Archibald Johnstone Kirkwood, Baron Kirkwood of Kirkhope, (born 22 April 1946) is a British Liberal Democrat politician.

Education

Kirkwood was educated at Cranhill Secondary School in Cranhill, Glasgow and studied pharmacy at

Heriot-Watt University Heriot-Watt University ( gd, Oilthigh Heriot-Watt) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was established in 1821 as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world's first mechanics' institute, and subsequently granted univ ...

, gaining a BSc in 1971. He became a solicitor in Hawick and Notary public.

Parliamentary career

Kirkwood first joined parliament in 1971 as a parliamentary assistant as part of the Joseph Rowntree Social Service Trust (now the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust) Political Fellowship Scheme. In 1971 he worked for David Steel MP in the office of the Liberal Chief Whip. Kirkwood was the Liberal, and later Liberal Democrat, Member of Parliament for Roxburgh and Berwickshire from 1983 until 2005. In 1986 he with two other MPs Simon Hughes MP and Michael Meadowcroft MP and the National League of Young Liberals and other parts of the party produced the booklet ''Across the Divide: Liberal Values on Defence and Disarmament''. This was the rally call that defeated the party leadership in the debate over the issue of an independent nuclear deterrent. This led to Kirkwood and the other authors being jeered by other Liberal MPs and Peers at the 1986 Liberal Assembly. A Chair of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Work and Pensions, Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope, is listed in the House of Lords Register of Interests (Session 2006–2007) as the Chairman of the Unum Customer Advisory Panel for which he received payment from Unum. He received additional payments for other work for Unum.

Personal life

Kirkwood was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

in the

2003 New Year Honours The 2003 New Year's Honours List is one of the annual New Year Honours, a part of the British monarch's honours system, where 1 January is marked by naming new members of orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of ot ...

, and dubbed by the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on 3 July 2003. On 13 May 2005 it was announced that he would be created a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

, and on 10 June 2005 he was created Baron Kirkwood of Kirkhope, of Kirkhope in the

Scottish Borders The Scottish Borders ( sco, the Mairches, 'the Marches'; gd, Crìochan na h-Alba) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Midlothian, South Lanarkshire, West Lothi ...

. He retired from the House of Lords on 2 September 2020. He married Rosemary Chester on 30 December 1972. Lady Kirkwood died on 22 October 2019. They have a son and daughter.

References

External links

Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope
profile at the site of Liberal Democrats

TheyWorkForYou.com – Archy Kirkwood

The Public Whip – Archy Kirkwood
voting record
BBC News – Archy Kirkwood
profile 10 February 2005 {{DEFAULTSORT:Kirkwood, Archy 1946 births Living people Politicians from Glasgow Scottish Liberal Party MPs Scottish Liberal Democrat MPs Kirkwood of Kirkhope UK MPs 1983–1987 UK MPs 1987–1992 UK MPs 1992–1997 UK MPs 1997–2001 UK MPs 2001–2005 Alumni of Heriot-Watt University Knights Bachelor Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Life peers created by Elizabeth II Politicians awarded knighthoods Peers retired under the House of Lords Reform Act 2014