Robert Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart

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The Right Honourable  Robert Maclennan  Baron Maclennan of Rogart, FRS, PC
2nd Leader of Social and Liberal Democrats
In office 6 August 1987 – 16 July 1988
Preceded by	Party Merged
Succeeded by	Paddy Ashdown
Leader of Social Democratic Party
In office 28 August 1987 – 16 July 1988
Preceded by	David Owen
Succeeded by	Party Disbanded
Member of Parliament for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Caithness and Sutherland (from 1966 to 1992)
In office 31 March 1966 – 7 June 2001
Preceded by	George Y Mackie
Succeeded by	John Thurso
Born	26 June 1936 (1936-06-26) (age 71) Glasgow Scotland, UK
Political party	(1) Labour (2) Social Democratic Party, (3) Liberal Democrats

Robert Adam Ross "Bob" Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart PC (born 26 June 1936, Glasgow) is a Scottish Liberal Democrat life peer. He was the last leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), serving during the negotiations that led to its merger with the Liberal Party in 1988. He then became joint interim leader of the new party, known as the Social and Liberal Democrats (SLD) before later becoming the Liberal Democrats.

[edit] Early Life

Maclennan was educated at Glasgow Academy, Balliol College, Oxford, Trinity College, Cambridge and Columbia University, New York City. He became Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Caithness and Sutherland in 1966, and serving until 1997; and for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross after boundary changes, from 1997 to 2001. Following this he was raised to the House of Lords, elevated to a life peer as Baron Maclennan of Rogart, of Rogart in Sutherland.

[edit] Member of Parliament, Labour, SDP and Retirement

He was first elected as a member of the Labour Party and served as a junior minister in the Labour government of 1974-1979, but in 1981 defected to become a founder member of the SDP. He was one of the few SDP MPs to keep their seats in the 1983 general election. After his stint as SDP Leader in 1988, he served as a front bench spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, and as their president from 1994 until 1998. He is now the party's Cabinet Office spokesman in the House of Lords.

[edit] External links

• Lord Maclennan of Rogart profile at the site of Liberal Democrats

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