Adam Fergusson (MEP) facts for kids

Adam Dugdale Fergusson (born 10 July 1932) is a British journalist, author, and politician. He was a member of the Conservative Party. He served one term in the European Parliament as an MEP. Since then, he has continued to be involved in European Union matters. He worked as an adviser to Conservative governments and as a business consultant. Among his books, he wrote When Money Dies. This book is a famous account of hyperinflation (when money loses its value very quickly) in Germany. It explains how society changed during that time, not just the economy. First published in 1975, When Money Dies became very popular after the Financial crisis of 2007–2008. Copies were even sold for high prices online. Because of this, the book was republished in 2010. It became an internet sensation after the famous investor Warren Buffett reportedly praised it.

Early Life and Journalism

Adam Fergusson was born into a well-known family. His father was Sir James Fergusson, the 8th Baronet of Kilkerran. Adam went to Eton and then to Trinity College at the University of Cambridge. He studied History and finished his degree in 1955.

After university, he started his career in journalism. He worked for The Glasgow Herald newspaper from 1957 to 1961. He wrote important articles and reported on international news.

Writing for The Times

Later, Fergusson joined The Statist, a magazine for economists and business people. He was the Foreign Editor there from 1964 until the magazine closed in 1967. After that, he joined The Times newspaper. He worked as a feature writer, focusing on politics, economics, and the environment. He spent ten years at The Times. During this time, he also wrote fiction books like Roman Go Home (1969) and The Lost Embassy (1972). He also wrote a non-fiction book called The Sack of Bath (1973).

Getting Involved in Politics

In the late 1970s, Adam Fergusson became active in Conservative politics. He was strongly against "devolution," which is when power is transferred from a central government to local governments. He spoke at meetings to convince the Conservative Party to oppose a Scottish Assembly. After this effort was successful, he joined the "Scotland Says No" campaign. This campaign was for the referendum where people voted on devolution for Scotland.

Becoming an MEP

In the 1979 elections for the European Parliament, Fergusson ran for the Strathclyde West area. This area was usually won by the Labour Party. However, many Labour voters changed their minds, and Fergusson won the election by a small number of votes (1,827 votes). This made him a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).

Work in the European Parliament

For three years, Adam Fergusson was a spokesperson for the European Democratic Group. This group was a collection of conservative parties in the European Parliament. He spoke about political affairs. He supported calls to boycott the Moscow Olympics. He argued that the Soviet Union's actions, like invading Afghanistan and punishing a famous scientist named Andrei Sakharov, showed its aggressive and oppressive nature.

Key Issues and Campaigns

In 1982, when the European Union suggested changing how MEPs were elected to a "party list" system (where people vote for a party, not an individual candidate), Fergusson led the Conservative MEPs in opposing this change. He also put constant pressure on the government of Poland. He wanted them to stop their crackdown on Solidarity, a famous trade union movement. He also spoke out against the Soviet Union after they shot down Korean Air Flight 007, a civilian airplane.

In late 1983, he wrote a report that called for European countries to work together on making weapons. He also suggested putting an "Empty Chair" in the parliament. This chair would be a symbol, waiting for Eastern European countries to become free and join the European Community. For 20 years, starting in 1981, Fergusson was a vice-president of the Pan-European Union, an organization that promotes European unity.

1984 Election Campaign

In the 1984 election, Fergusson decided not to run again in Strathclyde. Instead, he ran in London Central. He found it sad that people might vote for an opponent who had been against Britain joining the European Economic Community (EEC). On election day, his opponent won the seat.

Later Career and Contributions

From 1985 to 1989, Adam Fergusson was a Special Adviser on European Affairs for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This is a part of the UK government that deals with foreign countries. After this, he became a consultant, advising businesses on European matters.

He also continued his journalism. He helped with the rebuilding of the city of Bath. He was an honorary Vice-President of the Bath Preservation Trust from 1997. His book, "The Sack of Bath," published in 1973, describes how parts of the city's old buildings were destroyed in the name of modern development. He believed this ruined a unique part of European history.

Fergusson remained committed to the idea of a united Europe. In 1999, he criticized the Conservative Party's approach to the European Parliament elections. He wished for a party plan that was more like the Pro-Euro Conservative Party, which strongly supported European integration. His novel Scone, a political story about the effects of devolution in Scotland, was published in 2005.

Personal Life

Adam Fergusson was married for 44 years to Penelope Hughes, who passed away in 2009. They had four children: James, Petra, Lucy, and Marcus. He also has thirteen grandchildren. He lives in London.