Lord Jack McConnell

(Former First Minister of Scotland)

Biography

Lord Jack McConnell is a life peer in the House of Lords and former First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007.

Academic Career

After graduating from high school, Lord McConnell studied at the University of Stirling, graduating in 1983 with a BSc Dip Ed. He was also the President of the Students’ Association during his time at university. He then went on to work as a mathematics teacher.

Career

Lord McConnell first became involved in politics when he was elected as a member of Stirling District Council. In 1992, he became the General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party. He was also a member of the Scottish Constitutional Convention in 1998 which would lead to the establishment of the Scottish Parliament. In 1999 Lord McConnell was appointed as Finance Minister in the first Scottish Executive. In 2000, he was appointed as Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs. He was appointed as First Minister in November 2001, holding this post until his resignation in August 2007. He continued as an MSP for his constituency until 2011. In May 2010 it was announced that Lord McConnell would be make a life peer of the House of Lords as a representative of the Labour Party

Keynote Address

The Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy 2014 (Berlin; November 8th, 2014)