Liberal History News Spring 2015
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LIBERAL hisTORY NEWS SPRING 2015 Obituary: Lord Mackie of Benshie The following eulogy was deliv- was to make proper use of them. he nevertheless described rightly as ered by David Steel at Lord Mack- One of the young striplings was wholly inadequate. ie’s funeral in Kirriemuir Old David Steel and another slightly He was not always gently toler- Parish Church on Thursday 26 Feb- older Russell Johnston. Needless ant. I was with him at a by-election ruary 2015. to say they were a damned nui- when he took our rather shy and One of the noticeable traits of sance at conferences, producing diffident candidate round the farm- George Mackie was his reluctance masses of resolutions of doubtful ers’ mart, after which, as we were to talk about his wartime exploits value … walking back to the by-election in Bomber Command. We of a I had frightful trouble office, the candidate was unwise younger generation wanted to hear with the Borders – they were enough to ask: ‘Mr Mackie, was more of the events which led to his extremely arrogant about candi- the speech I gave last night all remarkable survival and the awards dates. Their specifications fitted right?’ A by now quite exasper- of the DSO and DFC, but the tales only God or Jo Grimond. After ated George turned to him and said had to be coaxed out of him. He turning good people down they ‘the content was fine but when you was never boastful. were determined to have David are speaking I do wish you would It is a huge privilege to be asked Steel who was already in Pent- not hop from one foot to the other to speak here about his role in poli- lands, so I entered into nego- as though you had just shat your tics – for me it is a small labour of tiations with that constituency breeks’. The man’s confidence was love, because I owe my entire polit- association and they eventually not enhanced and he went on to ical career to him. In 1962, when I said no. So we simply removed lose his deposit. had just graduated in law but had David to the Borders and paci- On another occasion he thought no intention of becoming a law- fied Pentlands by having the that three young candidates, Steel, yer, he offered me a one-year post Party Executive pass a vote Johnston and, in Argyll, John Mac- as assistant secretary of the Scottish of censure on Mackie for his kay needed tuition in agriculture Liberal Party at the princely salary authoritarian conduct. and he invited us to spend a day on of £895. Because Alec Douglas- his farm at Benshie, after which he Home, the new Prime Minister, George was, as vice-chairman in reported to the Executive: ‘Steel delayed the election it turned out charge of organisation and later and Johnston were hopeless. Mac- to be two years during which I was chairman of the party, the organis- kay was quite good.’ John Mackay heavily involved in several by-elec- ing genius behind the Scottish par- went on to become an able Con- tion campaigns and in fund-raising. ty’s revival, working closely with servative minister in the Scottish I had already been adopted as Jo Grimond and John Bannerman, Office. prospective candidate for Edin- both charismatic figures but with Despite that justified adverse burgh Pentlands, where our only limited interest in the mechanics of opinion he remained a most loyal realistic prospect was to save my building the party. He organised a personal supporter, and when I was deposit. But the candidate in the research post in the party for Rus- fighting John Pardoe in the first Borders had resigned and this was sell Johnston, enabling him also to ever democratic contest for politi- a seat where Liberals had never be a full-time candidate in Inver- cal party leadership in Britain he been lower than second place and ness, and so in 1964 we swept to wrote in his memoirs: had indeed won the somewhat victory in the three Highland seats, changed seat in 1950. George him- to be followed six months later John Pardoe made the mistake of self had secured a notable second by my by-election in the Borders. alleging that because he was a bit place in South Angus at the previ- George led from the front by win- of a bastard that made him suita- ous election, and Squadron Leader ning Caithness & Sutherland. ble for taking the party through Arthur Purdom, whom he had He was already an acknowl- the difficult period ahead. We appointed as secretary of the party, edged authority on agriculture, had lots of fun and I wrote a famously observed that ‘what this not just in practice but on which he ditty about it: party needs is a few less brilliant had published a policy pamphlet. Pardoe’s crude –but he will fight seconds and a few more mediocre Members enjoyed his gentle spar- Scattering shot to left and right. firsts’. ring with his brother John who Must we – to gather votes in George later wrote as follows in was one of Prime Minister Wil- season an article for Liberal News: son’s agriculture ministers. George Abandon now the use of reason? was also later in the Lords deeply Perhaps young Steel can break A large crop of university stu- involved in the details of the Scot- the deadlock dents, inspired by Jo Grimond, tish devolution proposals during Although, alas, he’s born in had joined the party and my job the Callaghan government which wedlock! 4 Journal of Liberal History 86 Spring 2015 liBERAL hisTORY NEWS That was typical of the many enter- George Yull many extensive newspaper obituar- man had managed to get himself to taining ditties he wrote, and an Mackie, Baron ies last week: retirement, then voluntarily com- example of the wit with which he Mackie of mitted himself to twenty years always laced his speeches, which Benshie (10 George Mackie was a Liberal hard labour in the recesses of the made him such a popular mem- July 1919 – 17 of the old school, whose values Bodleian, the Public Record Office, ber of both the Commons and the February 2015), of public service and fairness and the British Library. Despite the Lords. Indeed, one story which in 1987 stemmed from his family’s sense fact that most scholars and students he told about failing to get off the of responsibility towards the of Victorian politics had occasion night sleeper at Carlisle was so land they farmed and the people to read and benefit from his work, funny that his colleagues always who worked for them. He was a few actually knew him. insisted that he repeated it at every big man who exuded geniality, Jackson was born on 10 Febru- dinner at which he was speaking. good humour and a sense of duty ary 1929. He was raised in Hud- George was also fortunate in the which he retained to the end. dersfield, won a scholarship to wholehearted support of his two University College Oxford, and successful marriages, first of Lind- in 1949 took a degree in modern say in fundraising and campaign- David Steel (Lord Steel of Aikwood) history. In 1952 he married his ing in the north, and then of Jacqui was MP for Roxburgh, Selkirk & Pee- sixth-form sweetheart, Kathleen in his role in the Assembly of the bles, later Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lau- Roper, a sharp young teacher who Council of Europe and the Inter- derdale, 1965–97, and Leader of the had studied English literature at Parliamentary Union. Judy and I Liberal Party 1976–88. the University of Hull, and who will always be grateful for the help shared his love of books and opera. he gave her campaigning during For anyone else I might say it was a general elections in my constitu- match made in heaven. In any case, ency when I was busy touring the Obituary: Patrick Jackson Patrick and Kate were loving com- country as party leader. It is with regret that I notice the panions through sixty-two years Last year, on my way back from death of Mr Patrick Jackson CB, on of marriage, and were justly proud speaking at a dinner for Malcolm 7 November 2014. It is with pleas- of their children Katharine and Bruce in Aberdeenshire I called in ure that I notice his life. Robert, and the grandchildren and to visit George. On leaving he came Jackson will be familiar to read- great-grandchildren that followed. out of the cottage on two sticks to ers of this journal as the author of I know nothing of Jackson’s see me into my car, and I think we five well-received political studies government work, except that both knew that would be our last of significant but secondary fig- he rose to the position of under- farewell. A colleague has written ures in the history of the Victo- secretary in the Department of to me saying it is the end of an era: rian Liberal Party.1 The fact that he Transport, and that his profession ‘I shall miss his wise counsel and served for many years in the civil enabled him to raise a family in enthusiasm for life’. service was much remarked upon the comfort of suburban Bromley. To conclude, I can do no better in reviews of his first two books. It When I remember him, however, than quote two sentences from the was apparently noteworthy that a I think first of Yorkshire and the Journal of Liberal History 86 Spring 2015 5 liBERAL hisTORY NEWS Victorian facades of Huddersfield.