The Lord Maclennan of Rogart | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2018 | |
| President of the Liberal Democrats | |
| In office 1 January 1995 – 31 December 1998 | |
| Leader | Paddy Ashdown |
| Preceded by | Charles Kennedy |
| Succeeded by | Diana Maddock |
| ActingLeader of the Liberal Democrats | |
| In office 3 March 1988 – 16 July 1988 Serving with David Steel | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Paddy Ashdown |
| Leader of theSocial Democratic Party | |
| In office 28 August 1987 – 16 July 1988 | |
| Preceded by | David Owen |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection | |
| In office 4 March 1974 – 4 May 1979 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Member of theHouse of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| In office 19 July 2001 – 18 January 2020 Life peerage | |
| Member of Parliament forCaithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Caithness and Sutherland (1966–1997) | |
| In office 31 March 1966 – 14 May 2001 | |
| Preceded by | George Mackie |
| Succeeded by | John Thurso |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Adam Ross Maclennan (1936-06-26)26 June 1936 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Died | 18 January 2020(2020-01-18) (aged 83) London, England |
| Political party |
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| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | |
Robert Adam Ross "Bob" Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart,PC (26 June 1936 – 18 January 2020) was a BritishLiberal Democrat politician andlife peer.
He was the last leader of theSocial Democratic Party (SDP), serving during the negotiations that led to its merger with theLiberal Party in 1988. He then became joint interim leader of the new party, known as the Social and Liberal Democrats (SLD) and later as the Liberal Democrats. He served as aMember of Parliament (MP) from 1966 to 2001, when he was elevated to the House of Lords.
MacLennan was born inGlasgow in 1936.[1] His father,Sir Hector MacLennan, was a renowned gynaecologist and obstetrician.[1] His mother, Isabel Margaret (née Adam), was a physician and public health activist.[1] He was the brother of actor and directorDavid MacLennan, actress and writerElizabeth MacLennan, andKenneth MacLennan.[1]
He was educated atGlasgow Academy;Balliol College, Oxford;Trinity College, Cambridge; andColumbia University, New York City.[1] He was called to the bar in 1962 atGray's Inn and before entering parliament practised as an international lawyer based in London.[2] From 1963 to 1964, he worked atSullivan & Cromwell in New York.[1]
He becameMember of Parliament (MP) for the constituency ofCaithness and Sutherland in 1966, and serving until 1997; and forCaithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross after boundary changes, from 1997 to 2001.[1]
He was first elected as a member of theLabour Party, where he was described as a "gentleJenkinsite" and served as a junior minister in theLabour government of 1974–1979.[1] In 1981 defected to become a founder member of the SDP, co-founded by Jenkins.[1] Maclennan helped write the party's constitution.[1] He was one of the few SDP MPs to keep their seats in the1983 general election. Following his stint as SDP Leader in 1988, he served as afront bench spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, and as their president from 1994 until 1998.[1]
He was appointed to thePrivy Council in 1997.[3]
After his retirement at the2001 general election, he was raised to the House of Lords, created a life peer asBaron Maclennan of Rogart,of Rogart inSutherland.[4][5] He was the party'sCabinet Office andScotland spokesman in theHouse of Lords until 2015.
In 1968, Maclennan married Helen Noyes (née Cutter), daughter of Justice Richard Ammi Cutter of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.[6] As Maclennan's spouse she was Lady Maclennan of Rogart. She had one son from a previous marriage, and a son and a daughter with Maclennan.[2]
Maclennan died at his home in theCity of Westminster on 18 January 2020, at age 83.[1][2]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forCaithness and Sutherland 1966–1997 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forCaithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 1997–2001 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Leader of theSocial Democratic Party 1987–1988 | Position abolished |
| New office | Leader of the Liberal Democrats Acting 1988 Served alongside:David Steel | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of theLiberal Democrats 1994–1998 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
