Norman Buchan

Norman Findlay Buchan (27 October 1922 – 23 October 1990) was a Labour politician, who represented the West Renfrewshire seat from 1964 until 1983 and the Paisley South seat from 1983 to 1990.

A schoolteacher based in Rutherglen, he was interested in the arts, compiling a book entitled 101 Scottish Songs (Glasgow; London: Collins, 1962) before becoming a full time politician in 1964, taking the West Renfrewshire seat from the Conservatives. Whilst a Member of Parliament, he served as Joint Under Secretary of State for Scotland whilst in the 1966-70 Labour government and as Minister of State for Agriculture in the 1974 Labour government. He later became Shadow Minister for the Arts in opposition.

He died in 1990 whilst a sitting MP (coincidentally, the neighbouring MP for Paisley North, Allen Adams also died that year, resulting in by-elections being held in the same month for the two seats). He was succeeded as MP for Paisley South by Gordon McMaster.

He was married for 44 years (1946–1990) to Janey Buchan, Labour Member of the European Parliament for Glasgow from 1979 until 1994. She died in Brighton on 14 January 2012. His only son, Alasdair Buchan, has been a journalist since 1968.

Norman Buchan opposed an early day motion to block the televised version of Tony Harrison's poem 'V' on Channel 4, saying that members who opposed the broadcast had either not read or understood the poem.

Norman Buchan was also influential in changing the voting system for the Scottish Independence vote in the late 70's.

References

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Norman Buchan