The Right Honourable  David Steel  Baron Steel of Aikwood, KT, KBE, PC
1st Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
In office 12 May 1999 – 7 May 2003
Preceded by	office created
Succeeded by	George Reid
Leader of Social and Liberal Democrats
In office 3 March 1988 – 16 July 1988
Preceded by	Party Created (With Robert Maclennan
Succeeded by	Paddy Ashdown
Leader of Liberal Party
In office 7 July 1976 – 16 July 1988
Preceded by	Jo Grimond
Succeeded by	Paddy Ashdown
Member of Parliament for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
In office 11 June 1983 – 2 May 1997
Preceded by	new constituency
Succeeded by	Michael Moore
Member of Parliament for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles
In office 24 March 1965 – 11 June 1983
Preceded by	Charles Donaldson
Succeeded by	Constituency Abolished
Born	March 31, 1938 (1938-03-31) (age 70) Linwood, Fife, Scotland
Political party	(1) Liberal Party (2) Liberal Democrats

David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood, KT, KBE, PC (born 31 March 1938) is a British and Scottish politician and a Liberal Democrat member of the UK House of Lords. The Right Honourable (abbreviated as The Rt Hon) is an Honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain David Martin Scott Steel Baron Steel of Aikwood, KT, KBE, PC (born 31 March 1938) is a British and Scottish The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an Order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament (Oifigear-Riaghlaidh Preses o the Scots Pairlament is the speaker of the Scottish Parliament, elected by the Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. The Rt Hon George Newlands Reid, (born 4 June 1939 was the second Presiding Officer ( Speaker) of the Scottish Parliament, and was the Lord The Liberal Democrat members elect the United Kingdom Liberal Democrat leader. Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Robert Adam Ross "Bob" Maclennan Baron Maclennan of Rogart PC (born 26 June 1936, Glasgow) is a Scottish Liberal Jeremy John Durham Ashdown Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC, (born 27 February 1941 commonly known as Paddy Ashdown, is a The Liberal Party was formally established in 1859 and continued to exist until it merged with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to create the Liberal Democrats. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Joseph "Jo" Grimond Baron Grimond ( 29 July 1913 &ndash 24 October 1993) was a British Politician, leader of Jeremy John Durham Ashdown Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC, (born 27 February 1941 commonly known as Paddy Ashdown, is a Tweeddale Ettrick and Lauderdale was a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Michael Kevin Moore (born 3 June 1965) is a politician in the United Kingdom. Roxburgh Selkirk and Peebles was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom ( Westminster) from Events 1401 - Mongol emperor Timur sacks Damascus. 1603 - James VI of Scotland Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Charles Edward McArthur Donaldson ( 15 March 1903 &ndash 11 December 1964) was a Scottish Conservative Party politician Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Fife ( Gaelic: Fìobha) is a Council area of Scotland, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an Order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The politics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland takes place in the framework of a Constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is Head Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" He was leader of the Liberal Party from 1976 until its 1988 merger with the Social Democratic Party that formed the Liberal Democrats, and was briefly joint interim leader of the new party, then known as the Social and Liberal Democrats. The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) This is about the UK Social Democratic Party which existed between 1981 and 1988 He was also the first Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, holding that post between 1999 and 2003. The Scottish Parliament ( Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: Scottish Pairlament) is the devlolved national unicameral Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.

Early life

David Steel was born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, the son of a Church of Scotland minister also called David Steel, who would later serve as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Kirkcaldy (kɪrˈkɔːdi Cathair Chaladain) is a town and former Royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. Fife ( Gaelic: Fìobha) is a Council area of Scotland, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland. David Steel ( 5 October, 1910 – 11 November, 2002) was a Church of Scotland minister The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is an honorary role held for 12 months The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland. He was brought up in Scotland and Kenya, and educated at the Prince of Wales School, Nairobi and George Watson's College in Edinburgh. The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south George Watson's College is a leading co-educational independent Day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road in the Merchiston area Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow.

Member of Parliament

He first took an active part in Liberal politics at the University of Edinburgh, and after graduating in Law worked for the Scottish Liberal Party and then the BBC before being elected to the House of Commons at the Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles by-election of 1965, becoming the "Baby of the House". The University of Edinburgh (Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann founded in 1582 is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Roxburghshire was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain (at Westminster) from 1708 to 1801 and Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Baby of the House is the unofficial title given to the youngest member of a Lower house or Upper house. He represented this seat until 1983, when he became Member of Parliament for Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, a new constituency covering much of the same territory. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Tweeddale Ettrick and Lauderdale was a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983

As an MP he was responsible for introducing, as a Private Member's Bill, the Abortion Act 1967 (see Abortion in the United Kingdom). A Private Member's Bill is a proposed Law introduced by a backbench member of Parliament, whether from the government or the opposition side to that The Abortion Act 1967 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to regulate Abortion by registered practitioners and the free provision of Abortion in the United Kingdom has been legal in England, Scotland and Wales since the Abortion Act passed in 1967 He also became the Liberal Party's spokesman on employment, and in 1970 its Chief Whip. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Chief Whip is a political office in some Legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of

Leader of Liberal Party

In 1976, after the downfall of Jeremy Thorpe and a short period in which Jo Grimond acted as caretaker leader, he won the Liberal leadership by a wide margin over fellow MP John Pardoe. John Jeremy Thorpe (born April 29, 1929) is a British Politician, who was leader of the Liberal Party from 1967 to 1976 Joseph "Jo" Grimond Baron Grimond ( 29 July 1913 &ndash 24 October 1993) was a British Politician, leader of John Pardoe (born 27 July 1934) is a retired British businessman and Liberal Party politician At only 38 years old, he was one of the youngest party leaders in British history. In 1977, he led the Liberals into the "Lib-Lab pact" by which they agreed to keep the Labour government in power in return for a degree of prior consultation on policy. Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays The Lib-Lab pact has been a working arrangement between the UK 's political parties of the Liberals (later Liberal Democrats) and the Labour Party Steel has been criticised both then and since for not driving a harder bargain; the opposing case is that the ongoing scandal surrounding Thorpe left the party in a very weak state to face an early general election and Steel was wise to buy himself some time from Callaghan. The unpopularity of the Labour government impaired the Liberals' performance, and Steel's first election as leader, the 1979 general election, saw a decline in Liberal fortunes. Background Callaghan had succeeded Harold Wilson as Labour Prime Minister after the latter's surprise resignation in April 1976

SDP-Liberal Alliance

In 1981, a group of Labour moderates left their party to form the Social Democratic Party. They were joined by the former Labour deputy leader Roy Jenkins who had previously had discussions with Steel about joining the Liberals. Roy Harris Jenkins Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM PC ( 11 November 1920 &ndash 5 January 2003) was a British Under Jenkins's leadership, the SDP joined the Liberals in the SDP-Liberal Alliance, an electoral alliance that was so promising in its early days that Steel felt able to tell delegates at the Liberal Assembly that year to

"go back to your constituencies and prepare for government. The SDP-Liberal Alliance was an electoral alliance of the Social Democratic Party (SDP and the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom that operated "

However, the beginning of the Falklands War radically shifted the attitude of the electorate, and the Conservatives regained the lead in polls from the Alliance. The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the Though the Alliance still secured more than 26% of the popular vote at the 1983 general election - only just behind Labour - its reward in terms of seats was derisory and Steel's hopes of a big political breakthrough were dashed. Results The Conservatives won with a majority of 144 seats|} Total votes cast 30661309 Shortly afterwards David Owen replaced Roy Jenkins as leader of the SDP and the troubled leadership of the "Two Davids" was inaugurated. David Anthony Llewellyn Owen Baron Owen of Plymouth, CH PC FKC (born 2 July 1938) is a British Politician, Roy Harris Jenkins Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM PC ( 11 November 1920 &ndash 5 January 2003) was a British It was never an easy relationship - Steel's political sympathies were well to the left of Owen's. Owen had a marked antipathy towards the Liberals though he respected Steel's prior loyalty to his own party contrasting it with Jenkins' lack of interest in preserving the SDP's independence. The relationship was also mercilessly satirised by Spitting Image which portrayed Steel as a squeaky voiced midget, literally in the pocket of Owen. Spitting Image was a British satirical Puppet show that ran on the ITV television network from 1984 to 1996 Steel has often stated that he feels this portrayal seriously damaged his image. [1] This portrayal of Steel as weaker than Owen was also present in other satires, such as Private Eye's Battle for Britain strip. Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical Magazine, edited by Ian Hislop. Battle For Britain was a comic strip cartoon published in the fortnightly satirical Magazine Private Eye in the United The relationship finally fell apart during the 1987 general election when the two contradicted each other both on defence policy and on which party they would do a deal with in the event of a hung Parliament. Results |} All parties gaining over 500 votes listed Campaign and policies The Conservatives' campaign emphasized lower taxes a strong economy and defence

Two parties merger

Steel was convinced the answer to these difficulties was a single party with a single leader, and was the chief proponent of the 1988 merger between the Liberals and the SDP. Steel emerged victorious in persuading both parties to accept merger in the teeth of opposition from Owen and radical Liberals such as Michael Meadowcroft but badly mishandled the issuing of a joint policy document. Michael James Meadowcroft (born March 6 1942) is a politician and political affairs consultant in the United Kingdom. Steel had often been criticised for a lack of interest in policy and it appeared he had agreed the document -drawn up by politically naive SDP advisers- without reading it. Steel's colleagues rejected it immediately and demanded a re-draft fatally wounding his authority.

Steel was briefly joint interim leader of the Social and Liberal Democrats (as the new party was at first called)before elections in which he did not stand, before becoming the party's Foreign Affairs spokesman. In 1994 he accepted an invitation from Italian liberals to stand for the European Parliament in that year's elections as a Pan-European gesture. Although not elected he polled very well. He was knighted and received the KBE) in 1990. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V.

Retirement and Life Peer

He retired from the House of Commons at the 1997 general election and was made a life peer as Baron Steel of Aikwood, of Ettrick Forest in The Scottish Borders in the same year. Results The election was fought under new boundaries with a net increase of eight seats compared to the 1992 election The Scottish Borders, often referred to simply as the Borders, is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. He campaigned for Scottish devolution, and in 1999 was elected to the Scottish Parliament as a Liberal Democrat Member of Scottish Parliament for Lothians. Member of the Scottish Parliament ( MSP) ( Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ( BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected Constituencies and council areas The City of Edinburgh and the West Lothian council areas are entirely within the region He became the first Presiding Officer (speaker) of the Scottish Parliament on 12 May 1999. Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) In this role, he used the style "Sir David Steel", despite his peerage, and had no party allegiance. He stepped down as an MSP when the parliament was dissolved for the 2003 election, but remained as Presiding Officer until he had supervised the election of his successor George Reid on 7 May of that year. The Rt Hon George Newlands Reid, (born 4 June 1939 was the second Presiding Officer ( Speaker) of the Scottish Parliament, and was the Lord Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses He was appointed Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in both 2003 and 2004. The Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the British Sovereign's personal representative to the General Assembly of the

On 30 November 2004, the Queen created Lord Steel of Aikwood a Knight of the Order of the Thistle – the highest honour in Scotland. Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an Order of chivalry associated with Scotland. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain.

Further reading

• Peter Bartram, David Steel: His Life and Politics (W. H. Allen, 1981)
• David Steel, A House Divided (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1980)
• David Steel, Against Goliath: David Steel's Story (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1989)

See also

• General Mediterranean Holdings owned by Anglo-Iraqi billionaire Nadhmi Auchi. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Nadhmi Auchi ( Arabic:نظمي أوجي is a British Billionaire Businessman who was born in Iraq. Lord Steel was a director of it, and was pressured to quit it.

External links

• Catalogue of the Steel papers at the Archives Division of the London School of Economics. The London School of Economics and Political Science, more commonly referred to as The London School of Economics or LSE, is a specialist college of the
• Lord Steel of Aikwood profile at the site of Liberal Democrats
• Prince of Wales School:Old Cambrians Society, Nairobi
• We need to rethink my abortion law Steel's thoughts on the abortion debate today.