Lord Steel of Aikwood gives Charles Kennedy lecture
Former Lib Dem leader and Borders MP David Steel – now Lord Steel of Aikwood – will be in Fort William on Wednesday November 20 to deliver the fifth annual Charles Kennedy Lecture, writes Mark Entwistle.
The lecture is the flagship event of Lochaber Ideas Week and a highlight of the community events calendar.
Lord Steel, who was the first Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament after its reconstitution in 1999, has enjoyed an incredibly distinguished career in politics and public life.
He is a man of strong social and political convictions who is known as a superb orator.
Since the Charles Kennedy Lecture was set up in memory of the former Liberal Democrat leader and long-serving Lochaber MP, key figures from public life have been attracted to deliver the prestigious lecture.
Past speakers have included Alastair Campbell, Baron Jim Wallace, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Lord John Thurso.
Discussing the continuing success and growing reputation of the Charles Kennedy Lecture, Lochaber Chamber of Commerce CEO Frazer Coupland said Mr Kennedy was renowned as a quickwitted and compassionate man who revelled in ideas and debate, adding: ‘We set up the Charles Kennedy Lecture to honour his memory as one of Lochaber’s favourite sons and to celebrate the power of ideas.
‘We’ve been very lucky to attract leading politicians and well-known public figures to Lochaber to deliver thought-provoking and personal lectures on a wide range of topics. We’re delighted to welcome Lord Steel to give this year’s lecture.’
In 2018, Alastair Campbell, former head of communications for the Labour government and a long-time friend of Charles Kennedy, delivered a highly personal lecture focusing on the importance of friendship in times of trouble to a capacity crowd of almost 300 people.
The year before, Lord John Thurso’s inspiring and insightful lecture focused on the vital part that tolerance plays in public and political life during uncertain times.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Lord Wallace both gave rousing lectures, with Ms Sturgeon delighting the audience with reminiscences of the time when she and Mr Kennedy spent time together as young politicians on a study trip to Australia in the 1990s.
One day the pair ‘skived off’ official activities to watch Trainspotting in a Melbourne cinema, drawing strange looks from others in the audience as they laughed uproariously at the Scottish jokes no one else could understand.
Mr Coupland added: ‘There are no rules or criteria for the subject of the Charles Kennedy Lecture. It’s really a chance for the speaker to explore a subject close to their heart, whether personal or political.
‘The lecture is a celebration of ideas and we very much look forward to hearing where Lord Steel’s speech will take us this year.’