51 Facts About Henry McLeish

Henry Baird McLeish was born on 15 June 1948 and is a Scottish politician, author, academic and former professional footballer who served as First Minister of Scotland from 2000 to 2001.

Henry McLeish served as the Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland from 2000 to 2001.

Henry McLeish's career was cut short after an injury and he returned to education, studying at Heriot-Watt University.

Henry McLeish joined the Labour Party in 1970 and was later elected to the Fife Regional Council, where he served as the council's leader from 1982 to 1987.

Henry McLeish served successively in Labour's opposition benches for ten years, before being appointed minister of state for Scotland under Prime Minister Tony Blair following the party's landslide victory in the 1997 election.

Henry McLeish served as Donald Dewar's 'right-hand man' in the Scottish Office and was instrumental in assisting Dewar with the creation of the Scotland Act, which established of the Scottish Parliament after nearly 300 years.

Dewar died in office of a brain haemorrhage on 11 October 2000, which triggered a leadership contest within the Labour Party to find a successor, with Henry McLeish declaring his candidacy.

Henry McLeish led a successful and short campaign after defeating finance minister Jack McConnell.

Henry McLeish was sworn into office as first minister of Scotland on 26 October 2000.

Henry McLeish oversaw the implementation of the McCrone Agreement for teachers in Scotland and strongly advocated free personal care for the elderly scheme.

Henry McLeish was succeeded by McConnell, who he had beaten in the previous leadership election.

Henry McLeish sat as a backbencher, before stepping down as an MSP at the 2003 election.

Since leaving office, Henry McLeish has remained politically active and has written several books.

However, following the Brexit referendum, Henry McLeish stated he would back another Scottish independence referendum if Scotland was taken out of the EU against its wishes.

Henry Baird McLeish was born at 50 Morar Street in Methil, Fife, on 15 June 1948, to Harry McLeish and Mary Slaven Baird.

Henry McLeish grew up on Morar Street, before moving to Institution Row, a miner community, when he was two or three.

Henry McLeish was educated at the Buckhaven High School, where he became involved with the school's football team.

Henry McLeish met his childhood sweetheart while attending the school, Margaret Drysdale, and they married in 1968.

In 1963, Henry McLeish left school at the age of 15 to become a professional football player.

Henry McLeish played wing-half and was one of the youngest ever players to play in Scottish professional football.

The Daily Record reported on the match and stated Henry McLeish was the only young Scot to impress.

Henry McLeish was later selected for the Scotland team to play in the World Youth Cup, hosted by Yugoslavia.

Henry McLeish played for junior football clubs; St Andrews United and Glenrothes Juniors.

Henry McLeish returned to education following his injury, studying at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh from 1968 to 1973.

Henry McLeish graduated with a BSc in Town Planning.

Henry McLeish worked as a part-time lecturer and tutor at Heriot-Watt University from 1973 to 1986.

Henry McLeish joined the Scottish Labour Party in 1970 and he became chairman of the Young Socialists.

Henry McLeish first contested in an election for the Glenwood ward in Glenrothes but he was beaten by the sitting Scottish Conservative councillor.

Henry McLeish began his political career on the Kirkcaldy District Council from 1974 to 1977, serving as the council's planning committee chairman.

Henry McLeish later served on the Fife Regional Council 1978 to 1987 and served as the as leader of Fife Regional Council from 1982.

Henry McLeish was unsuccessful, having been placed third, behind the Conservatives' Barry Henderson and the Liberals' Menzies Campbell.

Henry McLeish gave up his attempts to retain his candidacy, allowing McLeish to run in the 1987 election.

The Labour Party failed to defeat Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Party in the 1987 election and Henry McLeish served in several shadow spokesman portfolios, including education and employment from 1988 to 1989 and employment and training from 1989 to 1992.

Henry McLeish served as shadow minister for the Scottish Office from 1992 to 1994.

In 1994, following Tony Blair's election as Leader of the Labour Party, Henry McLeish served successively as the shadow minister for transport from 1994 to 1995, shadow minister for health from 1995 to 1996, and shadow minister for social security from 1996 to 1997.

At the 1997 UK general election, Henry McLeish served as Labour's election campaign director for Scotland.

Henry McLeish was appointed by Blair as the Minister of State for Scotland, with responsibility for home affairs and devolution.

Henry McLeish worked alongside Donald Dewar on the Scotland Act 1998, which established the Scottish Parliament.

Henry McLeish defeated his rival Jack McConnell by 44 votes to 36 in the race to become the second first minister.

Henry McLeish was officially sworn into office as first minister of Scotland on 27 October 2000 at the Court of Session in Edinburgh after receiving the Royal Warrant of Appointment by Queen Elizabeth II.

Henry McLeish has spoken about his serious concern about the defence strategies in place within Scotland to protect the country from a terrorist attack of a similar nature.

On September 13,2001, Henry McLeish moved a motion in the Scottish Parliament to send condolences to the people of the United States and New York.

Henry McLeish managed several task forces designed to improve the competitiveness of Scottish industry, especially the PILOT project for Scottish oil and gas supply chains.

Whilst in government serving as first minister, Henry McLeish oversaw and implemented the free personal care for the elderly scheme as well as the implementation of the McCrone Agreement for education teachers in Scotland.

Henry McLeish resigned as first minister in November 2001, amid a scandal involving allegations he sub-let part of his tax-subsidised Westminster constituency office without it having been registered in the register of interests kept in the Parliamentary office.

Since leaving mainstream politics, Henry McLeish has lectured widely in the United States, particularly at the United States Air Force Academy and the University of Arkansas, where he holds a visiting professorship shared between the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the University of Arkansas School of Law.

Henry McLeish is considered an expert on European-American relations and on the European Union.

Henry McLeish chaired the Scottish Prisons Commission, which produced a report into sentencing and the criminal justice system in 2008 entitled "Scotland's Choice".

Henry McLeish concluded a "major report" on the state of football in Scotland, which had been commissioned by the Scottish Football Association, in April 2010.

Henry McLeish claimed that Scottish football was "underachieving, under performing and under funded" at a press conference to unveil the report.

Speculation from the public came from media articles in which Henry McLeish was reported to be talking negatively about the prospect of a "No" vote to remain within the union, but was later reported as stating it would be "near impossible" to vote Yes in the referendum.