John MacLeod (Ross and Cromarty MP)

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Sir John MacLeod

army officer, tweed designer, and politician who was a Member of Parliament
in the Scottish highlands for 19 years.

Family

MacLeod's family were from the Isle of Skye where his father owned Skeabost. Jacko, as the family called him, was the youngest son of Duncan MacLeod CBE who had interests in the whisky industry. MacLeod was sent to Fettes College in Edinburgh for his education. In 1938, he married Rosemary Theodora Hamilton Wills from a Gloucestershire family.[1] The couple had two sons and three daughters. He worked running a centre which sold articles woven by crofters on the family's land.

Army service

In 1935, MacLeod had joined the

51st Highland Division in France in 1940 and was taken prisoner in June at Saint-Valery-en-Caux when the Division surrendered. He spent the rest of the war as a Prisoner of war
.

Election to Parliament

When repatriated at the end of the war, MacLeod avidly read,

Sir Archie Sinclair, the Liberal leader, who represented the neighbouring constituency, but Sinclair was narrowly defeated in the same election.[3]

Parliamentary contributions

MacLeod concentrated on constituency interests including hill farming during his time in Parliament. In 1947, he led the textile group of the Highlands Advisory Panel which organised a tour of the area for the Secretary of State for Scotland and a group of experts; their aim was to build up the industry.[4] Because of his specialist interests, he was a low-profile MP.

Transport concerns

Starting at the 1950 general election, MacLeod described himself as a "Liberal and Conservative" candidate, the National Liberals having merged with the Conservative Party. From 1951, he was an official candidate and he backed the Conservatives in Parliament; however, on issues which he felt adversely affected his constituents, he was willing to break party lines.

One such issue was transport. In 1954, he joined with 5 other Scottish Conservative MPs to move for the annulment of a 10% increase in rail freight charges.

Beeching Axe of lesser-used rail services.[7]

MacLeod also pressed for better roads and more roads around the highlands, particularly on the basis of improving tourism.

First World War and obtained all-party support for its ending.[9]

Defeat

Despite his rebelliousness, MacLeod's standing in his local community was recognised when he was Knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in 1963. He was, however, defeated at the 1964 general election by the Liberal Party candidate Alasdair Mackenzie where he thereupon left politics. He returned to the tweed looms of Portree where he designed many new patterns which he continued to sell across the world. MacLeod's later years were dominated by a long illness.

References

  1. ^ "Marriages", The Times, 9 December 1938.
  2. ^ F. W. S. Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949" (Parliamentary Research Services, 1977).
  3. ^ Memoirs, Jo Grimond (1979)
  4. ^ "Survey Of Highlands And Islands", The Times, 16 August 1947.
  5. ^ "M.P.s move against new freight charges", The Times, 27 February 1954.
  6. ^ "Inquiry Into Road Haulage Licensing System", The Times, 30 April 1963.
  7. ^ "Six Conservatives Abstain", The Times, 1 May 1963.
  8. ^ Eric Linklater, "Demand For A Road Round The Remote West", The Times, 1 December 1956.
  9. ^ "M.P.s Attack State Drink Monopoly", The Times, 21 March 1960.

Bibliography

  • Sir David Wills, "Sir John Macleod" (Obituary), The Times, 10 July 1984.
  • "Who Was Who", A & C Black

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Ross and Cromarty
1945–1964 		Succeeded by
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