Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP
Former Chancellor of the Exchequer
Biography
The Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP has been a Member of Parliament since 1987 and represents the Edinburgh South West Constituency. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2007 to 2010 during the worst global financial crisis since the 1930’s Great Depression. Alistair is one of only three who served continuously in the Labour Government’s Cabinet from 1997 to 2010. He was initially appointed as Chief Secretary to the Treasury in 1997. Seen as a ‘safe pair of hands’, he become Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in 1998 and after four years in this Department he became Secretary of State for Transport and later Secretary of State for Scotland. His penultimate cabinet post was Secretary of State for Trade and Industry from 2006.
Alistair Darling studied law at Aberdeen University and was a solicitor and then an Advocate at the Scottish Bar. He lives in Edinburgh with his family.
Following the General Election in May 2010, where he increased his majority, Alistair announced his intention to step back from front line politics after 24 years on the front bench and to return to the backbenches from where he would continue to serve his constituents in Edinburgh.
