Malcolm Rifkind Biography

Sir Malcolm was born in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh in 1946. He received his education at George Watson's College and Edinburgh University, where he majored in law before pursuing a master's degree in political science. He took part in an overland journey to the Middle East and India while in university. He also had an appearance on the game show University Challenge. He stayed in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) from 1967 to 1969 and taught at the local university. He traveled extensively throughout southern Africa for his doctoral thesis on Rhodesian Land Politics. He met his wife, Edith, in Africa, where her parents had gone when she was a little kid. He was called to the Bar upon his return to the United Kingdom and practiced as an Advocate until 1979. In 1985, he was made a Queen's Counsel. He appeared in both civil and criminal matters throughout his career at the Bar. He ran for Parliament for the first time in 1970 and served on the Edinburgh City Council from 1970 to 1974. He was elected to the Pentlands seat in 1974 and served there until 1997. Sir Malcolm was appointed to the Front Bench in 1975 but resigned in 1977 because of disagreements about devolution. He was appointed a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in 1979, when Margaret Thatcher's Conservatives were restored to power, first in the Scottish Office and then, during the Falklands War, in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, before being elevated to Minister of State in 1983. In 1986, he was appointed Secretary of State for Scotland to the Cabinet. He was appointed Secretary of State for Transport in 1990 and Secretary of State for Defense in 1992. He served as Foreign Secretary from 1995 until 1997. He was one of just four ministers who served during Margaret Thatcher's and John Major's whole Prime Ministerships. In 1997, he was knighted for his contributions to the public good. He's also been involved with a variety of non-profit organizations. He is a Dulverton Trust member, a Vice President of Combat Stress, and a Raleigh International Patron. He is an honorary colonel and has served on the Court of Edinburgh University. He is a member of the Royal Company of Archers, the Queen's Bodyguard. In May 2005, Sir Malcolm was re-elected to the House of Commons as a Member of Parliament for Kensington and Chelsea. In May 2010, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Kensington. He was the Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Welfare Reform until December 2005, when he returned to the backbenches. Chairman of the Standards and Privileges Committee from 2009 to 2010; UK representative on the Eminent Persons Group from 2010 to 2011; Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee from 2010 to 2011. Malcolm and Edith Rifkind have a son, Hugo, and a daughter, Caroline, who both live and work in London.

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