Constituency : Roxburgh and Selkirk 1950-51
Archibald took Roxburgh and Selkirk at the second attempt in a three-cornered contest.
Archibald was born in South Africa. His father was an eye surgeon from Aberdeen. The family later emigrated to Australia where Archibald was educated at Chatswood Grammar School and the Royal Australian Naval College. He started work as a wool buyer in Australia but then set up a business in Scotland, importing Australian fruit. He tried to enlist in 1939 but was refused due to a thyroid problem. He married the daughter of former Kilmarnock MP Archibald Shaw. Archibald expanded into the paint , cloth and cement businesses. He was persuaded into politics by George Grey who met him at a business meeting. Like Jo Grimond, he would have easily won in 1945 if Labour hadn't stood.
Archibald supported devolution in his maiden speech. He spoke for the Liberals on economic affairs and developed policies on co-ownership in industry.
In 1953 Archibald was a founder member of the Radical Reform Group aimed at stopping the party's drift to the right. Despite entreaties from the local party, Archibald did not stand for Parliament again. By the 1960s he was living in London and became leader of the Liberal group on Hampstead Council in 1962. In 1971. he defected to the Conservatives and served as a councillor for Camden from 1971 to 1976.
He died in 1983 aged 78.
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