John Macgregor, Baron Macgregor Of Pulham Market

A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Norfolk from 1974 to 2001. He served in the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1985–87), Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1987–89), Secretary of State for Education and Science (1989–90), Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council (1990–92), and Secretary of State for Transport (1992–94). He was made a life peer in 2001.

The Right Honourable The Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market OBE PC FKC
Parliamentary portrait, 2018
Ministerial Offices 1979–1994 Secretary of State for Transport In office 11 April 1992 – 20 July 1994 Prime Minister John Major Preceded by Malcolm Rifkind Succeeded by Brian Mawhinney Leader of the House of Commons Lord President of the Council In office 2 November 1990 – 11 April 1992 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher John Major Preceded by Geoffrey Howe Succeeded by Tony Newton Secretary of State for Education and Science In office 24 July 1989 – 2 November 1990 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Kenneth Baker Succeeded by Kenneth Clarke Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food In office 13 June 1987 – 24 July 1989 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Michael Jopling Succeeded by John Gummer Chief Secretary to the Treasury In office 2 September 1985 – 13 June 1987 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Peter Rees Succeeded by John Major Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury In office 4 May 1979 – 5 January 1981
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Member of Parliament for South Norfolk
In office 28 February 1974 – 14 May 2001
Preceded by	John Hill
Succeeded by	Richard Bacon
Personal details
Born	(1937-02-14) 14 February 1937 (age 87) London, United Kingdom
Political party	Conservative
Alma mater	University of St Andrews King's College London

MacGregor was educated at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, then at the University of St Andrews (MA economics and history, 1959) and at King's College London (LLB, 1962). Prior to the 1979 general election he worked for Hill Samuel, a merchant bank.

He became an MP at the February 1974 General Election, and served as a Tory whip from 1977 to 1981, when he became a junior minister at the Department of Trade and Industry, moving to MAFF in 1983.

In government

MacGregor entered the Cabinet on 2 September 1985 as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and was made Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1987 – during the BSE crisis. He was promoted to Secretary of State for Education and Science in July 1989. In the small reshuffle following the resignation of Sir Geoffrey Howe, he was made Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council just days before Thatcher's own resignation. He continued in this position from 1990 to 1992, although William Keegan writes that he was a contender for the position of Chancellor when John Major came to power.

MacGregor was appointed Secretary of State for Transport in 1992, remaining in the post until July 1994 when was dismissed from the cabinet. His time as Transport Secretary saw him given responsibility for the privatisation of British Rail and the decision to privatise the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). He was made a life peer as Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market, of Pulham Market in the County of Norfolk on 5 July 2001. He sat in the House of Lords until his retirement on 26 July 2019.

MacGregor was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1971 New Year Honours for political services.

MacGregor is an accomplished magician and member of the Magic Circle. His passion for magic started when he was given a conjuring set at the age of 11. He gave regular performances on British television, including guest spots on The Best of Magic and an annual children's charity programme on Anglia Television.