Constituency : Gordon 1983-2015
Malcolm won the new seat of Gordon from the Tories by 850 votes. He had previously come a good second in the predecessor seat of West Aberdeenshire.
Malcolm was born in Birkenhead. He was educated at Wrekin College and the University of St Andrews. He started out as a trainee journalist with the Liverpool Post before moving on to Boot's where he worked in purchasing. In 1971 he became research and information officer for the North East Scotland Development Agency. He contested Angus and Mearns in October 1974 coming fourth. He became vice-chairman of the Scottish Liberal Party in 1975 and became a director of a publishing company. In 1981 he became editor of the Aberdeen Petroleum Press.
Malcolm was a spokesman for Energy and Scottish affairs under David Steel. He became Rector of Dundee University in 1986. He was touted as a possible contender for the leadership in 1988 but settled for being leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. It nearly cost him his seat in 1992 when the Tories came very close to regaining it, a result that was put down to over-exposure. He became a barrister in 1995.
Malcolm held the environment, energy and trade and industry briefs before settling in the Treasury job where he helped develop the "penny on income tax for education" policy. He is an uncompromising economic liberal who opposed co-operation with Labour. He stood against Charles Kennedy for the leadership in 1999 and came third. He was chairman of the Liberal Democrats for two years after that. In 2001 he was shifted to Environment spokesman then Trade and Industry in 2003. In 2005 he retired from the front bench and became chairman of the International Development Committee for the next ten years. He was knighted in 2012. He was briefly Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in 2014-15.
Malcolm stood down in 2015 and was elevated to the peerage as Baron Bruce. He is active in deaf charities.
He is now 74.
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