Lord Mackie of Benshie Peer

Address:
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW

Date of Birth: 1919

Education: Aberdeen Univ.

Experience: RAF,WWII, business & politics.

Parliamentary Experience: considerable.

Memberships: innumerable

Marital status/children: married

Interests: walking the farm, classical music, reading.

BIOGRAPHY

George Yull Mackie was born a son of the late Maitland Mackie in 1919, was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and then Aberdeen University. During the Second World War, he served in RAF Bomber Command, and in 1944 – a very eventful year for him – he was married to Lindsay Lyall Sharp, and won both the DSO and DFC. He also joined the Air Staff that year. He and his wife had three daughters.

From 1945 to 1989, he farmed at Ballinshoe, Kirriemuir, and during that time, he published Policy for Scottish Agriculture in 1963, became Chairman of Caithness Glass (1966 to 1984) and of Caithness Pottery Co. Ltd. (1975 to 1984). George became Rector of Dundee University between 1980 to 1983, being awarded an Hon LLD from that University in 1982. He was Chairman of the Cotswold Wine Co. (UK) Ltd. from 1983 to 1985. Sadly, George’s wife, Lindsay, died in 1985. Since 1986, George has been the Chairman of both The Benshie Cattle Co. Ltd., and Land and Timber Services Ltd.

Serious involvement with politics began when he contested the South Angus seat for the Liberals in 1959. He became Liberal Member of Parliament for Caithness and Sutherland from 1964 to 1966, and was made Chairman of the Scottish Liberal Party from 1965 to 1970. He contested the Scotland North East seat for the Liberals in the European Parliamentary election in 1979. In 1983, George was made President of the Scottish Liberal Party, and remained in that post until 1988. During that year, he also married Jacqueline Rauche Lane.

Over the years, George has been a member of various bodies and committees – the EEC Scrutiny Committee, the Liberal Shadow Administration, an Executive of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, a Member of the Council of Europe and the Western European Union. Between 1990 and 1997, he was a Member and Rapporteur for the Committee on Agricultural and Rural Development. Until 2000, George was, at various times, Liberal and then Liberal Democrat Spokesman on Agriculture, Scotland, Industry and Devolution. He remains a Member of the RAF Club, the Farmers’ Club and The Garrick, and enjoys walking on his farm, classical music, reading and being a good host!