House of Lords
9 July 2026
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Actual start House of Lords
36:48 - 39:32
Speaker 1
My Lords. It is with a profound sense of sadness shared across the House that I rise today to pay tribute to one of the truly monumental figures of our nation's legal and parliamentary heritage. The news of the passing just a few days before his 100th birthday of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, is deeply felt by us all.
James Mackay was a man of towering intellect, yet he was defined equally by his quiet humility, his deep faith, and an unwavering commitment to public service and great generosity of spirit. Born the son of a railway signalman in Edinburgh, his journey to the highest legal offices of state is a testament to his extraordinary talent, rising to become Dean of the Faculty of Advocates before serving with distinction as Lord Advocate. His deep grounding in Scottish law brought a rigorous analytical clarity to everything he did, a perspective that enriched the entire jurisprudence of the United Kingdom. My Lords, in 1987, Margaret Thatcher broke with centuries of tradition by appointing a Scottish lawyer as Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. For a decade, serving in both Margaret Thatcher and John Major's governments, Lord Mackay occupied the woolsack with a quiet but revolutionary authority.
He was an historic, modernising Lord Chancellor. He shepherded the Children Act 1989 through this House and onto the statute book, a piece of legislation that radically reshaped family law, firmly establishing that a child's welfare is the court's paramount consideration, and that has stood the test of time. My Lords, Lord Mackay, though he never sought conflict, he was also never afraid of controversy if he believed it served the public good, and he introduced pioneering reforms to the legal profession that expanded access to justice for millions.
Yet for all his grand achievements on the national stage, he retained that gentle humanity and his characteristic warmth and friendliness, whether it was a word passed in the corridors of your Lordship's House or pulling up a chair for lunch in the long room. You would welcome his company. My Lords, like many others, I'd listen in admiration and often in awe when he spoke in the chamber or in committee. He'd speak without notes, always making insightful and pertinent comments, perfectly crafted and delightfully concise.
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