George Mackie, Baron Mackie of Benshie

The Right Honourable
The Lord Mackie of Benshie
CBE DSO DFC
Born George Yull Mackie
(1919-07-10)10 July 1919
Tarves
Died 19 February 2015(2015-02-19) (aged 95)
Dundee
Cause of death Stroke
Nationality Scottish
Citizenship Scotland
Occupation Farmer
RAF navigator
Businessman
Liberal
Notable work Flying Farming Politics - a liberal life (2004)
Home town Tarves
Political party Scottish Liberal Party
Spouse(s) Lindsay Sharp (1944-1985) Deceased
Jacqueline Lane (1988) Widowed
Children Lindsay
Jeannie
Diana
Parent(s) Maitland Mackie (father)
Mary (mother)

Military career

Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Air Force (RAF)
Years of service 1939 - 1945
Rank Navigator/Observer
Unit
  • No 15 Squadron at Wyton
  • No 148 Squadron at Kabrit
  • No 115 Squadron at Little Snoring
  • Air Ministry
Commands held Officers’ Squadron at Brackla
Battles/wars World War II (WWII)
Awards
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Caithness and Sutherland
In office
October 15, 1964  March 31, 1966
Preceded by Sir David Robertson
Succeeded by Robert Maclennan
Personal details
Nationality British
Political party Liberal

George Yull Mackie, Baron Mackie of Benshie CBE DSO[1] DFC[2] (10 July 1919 – 17 February 2015)[3] was a Scottish Liberal Party politician.

After World War II in which he served as a decorated airman with RAF Bomber Command, Mackie took over a farm at Benshie, Angus, and subsequently set up a cattle ranch at Braeroy, Inverness-shire, near Spean Bridge.[4] Having first contested South Angus in 1959, he was elected Member of Parliament for Caithness and Sutherland in 1964. In the Commons he served as Scottish Liberal whip. He lost his seat in 1966, when he was defeated by Labour candidate Robert Maclennan. Maclennan eventually became a senior Social Democrat Party/Liberal Democrat politician in the 1980s. Mackie contested Caithness and Sutherland again in 1970, but lost by a wider margin.

Having been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1971,[5] he was given a life peerage, as Baron Mackie of Benshie, of Kirriemuir in the County of Angus on 10 May 1974.[6] In the House 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 term as Rector of the University of Dundee.

His older brothers were Sir Maitland Mackie and John Mackie, Baron John-Mackie.

Until his death, Mackie was the oldest living person to have served as a Liberal Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom.[4] His death was announced on 17 February 2015. He was 95 years old.[4][7]

Sources

References

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Sir David Robertson
Member of Parliament for Caithness and Sutherland
19641966
Succeeded by
Robert Maclennan
Party political offices
Preceded by
John Bannerman, Baron Bannerman of Kildonan
Chairman of the Scottish Liberal Party
1965–1970
Succeeded by
Russell Johnston
Preceded by
?
President of the Scottish Liberal Party
1983–1988
Succeeded by
Russell Johnston
Academic offices
Preceded by
Clement Freud
Rector of the University of Dundee
1980–1983
Succeeded by
Gordon Wilson



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