George Reid (Scottish politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable Sir George Reid KT FRSE
Official portrait, 2003
Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
In office 7 May 2003 – 14 May 2007
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Deputy	Murray Tosh Trish Godman
Preceded by	David Steel
Succeeded by	Alex Fergusson
Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
In office 12 May 1999 – 7 May 2003 Serving with Patricia Ferguson (1999–2001) and Murray Tosh (2001–2003)
Presiding Officer	David Steel
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Alasdair Morgan
Parliamentary offices Member of the Scottish Parliament for Ochil In office 3 May 2003 – 7 May 2007 Preceded by Richard Simpson Succeeded by Keith Brown Member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Scotland and Fife (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) In office 1 May 1999 – 3 May 2003 Member of Parliament for Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire In office 28 February 1974 – 7 April 1979 Preceded by Dick Douglas Succeeded by Martin O'Neill
Personal details
Born	George Newlands Reid (1939-06-04) 4 June 1939 (age 86) Tullibody, Clackmannanshire, Scotland
Political party	Scottish National Party
Alma mater	University of St Andrews Union College

Sir George Newlands Reid (born 4 June 1939) is a Scottish politician and journalist. He is best known for being the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament from 2003 to 2007. This role is similar to a speaker in other parliaments.

Before that, he was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Mid Scotland and Fife area from 1999 to 2003. Then he represented the Ochil area from 2003 to 2007. Sir George was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire in the UK Parliament from 1974 to 1979. He is a member of the Scottish National Party (SNP).

Early Life and Education

George Reid was born on 4 June 1939 in Tullibody, a town in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. His father, also named George Reid, was a company director.

He went to Tullibody School and Dollar Academy. Later, he studied at the University of St Andrews, where he earned a degree in History in 1962. He continued his studies in Switzerland and the United States, focusing on international relations.

A Career in Journalism

Before becoming a politician, George Reid had a successful career as a journalist. He worked for major TV channels like the BBC, Granada Television, and Scottish Television. He also wrote for several newspapers.

He produced over 200 TV documentaries. One famous documentary he worked on was Contract 736, which was about building the RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 ship. This documentary even won an Emmy award!

After his first time in politics, he returned to journalism for a short period. He was a producer for a famous report by Michael Buerk about the Ethiopian famine in 1984. This report helped inspire the huge charity music events, Band Aid and Live Aid.

Because of his work, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent hired him. He joined an international team that helped people after disasters, like the 1988 Armenian earthquake. He worked for the Red Cross for 12 years, helping people in conflict and disaster areas all over the world.

Political Journey

Starting in Politics

George Reid first became a politician in 1974. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish National Party (SNP). He represented the area of Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire in the UK Parliament. He won again in October 1974 but lost his seat in the 1979 election.

During his time as an MP, he was also part of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

In 1995, he became more involved in Scottish politics again. He spoke about why a Scottish Parliament would be good for Scotland. He believed that if Scotland had its own parliament, parties like the SNP would do well.

Becoming an MSP

When plans for a new Scottish Parliament moved forward, George Reid helped with the planning. In the first election for the new Scottish Parliament in 1999, he was elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP). He represented the Mid Scotland and Fife region.

When the Parliament first opened, he ran for the position of Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. He didn't win that time, but he was elected as a Deputy Presiding Officer instead.

Reid with Elizabeth II at the opening of the 2nd Scottish Parliament, 2003

Leading the Scottish Parliament

In the 2003 Scottish Parliament election, George Reid won the Ochil area seat. After this, his fellow MSPs chose him to be the new Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.

The Presiding Officer's job is to be fair and neutral, like a referee in a game. Because of this, George Reid stopped being an active member of the SNP while he was in this role.

As Presiding Officer, he helped guide the Parliament. He oversaw the completion of the new Scottish Parliament building in Holyrood. In 2004, the Parliament moved into its new home. At the official opening, he gave a speech about how important the new building was. He encouraged politicians to be inspired by it.

He also helped create the Scottish Futures Forum. This group helps different political parties think together about Scotland's future. He also became the President of the Royal Commonwealth Society Scotland.

After His Time as Presiding Officer

George Reid decided not to run for re-election in 2007. After leaving Parliament, he was asked to review how the Northern Ireland Assembly was run. He also joined a diplomatic group for the European Union.

In 2008, he was appointed as the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. This is a special role where he represented the Queen at the Church of Scotland's annual meeting.

He also became an Honorary Professor at the University of Glasgow in 2006. From 2008 to 2011, he advised on the Scottish Ministerial Code. In 2009, he became Lord Lieutenant of Clackmannanshire, representing the monarch in his home area.

In 2013, he had major surgery for bladder cancer. He recovered well and is now doing fine.

Awards and Special Recognition

George Reid has received many awards for his work. After helping with relief efforts for the 1988 Armenian earthquake, he was given gold medals from Armenia and the USSR.

He won the Herald newspaper's Scottish Politician of the Year award twice, in 2003 and 2005. He was the first person to win it more than once. In 2013, he received a lifetime achievement award. In 2007, he was made a Free man of Clackmannanshire.

He has also received several honorary degrees from universities, including the University of St Andrews and the University of Edinburgh.

In 2012, he was knighted by the Queen for his services to Scottish politics. This means he can use "Sir" before his name. In 2015, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE). On 10 June 2022, he received another very high honour, becoming a Knight of the Order of the Thistle (KT).