Alick Buchanan-Smith (politician)
Minister of State for Energy | |
|---|---|
| In office 13 June 1983 – 11 June 1987 | |
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Hamish Gray |
| Succeeded by | Peter Morrison |
| Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | |
| In office 7 May 1979 – 13 June 1983 | |
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Edward Bishop |
| Succeeded by | John MacGregor |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland | |
| In office March 1974 – 9 December 1976 | |
| Leader | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Willie Ross |
| Succeeded by | Teddy Taylor |
| Member of Parliament for Kincardine and Deeside North Angus and Mearns (1964–1983) | |
| In office 15 October 1964 – 29 August 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Sir Colin Thornton-Kemsley |
| Succeeded by | Nicol Stephen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 April 1932 |
| Died | 29 August 1991 (aged 59) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Relations | Alick Buchanan-Smith, Baron Balerno (Father) |
| Alma mater | Pembroke College, Cambridge University of Edinburgh |
Alick Laidlaw Buchanan-Smith (8 April 1932 – 29 August 1991) was a Scottish Conservative and Unionist politician.
The second son of
He was unsuccessful parliamentary candidate for West Fife in 1959, and sat as member for North Angus and Mearns from 1964 to 1983 and for Kincardine and Deeside from 1983 until his death.
He was Parliamentary
Following the Conservative's defeat in the
Although the Conservatives returned to power following the 1979 general election, Buchanan-Smith's successor as Shadow Scottish Secretary, Teddy Taylor, lost his seat. Because Taylor could not be the new Secretary of State for Scotland, there was speculation about who would fill the post. Stuart Trotter, writing in The Glasgow Herald, correctly tipped George Younger, noting that, while Buchanan-Smith had a similar level of experience, the fact that he had resigned over devolution, and his contribution to the Yes campaign in the recent devolution referendum, made his appointment to the Scottish Office "unlikely". However, Trotter correctly predicted that Buchanan-Smith might be offered a ministerial post in another department if Thatcher was aiming to unify the Conservative Party.[4]
In the 1989 Conservative leadership election, Buchanan-Smith was reported to be one of 33 Conservative MPs to vote for Sir Anthony Meyer, the challenger to Margaret Thatcher. Already in poor health, he voted by proxy.[5]
He is buried under a very modest memorial in the north-east corner of Currie Cemetery, next to his parents and eldest brother, Rev George Adam Buchanan-Smith (1929-1983).
References
- ISBN 0-7230-0124-3.
- ^ Warden, John (12 February 1975). "Top Tories may not serve under Mrs Thatcher". The Herald. Glasgow. p. 1. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ Ross, Jamie (2 June 2014). "The Tories and their rocky relationship with devolution". BBC News. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ a b Trotter, Stuart (5 May 1979). "Younger is favourite for the Scottish Office". The Herald. Glasgow. p. 1. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ Parkhouse, Geoffrey (6 December 1989). "Bruising Win for Thatcher". The Herald. Glasgow. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
- Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1987 and 1992 editions