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The Rt. Hon. Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale
Country:
United Kingdom (Scotland)
Parliament:
UK Parliament, House of Lords
Party:
Labour Party
Website:
Twitter:
Member of the following:
- Chair of the All Party-Parliamentary Group on the African Great Lakes Region,
- Member of the All Party-Parliamentary Group on Conflict Issues,
- Executive Member of the All Party-Parliamentary Group Africa.
Other current affiliations:
- Advisory Board Member, PricewaterhouseCoopers,
- Non-Executive Director, DCM Optical Holdings Limited,
- Advisory Board, Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, Berlin,
- Board Member and Treasurer, UK/Japan 21st Century Group,
- Visiting Professor at Dubrovnik International University, Croatia,
- Chair of Radio Clyde Cash for Kids,
- Patron of The Diana Awards,
- Patron of Positive Women,
- Patron of Project African Wilderness,
- Ambassador for Action for Children UK.
Previous other affiliations:
- First Minister of Scotland (2001-2007),
- Member of the Scottish Parliament for Motherwell and Wishaw (1999-2011)
Interested in:
Regions of interest:
Bio:
Jack McConnell is the longest serving First Minister of Scotland. He served as First Minister from 2001 to 2007.
He was introduced to membership of the House of Lords on 28 June 2010, as Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale. He served as Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs from 2000 to 2001 and he was Minister for Finance from 1999 to 2000. He was the MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw from 1999 to 2011.
He was the Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Special Representative for Peacebuilding from 2008 to 2010. In his capacity as Special Representative, Mr McConnell supported the UK efforts to improve the capacity of international institutions to prevent and resolve conflict. Mr. McConnell has represented Scotland on the EU Committee of the Regions, the British Irish Council and other bodies, and in 2004 he was President of the Conference of European Legislative Regions.
As First Minister, he refreshed and launched Scotland’s International Image. He established Scotland’s International Development policy; and signed a co-operation agreement with Malawi. He introduced Scotland’s ban on smoking in public places, the Fresh Talent initiative to encourage in-migration, and a national youth volunteering program, Project Scotland.
He has been an adviser to the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative in Malawi and Rwanda and an Ambassador for Action for Children UK. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Chinese Icebreakers, and has an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Stirling. He is a Board Member of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin.
Mr. McConnell was born in Irvine in 1960, and grew up on a sheep farm on the Isle of Arran. He was educated at Arran High School, and graduated from the University of Stirling. Jack McConnell was a Mathematics teacher (1983-92) and member of Stirling District Council (1984-1992), serving as Council Leader (1990-1992). Mr. McConnell was a member of the Scottish Constitutional Convention (1989-98) and General Secretary of the Scottish Labor Party (1992-1998).
Jack McConnell enjoys listening to music, gardening, and playing golf. He is married to Bridget McConnell, Chief Executive of Culture and Sport Glasgow. They have one daughter who works for the British Council, a son who teaches English, and one grandson.
