Alexander Fletcher (British politician)
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Sir Alexander MacPherson Fletcher (26 August 1929 – 18 September 1989), sometimes known as Alex Fletcher, was a British Conservative Party politician.
Life
He was born in Greenock in western Scotland. He was married to Christine Anne Buchanan (1926-2008).
Political career
Fletcher first stood for Parliament in the 1970 General Election at West Renfrewshire. He was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Edinburgh North at a by-election in 1973, serving there until 1983, when after boundary changes he became MP for Edinburgh Central. However, at the 1987 general election he lost his seat to future Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling.
Fletcher was Under-Secretary of State for Scotland from 1979 to 1983, where had responsibility for Scottish education and industry as well as sport and the arts.[1] He was Minister for Corporate and Consumer Affairs at the Department of Trade and Industry from 1983 to 1985, after which he returned to the back benches.[1][2]
On Fletcher's death, the journalist Harry Reid, who had been a constituent of Fletcher in Edinburgh, described him as "a Scottish Tory of the decent school; he was warm affable and gregarious" and also stated his opinion that Fletcher was "a Scot first, and a Tory second."[1]
Views on Scottish Devolution
At Conservative meeting in Fife in 1977 Fletcher described himself as a supporter of Scottish devolution, but warned that "exaggerated claims" were being made by some campaigners about the benefits of a Scottish Assembly.[3] Following the result of the 1979 Scottish devolution referendum Fletcher stated that he did not see how parliament could now proceed with the Scotland Act 1978, which would have set up an Assembly, citing the fact that so many regions of Scotland had voted against the assembly.[4]
Death
He died in Westminster but was returned to Edinburgh for burial. He and his wife are buried together in the 20th century (north) extension to Dean Cemetery in Edinburgh.
References
- ^ a b c Reid, Harry (20 September 1989). "Scottish Tory of the decent school". The Glasgow Herald. p. 13. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ The Times Guide to the House of Commons June 1987. London: Times Books LTD. 1987. p. 106. ISBN 0-7230-0298-3.
- ^ "Tory warns on claims for Scottish Assembly". The Glasgow Herald. 18 August 1977. p. 8. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ "Now Parliament must make final decision, says Millan". The Glasgow Herald. 3 March 1979. p. 5. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- Times Guide to the House of Commons 1987
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
External links
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- 1929 births
- 1989 deaths
- Scottish Conservative Party MPs
- UK MPs 1970–1974
- UK MPs 1974
- UK MPs 1974–1979
- UK MPs 1979–1983
- UK MPs 1983–1987
- Conservative Party (UK) MEPs
- MEPs for the United Kingdom 1973–1979
- Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Edinburgh constituencies
- Scottish Conservative and Unionist MP stubs
- British MEP stubs
- Conservative MP (UK), 1920s birth stubs