NationMaster - Encyclopedia: David Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood

The Right Honourable David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood, KT, KBE, PC (born 31 March 1938) is a British and Scottish politician and a Liberal Democrat member of the UK House of Lords. He was leader of the Liberal Party from 1976 until its 1988 merger with the Social Democratic Party that formed the Liberal Democrats, and was briefly joint interim leader of the "Lib Dems". He was also the first Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, holding that post between 1999 and 2003. The Right Honourable (abbreviated The Rt Hon. ... James VII ordained the modern Order. ... [[LinItalic textItalic textBold text--144. ... Her Majestys Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 kmÂ² 1. ... A politician is an individual involved in politics to the extent of holding or running for public office. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party based in the United Kingdom. ... This article is about the British House of Lords. ... The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the 1920s, and a third party of varying strength and importance up to 1988, when it merged with the Social Democratic Party (the SDP) to form a new party which would become... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the Social Democratic Party that existed from 1981 until 1988. ... The Presiding Officer (Oifigear-Riaghlaidh in Scots Gaelic) is the person elected by the Members of the Scottish Parliament to chair their meetings. ... For the national legislative body adjourned in 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...

Early Life

David Steel was born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, the son of a Church of Scotland minister also called David Steel, who would later serve as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. He was brought up in Scotland and Kenya. Kirkcaldy (pron. ... Fife (FÃ¬obh in Gaelic) is a council area of Scotland, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with landward boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 kmÂ² 1. ... The Church of Scotland (C of S, also known informally as The Kirk; until the 17th century officially the Kirk of Scotland) is the Christian national church of Scotland. ... The standard of the Moderator The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is an honorary role, held for 12 months. ... The Church of Scotland (C of S, also known informally as The Kirk; until the 17th century officially the Kirk of Scotland) is the Christian national church of Scotland. ...

Political career

He first took an active part in Liberal politics at the University of Edinburgh, and after graduating in Law worked for the Scottish Liberal Party and then the BBC before being elected to the House of Commons at the Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles by-election of 1965, becoming the "Baby of the House". He represented this seat until 1983, when he became Member of Parliament for Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, a new constituency covering much of the same territory. The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... Corporate logo of the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and is now the dominant branch of Parliament. ... Roxburghshire was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708 until 1918, when it was renamed Roxburgh and Selkirk. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... The Baby of the House is the unofficial moniker given to the youngest member of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ... Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983. ...

As an MP he was responsible for introducing, as a Private Member's Bill, the Abortion Act 1967 (see Abortion in the United Kingdom). He also became the Liberal Party's spokesman on employment, and in 1970 its Chief Whip. A Private Members Bill is a proposed law introduced by a member of parliament, whether from the government or the opposition side, to that legislature or parliament. ... Abortion has been legal in England, Scotland and Wales since 1967. ... 1970 (MCMLXX in Roman) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ...

In 1976, after the downfall of Jeremy Thorpe and a short period in which Jo Grimond acted as caretaker leader, he won the Liberal leadership by a wide margin over fellow MP John Pardoe. In 1977, he led the Liberals into the "Lib-Lab Pact" by which they agreed to keep the Labour government in power. The unpopularity of the Labour government rubbed off on the Liberals, and Steel's first election as leader, the 1979 general election, saw a decline in Liberal fortunes. The Right Honourable John Jeremy Thorpe (born April 29, 1929) is a British politician, who was leader of the Liberal Party from 1967 to 1976. ... Joseph Jo Grimond, Baron Grimond (July 29, 1913 - October 24, 1993) was a British politician, leader of the Liberal Party from 1956 to 1967 and again briefly in 1976. ... John Pardoe (born July 27, 1934) is a retired British politician and businessman. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Lib-Lab Pact has been the term used to describe a working arrangement between the UKs political parties of the Liberals (later Liberal Democrats) and the Labour Party. ... The UK general election, 1979 was held on May 3, 1979 and is regarded as a pivotal point in 20th century British politics. ...

In 1981, a group of Labour moderates left their party to form the Social Democratic Party. The SDP joined the Liberals in the SDP-Liberal Alliance, an electoral alliance that was so promising in its early days that Steel was able to tell delegates at the Liberal Assembly to "go back to your constituencies and prepare for government". But though the alliance secured more than 26 per cent of the popular vote at the 1983 general election - only just behind Labour - its reward in terms of seats was derisory and Steel's hopes of a big political breakthrough were dashed. Shortly afterwards David Owen replaced Roy Jenkins as leader of the SDP and the troubled leadership of the "Two Davids" was inaugurated. It was never an easy relationship - Steel's political sympathies were well to the left of Owen's - and it finally fell apart during the 1987 general election when the two contradicted each other both on defence policy and on which party they would do a deal with in the event of a hung Parliament. The SDP-Liberal Alliance was an electoral alliance of the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party in the UK that ran from 1981 to 1988, when the bulk of the two parties merged to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, later referred to as simply the Liberal Democrats. ... The UK general election, 1983 was held on June 9, 1983 and gave the Conservatives and Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945. ... The Right Honourable Dr. David Anthony Llewellyn Owen, Baron Owen of the City of Plymouth CH PC MD (born July 2, 1938) is a British politician and one of the founders of the British Social Democratic Party (SDP). ... Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead, OM, PC (November 11, 1920 â€“ January 5, 2003) was a British politician and a prominent Labour Member of Parliament in the 1960s and 1970s, and founding member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). ... The UK general election, 1987 was held on June 11, 1987 and was the third victory in a row for Margaret Thatcher and the Conservatives. ...

Steel was convinced the answer to these difficulties was a single party with a single leader, and was the chief proponent of the 1988 merger between the Liberals and the SDP. Steel was briefly joint interim leader of the Social and Liberal Democrats (as the new party was at first called), before becoming the party's Foreign Affairs spokesman. He was knighted (KBE) in 1990. [[LinItalic textItalic textBold text--144. ...

Retirement

He retired from the House of Commons at the 1997 general election and was made a life peer in the same year. He campaigned for Scottish devolution, and in 1999 was elected to the Scottish Parliament as a Liberal Democrat Member of Scottish Parliament for Lothians. He became the first Presiding Officer (speaker) of the Scottish Parliament on May 12, 1999. In this role, he used the style "Sir David Steel", despite his peerage, and had no party allegiance. He stepped down as an MSP when the parliament was dissolved for the 2003 election, but remained as Presiding Officer until he had supervised the election of his successor George Reid on May 7 of that year. The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. ... ... The Lothians is one of the eight electoral areas for the Scottish Parliament that each return 7 members elected by the Additional Members System. ... May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... George Reid The Right Honourable George Reid is a Scottish politician, and a former member of the Scottish National Party (SNP). ... May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ...

On November 30, 2004, the Queen created Lord Steel of Aikwood a Knight of the Order of the Thistle - the highest honour in Scotland. November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days remaining, as the final day of November. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor), born 21 April 1926, is Queen of sixteen independent nations known as the Commonwealth Realms (and has previously been Queen of sixteen others). ... James VII ordained the modern Order. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 kmÂ² 1. ...

External links

Categories: 1938 births | British MPs | Knights Commander of the British Empire | Leaders of the British Liberal Party | Life peers | Living people | Members of the Privy Council | Presiding Officers of the Scottish Parliament | Leaders of the UK Liberal Democrats | George Watson's College alumni Joseph Jo Grimond, Baron Grimond (July 29, 1913 - October 24, 1993) was a British politician, leader of the Liberal Party from 1956 to 1967 and again briefly in 1976. ... The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the 1920s, and a third party of varying strength and importance up to 1988, when it merged with the Social Democratic Party (the SDP) to form a new party which would become... The Right Honourable Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC, (born 27 February 1941), invariably known as Paddy Ashdown, is a British politician, who was leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 until 1999. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party based in the United Kingdom. ... The Presiding Officer (Oifigear-Riaghlaidh in Scots Gaelic) is the Speaker, the person elected by the Members of the Scottish Parliament to chair their meetings. ... George Reid The Right Honourable George Reid is a Scottish politician, and a former member of the Scottish National Party (SNP). ... The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the 1920s, and a third party of varying strength and importance up to 1988, when it merged with the Social Democratic Party (the SDP) to form a new party which would become... The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the 1920s, and a third party of varying strength and importance up to 1988, when it merged with the Social Democratic Party (the SDP) to form a new party which would become... This article is about the British House of Lords. ... Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville (May 11, 1815 - March 31, 1891) was a British Liberal statesman. ... The Right Honourable John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (August 18, 1792 â€“ May 28, 1878), known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was a British Whig and Liberal statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century. ... Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville (May 11, 1815 - March 31, 1891) was a British Liberal statesman. ... John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley (1826-1902), English statesman, was born on 7 January 1826, being the eldest son of the Hon. ... The Right Honourable Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, KG, PC (May 7, 1847 â€“ May 21, 1929) was a British Liberal statesman and Prime Minister. ... John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley (1826-1902), English statesman, was born on 7 January 1826, being the eldest son of the Hon. ... George Frederick Samuel Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon (24 October 1827 - 9 July 1909) was a British politician who served in every Liberal cabinet from 1861 until his death forty-eight years later. ... The Most Honourable Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes, 1st and last Marquess of Crewe (12 January 1858 - 20 June 1945) was an English statesman and writer. ... The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the 1920s, and a third party of varying strength and importance up to 1988, when it merged with the Social Democratic Party (the SDP) to form a new party which would become... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and is now the dominant branch of Parliament. ... The Right Honourable Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (October 20, 1784 - October 18, 1865) was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid 19th century. ... The Right Honourable William Ewart Gladstone (29 December 1809 â€“ 19 May 1898) was a British Liberal statesman and Prime Minister (1868â€“1874, 1880â€“1885, 1886 and 1892â€“1894). ... Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire (23 July 1833 - 24 March 1908) was a British Liberal statesman, previously known (1858-1891) as Marquess of Hartington (a courtesy title). ... The Right Honourable William Ewart Gladstone (29 December 1809 â€“ 19 May 1898) was a British Liberal statesman and Prime Minister (1868â€“1874, 1880â€“1885, 1886 and 1892â€“1894). ... Sir William George Granville Venables Vernon Harcourt (October 14, 1827 - October 1, 1904) was a British Liberal statesman. ... The Right Honourable Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (7 September 1836 â€“ 22 April 1908) was a British Liberal statesman who served as Prime Minister from February 5, 1906 until resigning due to ill health on April 3, 1908. ... The Right Honourable Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC (12 September 1852â€“15 February 1928) served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. ... The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the 1920s, and a third party of varying strength and importance up to 1988, when it merged with the Social Democratic Party (the SDP) to form a new party which would become... The Right Honourable Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC (12 September 1852â€“15 February 1928) served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. ... Sir Donald Maclean (1864-1932) was a Liberal Member of Parliament for Bath (1906-1910), Peebles and Selkirk (1910-1918), Peebles and South Midlothian (1918-1922), and Northern Division of Cornwall (1929-1932) and served as President of the Board of Education (1931-1932). ... 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The Right Honourable Dr. David Anthony Llewellyn Owen, Baron Owen of the City of Plymouth CH PC MD (born July 2, 1938) is a British politician and one of the founders of the British Social Democratic Party (SDP). ... Robert Adam Ross Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart, PC (born June 26, 1936), educated at Balliol College, Oxford and Trinity College, Cambridge, is a British Liberal Democrat politician. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party in the United Kingdom. ... Robert Adam Ross Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart, PC (born June 26, 1936), educated at Balliol College, Oxford and Trinity College, Cambridge, is a British Liberal Democrat politician. ... The Right Honourable Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC, (born 27 February 1941), invariably known as Paddy Ashdown, is a British politician, who was leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 until 1999. ... Rt. ... Rt. ...

Contents

Political career

Retirement

External links