Alex Fergusson (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alex Fergusson
DL
|
|||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Official portrait, 2011
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament | |||||||||||||||||
| In office 14 May 2007 – 11 May 2011 |
|||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||
| Deputy |
|
||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | George Reid | ||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Tricia Marwick | ||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Alexander Charles Onslow Fergusson
8 April 1949 Leswalt, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland |
||||||||||||||||
| Died | 31 July 2018 (aged 69) St John's Town of Dalry, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland |
||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Scottish Conservatives | ||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (2007-2011) | ||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Merryn Fergusson | ||||||||||||||||
| Children | Iain Dougal Christopher |
||||||||||||||||
| Parents | Simon Fergusson Auriole Hughes-Onslow |
||||||||||||||||
| Education | Eton College Scotland's Rural College |
||||||||||||||||
| Profession | Farmer | ||||||||||||||||
Sir Alexander Charles Onslow Fergusson (8 April 1949 – 31 July 2018) was a Scottish politician and farmer. He was known for serving as the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament from 2007 to 2011. He was a member of the Scottish Conservative Party and was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) from 1999 to 2016.
Born in rural Wigtownshire, Scotland, Alex Fergusson went to Eton College and then studied at the Scottish Agricultural College. After his studies, he took over his family's farm in 1971. He became very well-known in farming, even becoming the President of the Blackface Sheepbreeders’ Association.
In 1999, Fergusson was elected to the Scottish Parliament. He represented the South of Scotland region. Later, in 2003, he became the MSP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale. After being re-elected in 2007, he was chosen to be the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. This important role meant he had to be fair to all political parties. He stepped down as Presiding Officer in 2011 and continued as an MSP until 2016.
Contents
Early Life and Farming
Growing Up and School
Alexander Charles Onslow Fergusson was born on 8 April 1949 in Leswalt, Wigtownshire. His father was a soldier and later a minister. Alex grew up in South Ayrshire.
He went to Eton College, a famous school, from 1962 to 1966. After school, he spent two years in New Zealand working on farms. When he came back to Scotland, he studied agriculture at the Scottish Agricultural College at Auchincruive.
His Career as a Farmer
In 1971, Alex Fergusson took over his family's farm in Barr. He raised cattle and sheep on this hill farm. He became very respected in the farming world. He even became the President of the Blackface Sheepbreeders’ Association, which is a group for people who breed a certain type of sheep. He was also a member of other important farming and land groups.
Political Career
Becoming an MSP
Alex Fergusson started his political journey as a local Community Councillor. He was first elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) in 1999. He represented the South of Scotland area. From 2003, he represented Galloway and Upper Nithsdale.
He said he got into politics to speak up for rural areas, especially in the south of Scotland. He felt that often, only the Highlands and Islands were talked about when people discussed rural Scotland.
As an MSP, he was a main spokesperson for the Conservative party on farming and forestry. He also led a committee that focused on rural development. He was known for being a strong voice for rural issues and was respected by politicians from different parties.
Leading the Scottish Parliament
.jpg)
After winning his seat again in the 2007 election, Alex Fergusson was chosen by other MSPs to become the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. This happened on 14 May 2007. He won by a large number of votes.
The Presiding Officer is like the referee or chairperson of the Parliament. They must be fair and not take sides with any political party. Because of this, Alex Fergusson resigned from the Conservative party while he was in this role. He planned to return to his party after his term as Presiding Officer ended. In 2011, he stepped down from the Presiding Officer role and went back to being a Conservative MSP.
As Presiding Officer, he was in charge of important groups that helped run the Parliament. These groups decided what business would be discussed each day.
In 2015, Fergusson announced he would not stand for re-election in 2016. He retired from politics after serving as an MSP for 17 years. He was later given the title of Knight Bachelor in 2016 for his work in politics and public life in Scotland.
Personal Life
Alex Fergusson was the Honorary President of the English-Speaking Union Scotland. He also supported the campaign for Galloway to become Scotland's third national park. His hobbies included rugby, curling, Scottish country dancing, folk music, and public speaking.
Sir Alex Fergusson passed away on 31 July 2018, at the age of 69, after a short illness. Many people paid tribute to him. Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, called him a "distinguished presiding officer" and a "dedicated parliamentarian." The leader of the Scottish Conservative Party at the time, Ruth Davidson, said he was a "huge figure" and would be greatly missed.
See Also
- List of Members of the Scottish Parliament (1999–2003)
- List of Members of the Scottish Parliament (2003–2007)
- List of Members of the Scottish Parliament (2007–2011)
- List of Members of the Scottish Parliament (2011–2016)
Images for kids
-
Official portrait, 2011
-
Fergusson as Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, May 2007
-
The Queen with Alex Fergusson
