The Liberal MP who tried to introduce a bill which would have given referenda to Scotland and Wales on devolution back in the early 70s has died at the age of 90 at his home in Newtonmore.
James Davidson represented the constituency of Aberdeenshire West from 1966-70 when he stood down for family health reasons.
His funeral will take place at St Bride’s Church, Newtonmore at 12 noon on Friday 14 July.
From Wikipedia:
Davidson was selected to fight Aberdeenshire West for the Liberals. During the 1966 general election campaign one of Davidson’s main policy points was the establishment of a development authority for the North East of Scotland (on the lines of the Highlands and Islands Development Board) and he was a strong advocate on behalf of small farmers and of improving communications in remote areas like the Highlands by improving road links to the major cities. He also campaigned for better air and sea links with Scandinavia.
Davidson was Liberal spokesman on foreign affairs and defence issues in Parliament, a particularly important brief given the ongoing war in Vietnam and the arguments over Britain’s role East of Suez. In February 1967,he took a leading role in the opposition to the government’s plans to raise fees for foreign students at British universities and introduced a Bill to give the people of Scotland and Wales referendums on devolution. This was as part of the Liberal strategy to draw the sting of the increasing popularity of the Scottish National Party and re-establish the Liberal position on ‘home rule all round’ with the Scottish electorate.
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6 Comments
He was our MP before I was old enough to vote but I recall the inspirational legacy James Davidson left behind. He showed a generation that “Oh yes we can win here” in Aberdeenshire. Sad day but with very happy memories.
I think this leaves David Steel and John Pardoe as the last of the 1966 parliamentary party? There was a nice photo taken of the 12 of them, with J Thorpe standing at the front of a diamond formation of the group on College Green. Grimond, Wainwright, Mackenzie, Johnston, Lubbock, Bessell, Pardoe, Thorpe, Steel, Hooson, Winstanley and Davidson. (Wallace Lawler won the Birm. Ladywood by election in 1969 but he wasn’t in the picture!)
Just looked up John Pardoe on wikipedia. He’s 82 now, and described as ‘retired businessman and Liberal politician’. It has very little info about him. Does anyone know anything about him now?
James Davidson was a very nice man, level-headed and thoroughly Liberal, and was talked about as a possible next leader before he stood down. Many people will remember him with affection and admiration.
I take it TonyH means “what did John Pardoe do after losing his seat and what does he do now?”. John Pardoe was a towering figure of radical Liberalism, an inspiring speaker and vigorous politician if a bit unpredictable, arguably a great leader the Liberals never had. After losing North Cornwall he ran some agency to do with training – disadvantaged young people, I think – but I too have several times wondered why he disappeared off the Liberal radar so completely.
It was a real shame that James Davidson felt he had to stand down in 1970. We will never know if he would have held the seat (a precursor of the Gordon constituency) against a populist right-wing colonel in the Argylls (“Mad Mitch”) but he was a genuine loss to both UK and Scottish Liberalism.
Simon Banks – I did a bit more digging and it turns out there’s a really interesting interview with John P from 2002 on the LibDem History Group website. Very interesting. http://www.liberalhistory.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/36-Slade-John-Pardoe-interview.pdf I’d really like to know more about what he’s been up to since then. In particular with regard to his views on the party.
Incidentally this interview is conducted by Adrian Slade – another great Liberal figure of that era who seems to have disappeared somewhat. It made me smile to think of the 2 of them sitting together reminiscing with a tape recorder. 🙂
I never met James Davidson (just before my time) but the Pardo’s interview is a brilliant read. What a pity no-one read it in 2010. John could open his mouth to change feet but he was a brilliant orator. I remember him opening for Clement Freud in the Maltings at Ely before an audience of several hundred (those were the days) and thundering that Liberalism was founded on Liberty, Equality and Fraternity! I voted for him in the leadership election as the unsafe choice – he would either make us or break us but at least we would not be an irrelevance with 12 MPs. Ho hum.