John Roddick Russell MacGregor, Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market, OBE, PC, FKC (born 14 February 1937), is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Norfolk from 1974 to 2001. He served in the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1985–87), Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1987–89), Secretary of State for Education and Science (1989–90), Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council (1990–92), and Secretary of State for Transport (1992–94). He was made a life peer in 2001.
The Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Parliamentary portrait, 2018
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of Parliament for South Norfolk | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 28 February 1974 – 14 May 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | John Hill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Richard Bacon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 14 February 1937 London, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of St Andrews King's College London | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Early life
editMacGregor was educated at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh,[1] then at the University of St Andrews (MA economics and history, 1959) and at King's College London (LLB, 1962). Prior to the 1979 general election he worked for Hill Samuel, a merchant bank.[2]
Member of Parliament
editMacGregor became an MP at the February 1974 General Election,[3] and served as a Tory whip from 1977 to 1981, when he became a junior minister at the Department of Trade and Industry, moving to MAFF in 1983.
In government
editMacGregor entered the Cabinet on 2 September 1985 as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and was made Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1987 – during the BSE crisis. He was promoted to Secretary of State for Education and Science in July 1989. In the small reshuffle following the resignation of Sir Geoffrey Howe, he was made Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council just days before Thatcher's own resignation. He continued in this position from 1990 to 1992, although William Keegan writes that he was a contender for the position of Chancellor when John Major came to power.[4]
MacGregor was appointed Secretary of State for Transport in 1992, remaining in the post until July 1994 when was dismissed from the cabinet. His time as Transport Secretary saw him given responsibility for the privatisation of British Rail and the decision to privatise the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL).[5] He was made a life peer as Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market, of Pulham Market in the County of Norfolk on 5 July 2001.[6][7] He sat in the House of Lords until his retirement on 26 July 2019.[8]
Honours
editMacGregor was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1971 New Year Honours for political services.[9]
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Personal interests
editMacGregor is an accomplished magician and member of the Magic Circle. His passion for magic started when he was given a conjuring set at the age of 11. He gave regular performances on British television, including guest spots on The Best of Magic and an annual children's charity programme on Anglia Television.[11]
References
edit- ^ "How charitable status has boosted the income of Scotland's top private schools" The Herald (Glasgow); 28 February 2008; Andrew Denholm, Brian Donnelly; p. 5
- ^ Debretts, The Rt Hon the Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market, OBE
- ^ "Theodore Mallinson" The Times (London); 22 Oct 2008; p. 61
- ^ "Business & Media: Mr Lamonts darkest day" The Observer (London); 22 Jul 2007; William Keegan; p. 6. "For Major it was simple: of four possibilities, neither Chris Patten nor Ken Clarke had any Treasury experience. John MacGregor and Lamont were 'both credible candidates'"
- ^ Hansard Wednesday 30 March 1994 Col 750–751 https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199394/cmhansrd/1994-03-30/Writtens-1.html
- ^ "No. 56270". The London Gazette. 10 July 2001. p. 8123.
- ^ "Life Baronies", The Times (London); 9 Jul 2001; p. 14
- ^ "Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market". UK Parliament. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
- ^ "No. 45262". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1971. p. 11.
- ^ Debrett's Peerage. 2015. p. 796.
- ^ Macintyre, Donald (24 January 1993). "Profile: And for his next trick…: John MacGregor - The Transport Secretary will need more than his magician's skill to make a success of rail privatisation". The Independent. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2016.