Gilmour Leburn

(William) Gilmour Leburn (30 July, 1913 – 15 August, 1963) was a British company director and politician. He served in the government of Harold Macmillan as a Minister in the Scottish Office; his sudden death opened the way for Macmillan's successor, Sir Alec Douglas-Home to return to the House of Commons.

Early life

Leburn went to Gateside Village School and then Strathallan School, an independent school in Perthshire. Instead of university, he became a woodworking apprentice for Gateside Mills Co. Ltd., with which his family had connections.

Wartime service

At the outbreak of the Second World War Leburn became Brigade Signal Officer with the 154 Infantry Brigade of the 51st Highland Division, which served in France. In 1941 he was made Staff Officer for the Brigade, and fought at El Alamein where he was severely wounded: he took two years in hospital to recover. When well, he joined the Staff College, Camberley where he was promoted to the rank of Major. During the war, Leburn was twice mentioned in despatches.

Political activity

When demobilised, Leburn returned the the Gateside Mills Company, where he moved into management. He became active politically as a Unionist, and in 1948 was elected to Fife County Council. He enjoyed life on the Council and was Vice Convener in 1951-52. Leburn was chosen to follow William McNair Snadden as Unionist candidate for Kinross and West Perthshire when Snadden stood down at the 1955 general election, and easily won what was a safe seat.

Parliament

His maiden speech called for the use of smaller driver-operated buses in rural areas. Leburn was loyal to the government of Anthony Eden over the Suez crisis, signing a motion which commended the Foreign Secretary's policy while condemning the United States government's attitude. He became popular with Conservative MPs, and was Parliamentary Private Secretary to John Maclay (the Secretary of State for Scotland) from 1957.

Ministerial office

After the 1959 general election Leburn was brought into the government as Under-Secretary of State at the Scottish Office. He had specific responsibility for agriculture, forestry and fishing, which led him to intervene to try to solve a dispute between Scots fishermen over the Isle of Lewis in 1961. The next year, he made it clear he was aware of the loophole whereby British fishing vessels could register in Ireland. From September 1962, Leburn switched responsibilities to look after planning, housing and industry. He encouraged the building of strategic bridges.

uccession

Leburn died suddenly, while on holiday, in August 1963. His seat was at the time the safest Conservative seat in Scotland. The local association had selected as his successor George Younger, but the accession to the Premiership of the Earl of Home left the new Prime Minister in need of a seat in the House of Commons. Home disclaimed his peerage under the Peerage Act 1963 and Younger generously agreed to give up his claim on the seat.

References

*Obituary, "The Times", 16 August, 1963.
*M. Stenton and S. Lees, "Who's Who of British MPs" (Harvester Press, 1981)