The Lord Mackie of Benshie | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theHouse of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| In office 15 May 1974 – 17 February 2015 Life Peerage | |
| Member of Parliament forCaithness and Sutherland | |
| In office 16 October 1964 – 10 March 1966 | |
| Preceded by | Sir David Robertson |
| Succeeded by | Bob Maclennan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | George Yull Mackie (1919-07-10)10 July 1919 Tarves, Scotland |
| Died | 19 February 2015(2015-02-19) (aged 95) Dundee, Scotland |
| Cause of death | Stroke |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Liberal (until 1988) Liberal Democrats (1988–2015) |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3 |
| Occupation | Farmer RAF navigator Businessman |
| Writing career | |
| Notable works | Flying Farming and Politics - a Liberal Life (2004) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force (RAF) |
| Years of service | 1939–1945 |
| Rank | Squadron Leader |
| Unit | |
| Commands | Officers’ Squadron |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | |
George Yull Mackie, Baron Mackie of BenshieOBE DSO DFC (10 July 1919 – 17 February 2015)[1] was a BritishLiberal andLiberal Democrat politician.
Mackie was born inTarves, Aberdeenshire, the son of Dr Maitland Mackie, OBE, and his wife Mary (née Yull). He was educated atAberdeen Grammar School andAberdeen University.[2] His older brothers were SirMaitland Mackie andJohn Mackie, Baron John-Mackie, a futureLabour MP.
In 1940 Mackie was commissioned in theRoyal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He served withRAF Bomber Command and was awarded theDistinguished Service Order[3] andDistinguished Flying Cross.[4] After theSecond World War, he took over a farm at Benshie,Angus, and subsequently set up a cattle ranch at Braeroy,Inverness-shire, nearSpean Bridge.[5]
Having first contestedSouth Angus as a Liberal in1959, he was electedMember of Parliament forCaithness and Sutherland in1964. In the Commons he served as a Liberal partywhip. He lost his seat in1966, when he was defeated by the Labour candidateRobert Maclennan, who was to become a party colleague of Mackie in the late 1980s after he joined the Liberal Democrats via theSDP. Mackie contested Caithness and Sutherland again in1970, but lost by a wider margin.
Having been appointed aCommander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1971,[6] he was given alife peerage, asBaron Mackie of Benshie, ofKirriemuir in theCounty of Angus on 10 May 1974.[7] In theHouse of Lords, he served as Agriculture and Scottish Affairs spokesman for the Liberals and their successor parties between 1975 and 2000. Having been chair of the Scottish Liberal Party from 1965 to 1970, he was its president between 1983 and 1988. In 1980, he was elected to serve a three-year term asRector of the University of Dundee.[2]
Until his death, Mackie was the oldest living person to have served as a Liberal Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom.[5] His death was announced on 17 February 2015. He was 95 years old.[5][8]
Mackie's papers are held by Archive Services at theUniversity of Dundee.[9]
Mackie married firstly, in 1944, Lindsay, daughter of lawyer Alexander Sharp, of Aberdeen. They had three daughters, the eldest of whom, Lindsay, married the journalistAlan Rusbridger.[10][11] Mackie married secondly, in 1988, Jacqueline, daughter of Colonel Marcel Rauch, of the French Air Force.[12]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forCaithness and Sutherland 1964–1966 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chairman of theScottish Liberal Party 1965–1970 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of theScottish Liberal Party 1983–1988 | Succeeded by |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by | Rector of the University of Dundee 1980–1983 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
