Ray Michie, Baroness Michie of Gallanach
Encyclopedia
Janet Ray Michie, Baroness Michie of Gallanach (née Bannerman) (4 February 1934 - 6 May 2008) was a British
speech therapist and Liberal Democrat
politician. She served as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Argyll and Bute
for 14 years, from 1987 to 2001, and then became a life peer
in the House of Lords
. She was the first peer to pledge the oath of allegiance
in the House of Lords in Gaelic.
, on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond
in Stirlingshire
. She was the third of the four children of John Bannerman
(later Lord Bannerman of Kildonan) and his wife, Ray. Her father was a farm manager to the Duke of Montrose
, a former Scotland rugby player
and Liberal
politician. In her youth, she spoke at political meetings while waiting for her father to arrive. He fought Argyll
at the 1945 general election
, and Inverness
at the 1950 general election
. He surprised many by narrowly losing the 1954 Inverness by-election, coming close again at the general elections in 1951
and 1955
. He also fought - and narrowly lost - the 1961 Paisley by-election, and fought Paisley
again at the 1964 general election
, before becoming a life peer
in December 1967.
Michie was educated at Aberdeen High School for Girls, Lansdowne House School in Edinburgh, and at the Edinburgh College of Speech Therapy. She married Iain Michie in 1957, and she followed his work with the Royal Army Medical Corps
for 16 years in the UK and overseas. They had three daughters. She continued as a speech therapist after they settled in Oban
, working at the county hospital and becoming Area Speech Therapist for the Argyll and Clyde Health Board in 1977.
from 1977 to 1979. She stood as Liberal candidate for Argyll and Bute three times, losing in 1979
and 1983
, but ultimately defeating Conservative minister John Mackay to secure election as Member of Parliament
at the 1987 general election
, becoming the Liberals' only female MP. She took the oath of allegiance
in the House of Commons in Gaelic, and joined the Liberal Democrats
on the party's formation in 1988. She gradually increased her majority in the next two general elections, gaining the confidence of the voters in her scattered constituency of peninsulas and islands.
She was a Liberal Democrat spokesman on transport and rural development from 1987 to 1988, on women's issues from 1988 to 1994, and on Scotland from 1988 to 1997. She was a strong advocate of home rule
for Scotland and the promotion of and development of the Scottish Gaelic language. She was also chairman of the Scottish Liberal Party
from 1992 to 1993. She was appointed a member of the panel of chairmen by Speaker
Betty Boothroyd
in her last term in the Commons, from 1997 to 2001.
She supported the campaigns to end submarine operations of the Royal Navy
and United States Navy
in the Firth of Clyde
, to hold another inquiry into the Chinook crash on the Mull of Kintyre
in 1994, and the successful bid for the residents of Gigha
to buy their own island.
In 1992 Ray Michie became a member of the House of Commons Select Committee on Scottish Affairs. Later, she also became a joint Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group on the Whisky
Industry.
She stood down from Parliament at the 2001 general election
, being replaced by Alan Reid. She was made a life peer
as Baroness Michie of Gallanach, of Oban in Argyll and Bute
. She was the first peer to pledge the oath of allegiance in Gaelic when being introduced to the Lords.
At different points in her career, she was Vice-President of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Honorary Associate of the National Council of Women of Great Britain, and Honorary President of the Clyde Fishermen's Association, and also held honorary positions in the An Comunn Gàidhealach
, the Scottish National Farmers' Union and the Scottish Crofting Foundation
, and was a participant in the early days of the Scottish Constitutional Convention
. She chaired the West Highland Health Services Solutions Group. She also enjoyed tennis, swimming and golf, and watching rugby union.
In August 2007 she was appointed to the Scottish Broadcasting Commission
established by the Scottish Government. Before the Commission was able to report Michie died at her home in Oban
after receiving treatment for cancer. She died just two days after her Liberal Democrat colleague in the House of Lords, Richard Holme. She was survived by two daughter, having been predeceased by her husband and a third daughter.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
speech therapist and Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
politician. She served as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute (UK Parliament constituency)
Argyll and Bute is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created for the 1983 general election, merging most of Argyll with some of Bute and Northern Ayrshire...
for 14 years, from 1987 to 2001, and then became a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. She was the first peer to pledge the oath of allegiance
Oath of allegiance
An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject or citizen acknowledges a duty of allegiance and swears loyalty to monarch or country. In republics, modern oaths specify allegiance to the country's constitution. For example, officials in the United States, a republic, take an oath of office that...
in the House of Lords in Gaelic.
Early life
Michie was born in the Old Manse, BalmahaBalmaha
Balmaha is a hamlet on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond in the council area of Stirling, Scotland.The name Balmaha comes from the Gaelic for St Maha's Place which suggests the village may have ancient origins, perhaps as a hermit's residence...
, on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
in Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
. She was the third of the four children of John Bannerman
John Bannerman, Baron Bannerman of Kildonan
John MacDonald Bannerman, Baron Bannerman of Kildonan OBE was a Scottish farmer, rugby union internationalist and Liberal politician.-Family and education:...
(later Lord Bannerman of Kildonan) and his wife, Ray. Her father was a farm manager to the Duke of Montrose
Duke of Montrose
The title of Duke of Montrose was created twice in the peerage of Scotland, firstly in 1488 for David Lindsay, 5th Earl of Crawford. It was forfeited and then returned, but only for the period of the holder's lifetime...
, a former Scotland rugby player
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
and Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician. In her youth, she spoke at political meetings while waiting for her father to arrive. He fought Argyll
Argyllshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Argyllshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1950, when it was renamed Argyll...
at the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
, and Inverness
Inverness (UK Parliament constituency)
Inverness was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election....
at the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
. He surprised many by narrowly losing the 1954 Inverness by-election, coming close again at the general elections in 1951
United Kingdom general election, 1951
The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats...
and 1955
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
. He also fought - and narrowly lost - the 1961 Paisley by-election, and fought Paisley
Paisley (UK Parliament constituency)
Paisley was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1983, when it was divided into Paisley North and Paisley South...
again at the 1964 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
, before becoming a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in December 1967.
Michie was educated at Aberdeen High School for Girls, Lansdowne House School in Edinburgh, and at the Edinburgh College of Speech Therapy. She married Iain Michie in 1957, and she followed his work with the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
for 16 years in the UK and overseas. They had three daughters. She continued as a speech therapist after they settled in Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
, working at the county hospital and becoming Area Speech Therapist for the Argyll and Clyde Health Board in 1977.
Political career
Following in the footsteps of her father, Ray Michie entered politics and became Chairman of Argyll Liberal Association from 1973 to 1976, and then vice-Chairman of the Scottish Liberal PartyLiberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
from 1977 to 1979. She stood as Liberal candidate for Argyll and Bute three times, losing in 1979
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
and 1983
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
, but ultimately defeating Conservative minister John Mackay to secure election as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
at the 1987 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
, becoming the Liberals' only female MP. She took the oath of allegiance
Oath of allegiance
An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject or citizen acknowledges a duty of allegiance and swears loyalty to monarch or country. In republics, modern oaths specify allegiance to the country's constitution. For example, officials in the United States, a republic, take an oath of office that...
in the House of Commons in Gaelic, and joined the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
on the party's formation in 1988. She gradually increased her majority in the next two general elections, gaining the confidence of the voters in her scattered constituency of peninsulas and islands.
She was a Liberal Democrat spokesman on transport and rural development from 1987 to 1988, on women's issues from 1988 to 1994, and on Scotland from 1988 to 1997. She was a strong advocate of home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
for Scotland and the promotion of and development of the Scottish Gaelic language. She was also chairman of the Scottish Liberal Party
Scottish Liberal Party
The Scottish Liberal Party was the dominant political party of Victorian Scotland, and although its importance declined with the rise of the Labour and Unionist parties during the 20th century, it was still a significant force when it finally merged with the Social Democratic Party in Scotland, to...
from 1992 to 1993. She was appointed a member of the panel of chairmen by Speaker
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
Betty Boothroyd
Betty Boothroyd
Betty Boothroyd, Baroness Boothroyd, OM, PC is a British politician, who served as Member of Parliament for West Bromwich and West Bromwich West from 1973 to 2000, initially for the Labour Party and, from 1992 to 2000, as Speaker of the House of Commons...
in her last term in the Commons, from 1997 to 2001.
She supported the campaigns to end submarine operations of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
, to hold another inquiry into the Chinook crash on the Mull of Kintyre
Mull of Kintyre
The Mull of Kintyre is the southwesternmost tip of the Kintyre Peninsula in southwest Scotland. From here, the Antrim coast is visible and an historic lighthouse, the second commissioned in Scotland, guides shipping in the intervening North Channel...
in 1994, and the successful bid for the residents of Gigha
Gigha
The Isle of Gigha is a small island off the west coast of Kintyre in Scotland. The island forms part of Argyll and Bute and has a population of about 150 people, many of whom speak Scottish Gaelic. The climate is mild with higher than average sunshine hours and the soils are fertile.Gigha has a...
to buy their own island.
In 1992 Ray Michie became a member of the House of Commons Select Committee on Scottish Affairs. Later, she also became a joint Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group on the Whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
Industry.
She stood down from Parliament at the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, being replaced by Alan Reid. She was made a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baroness Michie of Gallanach, of Oban in Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
. She was the first peer to pledge the oath of allegiance in Gaelic when being introduced to the Lords.
At different points in her career, she was Vice-President of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Honorary Associate of the National Council of Women of Great Britain, and Honorary President of the Clyde Fishermen's Association, and also held honorary positions in the An Comunn Gàidhealach
An Comunn Gàidhealach
An Comunn Gàidhealach , literally The Gaelic Association) is an organisation in Scotland which seeks to promote Scottish Gaelic language and culture, following in the footsteps of the Gaelic Athletic Association or GAA in Ireland....
, the Scottish National Farmers' Union and the Scottish Crofting Foundation
Scottish Crofting Foundation
The Scottish Crofting Federation , which was formerly called the Scottish Crofting Foundation , is an organisation of crofting communities in the highlands and islands of Scotland....
, and was a participant in the early days of the Scottish Constitutional Convention
Scottish Constitutional Convention
The Scottish Constitutional Convention was an association of Scottish political parties, churches and other civic groups, that developed a framework for a Scottish devolution. It is credited as having paved the way for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.The Convention was...
. She chaired the West Highland Health Services Solutions Group. She also enjoyed tennis, swimming and golf, and watching rugby union.
In August 2007 she was appointed to the Scottish Broadcasting Commission
Scottish Broadcasting Commission
The Scottish Broadcasting Commission was established by the Scottish Government in August 2007. Its purpose is to conduct an independent investigation into television production and broadcasting in Scotland, and to define a strategic way forward for the industry...
established by the Scottish Government. Before the Commission was able to report Michie died at her home in Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
after receiving treatment for cancer. She died just two days after her Liberal Democrat colleague in the House of Lords, Richard Holme. She was survived by two daughter, having been predeceased by her husband and a third daughter.
External links
- Baroness Michie of Gallanach profile at the site of Liberal Democrats(page not found)