Prime Minister John Major Succeeded by Tony Newton Preceded by Malcolm Rifkind Name John Baron | Succeeded by Brian Mawhinney Role Politician Preceded by Geoffrey Howe Party Conservative Party | |
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Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
John Major Books Right and Left: The Next Divide Education Merchiston Castle School, King's College London, University of St Andrews | ||
John Roddick Russell MacGregor, Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market, OBE PC FKC (born 14 February 1937), is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was educated at Merchiston Castle School, 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.
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MacGregor is also an accomplished magician and member of The Magic Circle. 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.
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1971 New Year Honours for political services.
He was Conservative MP for South Norfolk, but stepped down at the 2001 election.
Member of Parliament
He became an MP at the February 1974 General Election, 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
He 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. He was made Secretary of State for Transport in 1992, remaining in the post until July 1994 when he left 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). He was made a life peer as Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market, of Pulham Market in the County of Norfolk on 5 July 2001.