Constituency : Montrose Burghs 1940-50 ( Liberal National ), West Renfrewshire 1950-64 ( National Liberal and Conservative )
John took over at Montrose when Charles Kerr was created Baron Tevoit.
John was the brother of the Paisley MP Joseph Maclay and son of shipping magnate Baron Maclay. He was educated at Winchester and Cambridge where he was a member of the Boat Race winning team in 1927.
John led a British Merchant shipping mission to Washington. He was briefly PPS to the Minister of Production. He was the leader of the National Liberals in the Commons between 1945 and 1951 and became chairman of the party in 1947. He became Minister of Civil Aviation in 1951 but only served until 1952 due to illness. He became Minister of State for the Colonies in 1956 then Secretary of State for Scotland under Macmillan in 1957. He was a victim of the "Night of the Long Knives" in 1962. He was an enthusiast for European union,
John stood down in 1964 and was raised to the peerage as Viscount Muirshiel. He became chairman of the Scottish Civic Trust and held other public appointments.
He died in 1992 aged 86.
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