Gordon Campbell, Baron Campbell of Croy

Gordon Thomas Calthrop Campbell, Baron Campbell of Croy, MC, PC, DL (8 June 1921 – 26 April 2005) was a British Conservative politician and diplomat.

Early life and career

Campbell was born in Quetta, British India (now in Pakistan), the son of Major General James Alexander Campbell and was educated at Rockport School in Holywood, County Down, then at Wellington College before joining the Royal Artillery in 1939. He fought in the Second World War with the Royal Artillery from 1940, winning the Military Cross and Bar. Invalided out in 1947 with the honorary rank of major, he served the Foreign Office in New York and Vienna until 1957.

House of Commons

Elected to Parliament in 1959, he served as Member of Parliament for the constituency of Moray and Nairn until February 1974 when he was defeated by Winnie Ewing of the Scottish National Party. He served as a Government Whip, 1961–62; Lord Commissioner of the Treasury and Scottish Whip, 1962–63; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, 1963–64. He was Opposition Spokesman on Defence, 1967–68 and a member of the Shadow Cabinet, 1969–70.

Secretary of State for Scotland

He was Secretary of State for Scotland during the whole of Edward Heath's government. During his term in office the issues of fishing and oil led to him losing his Moray coastal seat to the SNP. Government papers released under the 30 year rule reveal an attitude that may explain that loss. Papers from 1970 revealed how the Scottish Office was prepared to have a "weaker and less efficient national fleet" to enable the UK to sign up to the controversial Common Fisheries Policy. On oil in 1972 Campbell was against any move to pump oil revenues directly into the Scottish economy despite Heath asking government departments to explore such an arrangements to help revive Scotland's economy with "its own resources". Further papers from 1974 revealed how he proposed "exceptional measures" to force Shetland Islands Council to accept an oil terminal without financial benefit to the islands.

House of Lords

After being defeated by Winnie Ewing of the Scottish National Party at the February 1974 general election, Campbell was made a life peer as Baron Campbell of Croy, of Croy in the County of Nairn on 9 January 1975. He became Chairman of the Scottish Board in 1976, and was Vice President of the Advisory Committee on Pollution at Sea from 1976 to 1984.

Personal life

He married Nicola Madan, daughter of Geoffrey Spencer Madan and his wife Marjorie Noble, and had three children.

• Hon. Colin Ian Calthrop Campbell b. 1950
• Colonel Hon. Alastair James Calthrop Campbell b. 6 Jan 1952
• Hon. Christina Marjorie Campbell b. 1953.

The Campbell family lived at Holme Rose at Croy in the Nairn Valley. In 2019, the property was put on the market for £2.3 million.

• Torrance, David, The Scottish Secretaries (Birlinn 2006)