Michael Ancram MP: Memories of defeating Gordon Brown in 1979

Michael Ancram, MP for Devizes since 1992, was MP for Berwick and East Lothian between Feburary and October 1974, and then successfully contested Edinburgh South in 1979, where he defeated a future Prime Minister.

Election night May 1979 was memorable for me for a number of reasons. I was elected MP for Edinburgh South having defeated one Gordon Brown in the process, thereby delaying the onset of his political career for another four years.

It was my second election to Parliament, having served for a short seven months between February and October 1974. I had got a taste for it, and I was desperate to get back in again. 

Most importantly it was the night when the country voted for commitment rather than compromise, for clarity rather than fudge, for boldness rather than timidity by electing a Conservative Government led by
Margaret Thatcher.

There was a 'new era' feeling about that night even in Edinburgh.  We all felt that we were at the start of a challenging adventure, one that would change our country for the better and for good - and we were right.

This is the final in a series of contributions we have been posting throughout the day from politcal figures recalling the 1979 election. Earlier we published recollections from Lord Hurd, Eric Pickles, John Bercow, Bernard Jenkin and Lord Alton.

Michael Ancram MP: Why we should be talking to Hamas

Michael Ancram, MP for Devizes and founder of the Global Strategy Forum, argues that as Hamas isn't going to go away we should negotiate with them sooner rather than later.

The whole question of the West engaging with Hamas in the Middle East has come very much to the fore with the release of Alan Johnston in Gaza on Wednesday morning.  It is not before time.  Nor is talking to Hamas something which is unthinkable at the present time.  It was our Foreign Office talking directly to Hamas which helped secure Alan Johnston’s release.

I am a longstanding friend of Israel, but I have also made it clear that it is not possible to argue for a two state solution unless you are a friend of the Palestinians too – and that means engaging with all relevant Palestinian elements. I have therefore argued for some time that there could be no two state solution in the Middle East unless Hamas as well as Fatah was involved.  An autonomous and viable Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel without the involvement of Hamas is a contradiction in terms.  Hamas is a significant – and currently a majority – part of the Palestinian political framework. This is not even taking into account the Palestinian constituency of the refugee camps in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon where they have significant support as well.