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Henry Baird McLeish (born 15 June 1948) is a Scottish politician, author, academic and former professional footballer who served as First Minister of Scotland from 2000 to 2001. With a term of 1 year, 12 days, he is the shortest serving holder of that office. He served as the Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland from 2000 to 2001. Born and raised into a Labour supporting coal mining family in Fife, McLeish dropped out of Buckhaven High School at the age of fifteen to pursue a professional career in football. Playing wing half, he was first signed for Leeds United F.C., but after experiencing homesickness, McLeish returned to his native of Fife to play for East Fife F.C.. Making more than 108 appearances, he was one of the youngest ever players to play in Scottish professional football. McLeish's career was cut short after an injury and he returned to education, studying at Heriot-Watt University. McLeish joined the Labour Party in 1970 and was later elected to the Fife Regional Council, where he served as the council's leader from 1982 to 1987. After several unsuccessful attempts to be elected to the British House of Commons, McLeish was successful in the 1987 general election, when he was elected as member of parliament for Central Fife. He served successively in Labour's opposition benches for ten years, before being appointed minister of state for Scotland under Prime Minister Tony Blair following the party's landslide victory in the 1997 election. McLeish served as Donald Dewar's 'right-hand man' in the Scottish Office and was instrumental in assisting Dewar with the creation of the Scotland Act which established the Scottish Parliament. In the first election to the parliament in 1999, he was elected as a member of the Scottish Parliament for the Central Fife constituency. Following the appointment as Dewar as the inaugural first minister of Scotland, he served in the first Scottish Executive as the minister for enterprise and lifelong learning from 1999 to 2000. Dewar died in office of a brain haemorrhage on 11 October 2000, which triggered a leadership contest within the Labour Party to find a successor, with McLeish declaring his candidacy. He led a successful and short campaign after defeating finance minister Jack McConnell. McLeish was sworn into office as first minister of Scotland on 26 October 2000. He oversaw the implementation of the McCrone Agreement for teachers in Scotland and strongly advocated free personal care for the elderly scheme. His tenure as first minister was short, as he resigned the following year following a financial scandal referred to as "Officegate"; the first major scandal the Scottish Parliament had faced since its reincarnation two years earlier. He was succeeded by McConnell, who he had beaten in the previous leadership election. McLeish sat as a backbencher, before stepping down as an MSP at the 2003 election. Since leaving office, McLeish has remained politically active and has written several books. In 2007, he was appointed to the Scottish Broadcasting Commission and the following year he chaired the Scottish Prisons Commission. In the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, he campaigned in favour of remaining in the UK. However, following the Brexit referendum, McLeish stated he would back another Scottish independence referendum if Scotland was taken out of the EU against its wishes. Early life and education Henry Baird McLeish was born at 50 Morar Street in Methil, Fife, on 15 June 1948, to Harry McLeish (1923-2009) and Mary Slaven Baird (1925-1985). Born into a "strong Christian socialist influence" household in central Fife, where his father and grandfather worked as coal miners for a private company, McLeish's grandmother was a member of the Labour and Co-operative Party for seventy years. He was named after his maternal grandfather. McLeish grew up on Morar Street, before moving to Institution Row, a miner community, when he was two or three. The family moved to a new housing estate for mineworkers in the old village of Kennoway, where his younger brother Ronald was born. McLeish was educated at the Buckhaven High School, where he became involved with the school's football team. He met his childhood sweetheart while attending the school, Margaret Drysdale, and they married in 1968. While a pupil at the school, he was "too concerned with football", having been told by his headmaster he had no future in education. McLeish returned to education following his injury, studying at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh from 1968 to 1973. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Town Planning. After graduating, McLeish worked as a research officer at Edinburgh Corporation's department of social work from 1973 to 1974, then as a planning officer for Fife County Council from 1974 to 1975 and Dunfermline District Council from 1975 to 1987. He also worked as a part-time lecturer and tutor at Heriot-Watt University from 1973 to 1986. Professional football career In 1963, McLeish left school at the age of 15 to become a professional football player. His rector wrote on his school report card: "I am glad the boy is a good footballer as he has no future in education." He was first signed with Leeds United, however, after experiencing homesickness, he returned to Scotland to play for East Fife, where he made 108 appearances. He played wing-half and was one of the youngest ever players to play in Scottish professional football. His first game for East Fife was at Hampden Park against the Glasgow team, Queen's Park. At the age of 18, McLeish trialled for a Scotland youth national team, playing against a group of footballers from Motherwell, but they lost 5–2. The Daily Record reported on the match and stated McLeish was the only young Scot to impress. He was later selected for the Scotland team to play in the World Youth Cup, hosted by Yugoslavia. McLeish also played for junior football clubs; St Andrews United and Glenrothes Juniors. His footballing career was cut short by a leg injury, and he returned to education. Early political career Entry into local government; 1970–1987 McLeish joined the Scottish Labour Party in 1970 and he became chairman of the Young Socialists. He first contested in an election for the Glenwood ward in Glenrothes but he was beaten by the sitting Scottish Conservative councillor. He began his political career on the Kirkcaldy District Council from 1974 to 1977, serving as the council's planning committee chairman. He later served on the Fife Regional Council 1978 to 1987 and served as the as leader of Fife Regional Council from 1982. As the council leader, he implemented a "municipal socialist" manifesto, proposing free bus passes and TV licences for pensioners. At the 1979 UK general election, he ran for the East Fife constituency for the British House of Commons. McLeish was unsuccessful, having been placed third, behind the Conservatives' Barry Henderson and the Liberals' Menzies Campbell. In 1981, he be.... Discover the Murray Scougall Tom Robertson popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Murray Scougall Tom Robertson books.