Michael Ancram

The Most Honourable The Marquess of Lothian PC KC DL
Official portrait, 2019
Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party
In office 18 September 2001 – 6 December 2005
Leader	Iain Duncan Smith Michael Howard
Preceded by	Peter Lilley[a]
Succeeded by	Office not in use[b]
Chairman of the Conservative Party
In office 2 December 1998 – 18 September 2001
Leader	William Hague
Preceded by	Cecil Parkinson
Succeeded by	David Davis
Shadow Cabinet posts Shadow Secretary of State for Defence In office 10 May 2005 – 6 December 2005 Leader Michael Howard Preceded by Nicholas Soames Succeeded by Liam Fox Shadow Foreign Secretary In office 18 September 2001 – 10 May 2005 Leader Iain Duncan Smith Michael Howard Preceded by Francis Maude Succeeded by Liam Fox Shadow Constitutional Affairs Spokesperson In office 19 June 1997 – 1 June 1998 Leader William Hague Preceded by William Hague Michael Howard Succeeded by Liam Fox
Ministerial offices Minister of State for Northern Ireland In office 11 January 1994 – 2 May 1997 Prime Minister John Major Preceded by Robert Atkins Succeeded by Adam Ingram Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland In office 27 May 1993 – 11 January 1994 Prime Minister John Major Preceded by Jeremy Hanley Succeeded by Tim Smith Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland In office 13 June 1983 – 14 June 1987 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Alex Fletcher Succeeded by James Douglas-Hamilton
Parliamentary offices Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal Life peerage 22 November 2010 – 1 October 2024 Member of Parliament for Devizes In office 9 April 1992 – 12 April 2010 Preceded by Charles Morrison Succeeded by Claire Perry Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South In office 3 May 1979 – 18 May 1987 Preceded by Michael Hutchison Succeeded by Nigel Griffiths Member of Parliament for Berwick and East Lothian In office 28 February 1974 – 20 September 1974 Preceded by John Mackintosh Succeeded by John Mackintosh
Personal details
Born	Michael Andrew Foster Jude Kerr (1945-07-07)7 July 1945 London, England
Died	1 October 2024(2024-10-01) (aged 79)
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Lady Jane Fitzalan-Howard ​ ​ (m. 1975)​
Children	3
Parent(s)	The 12th Marquess of Lothian Antonella Newland
Relatives	Nick Hurd (son-in-law)
Alma mater	Christ Church, Oxford University of Edinburgh

Michael Andrew Foster Jude Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian, Baron Kerr of Monteviot, PC, KC, DL (7 July 1945 – 1 October 2024), commonly known as Michael Ancram, was a British politician and peer who served as Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party from 2001 to 2005. He was formerly styled Earl of Ancram until he inherited the marquessate in 2004.

Born in London and educated at Ampleforth College, Ancram studied History at Christ Church, Oxford and read Law at the University of Edinburgh. After graduating from Edinburgh, he was called to the Scottish Bar and practised as an advocate before entering politics. He unsuccessfully contested West Lothian in 1970, but was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Berwick and East Lothian at the February 1974 general election and served until he lost the seat in the election held in October of that year. He re-entered parliament in 1979, representing Edinburgh South until his defeat in 1987. During this time, he served as a minister at the Scotland Office in Margaret Thatcher's government.

After being elected to represent Devizes at the 1992 general election, Ancram served at the Northern Ireland Office in John Major's government. When Major was defeated at the 1997 general election, the Conservatives entered opposition and Ancram became Chairman of the Conservative Party under William Hague in 1998, having previously covered constitutional affairs in the Shadow Cabinet. This was followed by a period as Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party under Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Howard, during which time he served in the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Foreign Secretary and Shadow Defence Secretary respectively.

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