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Menzies Campbell

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Menzies Campbell

Walter Menzies "Ming" Campbell, Baron Campbell of Pittenweem (; 22 May 1941 – 26 September 2025), was a British politician, advocate and athlete. A senior figure in the Liberal Democrats, he served as Member of Parliament for North East Fife from 1987 to 2015 and led the party from 2006 to 2007. He held prominent frontbench roles in foreign affairs and defence, and was deputy leader under Charles Kennedy. Before entering politics, Campbell was a distinguished sprinter, captaining the Great Britain athletics team in the mid-1960s and holding the British 100 metre record from 1967 to 1974. He studied law at the University of Glasgow and Stanford University, and was called to the Scottish Bar, later becoming Queen's Counsel. Campbell was appointed Chancellor of the University of St Andrews in 2006 and made a life peer in 2015, serving in both roles until his death in 2025.

Infobox

Deputy
Vince Cable
President
Simon Hughes
Preceded by
Barry Henderson
Succeeded by
Stephen Gethins
Vice-Chancellor
mw- Brian Lang Louise Richardson Sally Mapstone
Leader
Charles Kennedy
Born
Walter Menzies Campbell(1941-05-22)22 May 1941Glasgow, Scotland
Died
26 September 2025(2025-09-26) (aged 84)London, England
Political party
Liberal (before 1988)Liberal Democrats (1988–2025)
Spouse
mw- Elspeth Urquhart (m. 1970; died 2023)
Alma mater
University of Glasgow Stanford University
Website
Official website
2017–2019
Defence
Parliamentary offices
Parliamentary offices Member of the House of LordsLord TemporalLife peerage13 October 2015 – 26 September 2025Member of Parliamentfor North East FifeIn office11 June 1987 – 30 March 2015Preceded byBarry HendersonSucceeded byStephen Gethins
Party
Liberal (until 1988) Liberal Democrats (from 1988)
mw- 1992–2006
Foreign Affairs

Tables

· External links
Preceded byBarry Henderson
Preceded byBarry Henderson
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byBarry Henderson
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Member of Parliamentfor North East Fife 1987–2015
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Succeeded byStephen Gethins
Party political offices
Party political offices
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Party political offices
Preceded byRussell Johnston
Preceded byRussell Johnston
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byRussell Johnston
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Leader of the Scottish Liberal Party 1975–1977
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Succeeded byTerry Grieve
New office
New office
Parliament of the United Kingdom
New office
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs 1994–2006
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Succeeded byMichael Moore
Preceded byAlan Beith
Preceded byAlan Beith
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byAlan Beith
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats 2003–2006
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Succeeded byVince Cable
Preceded byCharles Kennedy
Preceded byCharles Kennedy
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byCharles Kennedy
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Leader of the Liberal Democrats 2006–2007
Preceded byThe Baroness Jolly
Preceded byThe Baroness Jolly
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byThe Baroness Jolly
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Liberal Democrats Spokesperson for Defence 2017–2025
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Vacant
Academic offices
Academic offices
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Academic offices
Preceded byKenneth Dover
Preceded byKenneth Dover
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byKenneth Dover
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Chancellor of the University of St Andrews 2006–2025
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Vacant
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byBarry Henderson
Member of Parliamentfor North East Fife 1987–2015
Succeeded byStephen Gethins
Party political offices
Preceded byRussell Johnston
Leader of the Scottish Liberal Party 1975–1977
Succeeded byTerry Grieve
New office
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs 1994–2006
Succeeded byMichael Moore
Preceded byAlan Beith
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats 2003–2006
Succeeded byVince Cable
Preceded byCharles Kennedy
Leader of the Liberal Democrats 2006–2007
Preceded byThe Baroness Jolly
Liberal Democrats Spokesperson for Defence 2017–2025
Vacant
Academic offices
Preceded byKenneth Dover
Chancellor of the University of St Andrews 2006–2025
Vacant

References

  1. Campbell served as acting leader from 7 January to 2 March 2006 following the resignation of Charles Kennedy.
  2. Vince Cable acted from 15 October 2007 to 18 December 2007.
  3. CH, CBE, PC, KC
  4. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/26/lord-campbell-of-pittenweem
  5. Who's Who 2012
  6. University of St Andrews
    https://news.st-andrews.ac.uk/archive/the-death-of-university-chancellor-the-rt-hon-lord-campbell-of-pittenweem/
  7. The Herald Scotland
    http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/thearchive/display.var.2403999.0.hero_from_a_forsaken_generation.php
  8. "Menzies Campbell Biography and Olympic Results | Olympics at"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20121026015235/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ca/menzies-campbell-1.html
  9. Carlin, Brendan. "On your marks, Ming" Archived 18 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine – The London Daily Telegraph – 3
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/03/03/nlib203.xml
  10. Allan Wells page Archived 18 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine – at sporting-heroes.net
    http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1884
  11. politicshome.com
    http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/61330/sir_menzies_campbell_race_to_the_finish.html
  12. Daily Herald
    https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000681/19640711/167/0011
  13. The People
    https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000729/19640712/262/0022
  14. National Union of Track Statisticians
    https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm
  15. GBR Athletics
    http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm
  16. Parliament.uk
    https://api.parliament.uk/uk-general-elections/elections/19537
  17. Parliament.uk
    https://api.parliament.uk/uk-general-elections/elections/20172
  18. Parliament.uk
    https://api.parliament.uk/uk-general-elections/elections/20739
  19. Parliament.uk
    https://api.parliament.uk/uk-general-elections/elections/21594
  20. Parliament.uk
    https://api.parliament.uk/uk-general-elections/elections/22244
  21. Menzies Campbell's speech, Guardian.co.uk, 24 September 2003
    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/sep/24/libdems2003.liberaldemocrats1
  22. Ming Campbell elected Liberal Democrat leader Archived 17 July 2006 at the Wayback Machine Liberal Democrats, 2 March 20
    http://www.libdems.org.uk/news/story.html?navPage=news.html&id=9802
  23. UK Parliament
    https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/jo-swinson/1513
  24. Prime minister's questions Archived 22 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine. BBC News, 11 January 2006.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4602020.stm
  25. "Sir Menzies defending his record" Archived 25 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine. BBC News, 14 May 2006.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4770169.stm
  26. This was Ming's day Archived 25 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine BBC News, 7 June 2006.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5055544.stm
  27. "MPs angry at 'unfair' extradition" Archived 17 July 2006 at the Wayback Machine. BBC News, 12 July 2006.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5171266.stm
  28. End Israel arms export – Lib Dems. BBC News, 24 July 2006.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5211382.stm
  29. "Kennedy receives popularity boost" Archived 30 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine. BBC News, 19 July 2006.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5196874.stm
  30. "Kennedy denies leadership reports" Archived 27 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine. BBC News, 30 July 2006.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5228092.stm
  31. The dishonouring of St Andrews Archived 24 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Times Online, 25 October 2006.
    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article612075.ece
  32. Cohen, Nick (22 October 2006), It isn't just Bono's U2 who are talking through their hat about tax avoidance Guardian U
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/oct/22/comment.theobserver
  33. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/iran/story/0,,1887735,00.html
  34. "Lib Dem anger over Brown tricks" Archived 3 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine. BBC News, 21 June 2007.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6227550.stm
  35. Michael White, Michael White's Political Blog Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine for 15 October 2007 at guardi
    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/2007/oct/15/michaelwhitespoliticalblog6
  36. "Sir Ming warned as Lib Dems hunt poll boost" Archived 14 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Daily Telegraph.
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/12/nlibs112.xml
  37. Mulholland, Hélène (12 October 2007), "Lib Dem leader may face challenge as poll ratings drop", Guardian.co.uk; accessed
    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/oct/12/liberaldemocrats.sirmenziescampbell
  38. "Campbell's website"
    http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk
  39. Liberal Democrat leader resigns Archived 17 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine 15 October 2007
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7045833.stm
  40. "Clegg anger over 'ageism' against Campbell"
    http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/liberaldemocrats/Clegg-anger-over-ageism-against.3472670.jp
  41. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/sep/21/libdems2006.liberaldemocrats6
  42. "Daily Telegraph: Sir Menzies Campbell"
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5314759/Sir-Menzies-Campbell-hired-top-designer-for-10000-overhaul-of-flat-MPs-expenses.html
  43. "Menzies Campbell MP begins 'process of retiring'"
    http://thetarge.co.uk/hub-current-affairs/scotland/menzies-campbell-mp-begins-process-of-retiring/0120
  44. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24466721
  45. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/business-34079592
  46. Lib Dems pledge to cut income tax Archived 31 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine BBC News, 8 June 2006
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5056200.stm
  47. Full text: Sir Menzies Campbell's speech to the Lib Dem conference Guardian Unlimited, 19 September 2005
    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/sep/19/speeches.libdems2005
  48. Menzies Campbell's speech on liberal Britain Guardian Unlimited, 8 June 2006
    https://www.theguardian.com/money/2006/jun/08/tax.liberaldemocrats
  49. BBC News
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6293958.stm
  50. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/08/nuclear-disarmament-cross-party-group
  51. The Guardian | Edinburgh
    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/aug/18/peoples-vote-backers-rally-in-edinburgh-demanding-say-in-final-brexit-deal
  52. Profile: Elspeth, Lady Campbell Archived 28 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine, BBC News, 2 March 2006.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4738646.stm
  53. The Courier
    https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/fife/4451302/elspeth-campbell-lady-campbell-pittenweem-dies/
  54. STV News
    https://news.stv.tv/scotland/former-liberal-democrat-leader-sir-menzies-campbell-dies-aged-84
  55. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8j7jnjd6ro
  56. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/50764/supplement/8
  57. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/55354/supplement/1
  58. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/57155/supplement/S1
  59. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/57391/page/10694
  60. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/60534/supplement/4
  61. "Birthday Honours List 2013"
    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206698/Birthday_Honours_List_2013.pdf
  62. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2418148
  63. University of St Andrews
    https://news.st-andrews.ac.uk/archive/sir-menzies-campbell-to-be-installed-as-chancellor/
  64. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/aug/16/nick-clegg-hopes-running-country-dashed
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