David Maclean

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David John MacLean (born May 16, 1953, Scotland) is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He has been Member of Parliament for Penrith and The Border since 1983.

Educated at Fortrose Academy, Fortrose, The Black Isle, Highland, and at the University of Aberdeen, he was elected to the House of Commons in a by-election in 1983 following the ennoblement of William Whitelaw. He was seen as a Thatcherite, saying about beggars that 'I always give them something - I give them a piece of my mind.'^[1] MacLean has multiple sclerosis.^[2]

In Margaret Thatcher's government, Maclean served as an government whip from 1987 to 1989, when he was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, retaining the position when John Major took over as Prime Minister in 1990. After the 1992 general election he was promoted to Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, and in 1993 he was moved to the post of Minister of State at the Home Office, a position he held until the Conservative Party's defeat at the 1997 general election.

Under William Hague's leadership in opposition, he returned to the backbenches until 2001, when the new leader Iain Duncan Smith promoted him to opposition Chief Whip. When Duncan Smith lost a vote of confidence in 2003, MacLean tendered his resignation but was reappointed to the position under new leader Michael Howard. He returned to the back benches when David Cameron was elected as leader in 2005.

During the 2005 general election and since, he has worked extensively with the pro-hunting group Vote-OK, with the aim of returning a Conservative government in order to have the Hunting Act 2004 repealed.

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[edit] References

[edit] External links

Conservative Party - Rt Hon David Maclean MP official site
Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: David Maclean MP
TheyWorkForYou.com - David Maclean MP
The Public Whip - David Maclean MP voting record
BBC News - David Maclean MP profile 24 March, 2005
Open Directory Project - David Maclean directory category
Vote-OK

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by William Whitelaw	Member of Parliament for Penrith and The Border 1983 – present	Incumbent

Persondata
NAME	MacLean, David John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	United Kingdom Conservative Party politician
DATE OF BIRTH	May 16, 1953
PLACE OF BIRTH	Scotland
DATE OF DEATH	living
PLACE OF DEATH