scottish Prisons Commission
The Scottish Prisons Commission was a commission established by the Scottish Government in 2007 to "analyse the impact for courts, prisons and community justice services of early release provisions contained in the Custodial Sentences and Weapons Act 2007".-Terms of reference:The terms of...
, which produced a report into sentencing and the criminal justice system in 2008 entitled "Scotland's Choice".
McLeish concluded a "major report" on the state of football in Scotland
Football in Scotland
Association football is the national sport in Scotland and highly popular throughout the country. There is a long tradition of "football" games in Orkney, Lewis and southern Scotland, especially the Scottish Borders, although many of these include carrying the ball and passing by hand, and despite...
, which had been commissioned by the Scottish Football Association
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
, in April 2010. McLeish claimed that Scottish football was "underachieving, under-performing and under-funded" at a press conference to unveil the report.
Footnotes
|--
|-
|-