Bruce Millan

British politician (1927–2013)

Bruce Millan HonFRSE[1] (5 October 1927 – 21 February 2013) was a British Labour politician who served as a European Commissioner from 1989 to 1995.


Bruce Millan

portrait photograph of Millan
Millan in 1992
European Commissioner for Regional Policy
In office
6 January 1989 – 23 January 1995
PresidentJacques Delors
Preceded byGrigoris Varfis
Succeeded byMonika Wulf-Mathies
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
In office
4 May 1979 – 31 October 1983
Leader
Preceded byTeddy Taylor
Succeeded byDonald Dewar
Secretary of State for Scotland
In office
8 April 1976 – 4 May 1979
Prime MinisterJames Callaghan
Preceded byWillie Ross
Succeeded byGeorge Younger
Member of Parliament
for Glasgow Govan
In office
9 June 1983 – 18 October 1988
Preceded byAndrew McMahon
Succeeded byJim Sillars
Member of Parliament
for Glasgow Craigton
In office
8 October 1959 – 9 June 1983
Preceded byJack Browne
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born(1927-10-05)5 October 1927
Dundee, Scotland
Died21 February 2013(2013-02-21) (aged 85)
Glasgow, Scotland
Political partyLabour
Spouse(s)Gwen Fairey
Children2
EducationHarris Academy
ProfessionAccountancy

Early life

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He was born in Dundee and educated at the Harris Academy in that city.[2]

Parliamentary career

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Millan unsuccessfully contested West Renfrewshire in 1951 and Glasgow Craigton in the 1955 general election.

He was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow Craigton at the 1959 general election and served for that seat, and after its abolition in 1983 for Glasgow Govan, until 1988.[3] He served in the Wilson government of 1964–1970 as Under-Secretary of State for the Air Force from 1964 to 1966, as Under-Secretary of State for Scotland from 1966 to 1970, and in the Callaghan government of 1976–1979 as Secretary of State for Scotland;[4][5] he subsequently served as Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland under new leader Michael Foot.

After Parliament

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In 1988 he left Parliament, by applying for the Chiltern Hundreds, to take up the post of European Commissioner for Regional Policy and Cohesion which he held until 1995.[4] The vacancy he left was filled by Jim Sillars of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the notable Glasgow Govan by-election of 1988.[6]

Millan received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 1991.[7]

In 1999–2001 he chaired the Millan Committee which proposed reforms to the provision of mental healthcare in Scotland.[4][6][8]

References

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  1. "Rt Hon Bruce Millan PC HonFRSE". Rse.org.uk. Royal Society of Edinburgh. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  2. "Bruce Millan". The Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media Group. 26 February 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  3. Wilson, Brian (25 February 2013). "Bruce Millan obituary". The Guardian. London: Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Former Scottish Secretary Bruce Millan dies aged 85". BBC News. BBC. 23 February 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  5. Beckett, J. V.; Ken Brand (1998). Nottingham: An Illustrated History. Manchester University Press. p. 47. ISBN 0719051754.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Gordon, Tom (23 February 2013). "Bruce Millan, former Scottish Secretary, dies at 85". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  7. "Edinburgh: Honorary Graduates". Hw.ac.uk. Heriot-Watt University. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  8. Keating, Michael (2007). Scottish Social Democracy: Progressive Ideas for Public Policy. Peter Lang. p. 91. ISBN 978-9052010663.

Other websites

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Parliament of the United Kingdom (1801–present)
Preceded by
Jack Browne
Member of Parliament for Glasgow Craigton
19591983
Constituency abolished
Preceded by
Andrew McMahon
Member of Parliament for Glasgow Govan
19831988
Succeeded by
Jim Sillars
Political offices
Preceded by
William Ross
Secretary of State for Scotland
1976–1979
Succeeded by
George Younger
Preceded by
Stanley Clinton-Davis
British European Commissioner
1989–1994
Served alongside: Leon Brittan
Succeeded by
Neil Kinnock
Preceded by
The Lord Cockfield
Succeeded by
Leon Brittan
Preceded by
Grigoris Varfis
European Commissioner for Regional Policy
1989–1994
Succeeded by
Monika Wulf-Mathies