George Robertson Collection
- Location: University of Stirling Archives and Special Collections
- Reference Number: SPA/GR
- Date: 1965-1998
- Description: This collection contains records relating to George Robertson's career representing the Hamilton constituents of Scotland as a Member of Parliament within the House of Commons. Includes election materials, records pertaining to the Labour Party, constituents, Acts of Parliament and Scottish Nationalism.
- Language: English
- Level: Sub-Collection
- Extent: 67 files
- Administrative History: George Islay MacNeill Robertson was born in 1946 in Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, and was schooled at Dunoon Grammar School. In 1968 he graduated with an MA in Economics from the University of Dundee. Between 1968-1978 he worked for the General, Municipal and Boilermakers' Union (GMB). He was first elected as MP for Hamilton in the May 1978 by-election and held this seat until 1999. During his time in Parliament he was appointed an Opposition Spokesman in 1979, first on Scottish Affairs, then on Defence, and on Foreign Affairs from 1982 to 1993. He became Chief Spokesman on Europe in 1983. He also served as the principal Opposition Spokesman on Scotland in the Shadow Cabinet from 1993-1997. After Labour's victory in the 1997 General Election, he was appointed as Defence Secretary of the United Kingdom, a position he held until October 1999. Between 1999 and 2004 he was appointed Secretary General of NATO. He was also raised to the peerage as Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, of Islay in Argyll and Bute in 1999.
- Contact: University of Stirling Archives
