Lord Gus Macdonald

Labour life peer (retired)

Gus Macdonald joined the House of Lords as a Labour peer in 1998 after a successful career in journalism and television production. He served in government as the Minister for Business and Industry in the Scottish Office (1998-1999), Minister of Transport (1999-2001), and as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (2001-2003). He retired from the House of Lords in 2017.

Born in 1940 in Larkhall, Scotland, and educated in Glasgow, he worked as an engineer in the shipbuilding industry, as a journalist on The Scotsman, and as producer/presenter on ITV and Channel 4. He returned to Scotland in 1986 as Director of Programmes for Scottish Television, becoming Managing Director in 1990 and Chair of Scottish Media Group plc at the end of 1997, and also of Taylor and Francis.

From 2005 to 2010, he chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG) which gained All-Party status in this period, overseeing its growth to over 100 members. He was a strong advocate in Parliament, in particular for more inclusive broadcasting, giving equal representation to religious and non-religious content and viewpoints.

Given his background, he was passionate about the need for the BBC to broaden its religious output during his time in the Lords. In a parliamentary debate in 2007, he said:

‘During 30 years working in television I was responsible for the production of religious programmes during periods at Granada and Scottish Television. As a non-believer I worked amicably with the religious advisers and produced a pretty wide range of programmes that were usually well received by viewers of all faiths and none. I hope to build on that experience of constructive collaboration and perhaps persuade colleagues who are religious to support my appeal today for television scheduling that is broadened to encompass ethical and philosophical as well as religious matters; scheduling that allows time for the systematic exploration of other belief systems such as humanism…’

He has served as Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University, as a Governor of the British Film Institute as well as a member of Court at the University of Sussex.