New honour for Lord Steel

Tuesday, 30 November 2004 12:00 AM

Lord Sir David Steel, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, has received the highest Scottish honour - the Order of the Thistle.

This is one of the few honours that remain totally within the gift of the sovereign, with the Prime Minister having no influence whatsoever upon the appointees.

Lord Steel was first elected as an MP in 1965 and spent 32 years in the House of Commons - 12 of them as leader of the Liberal Party. In addition, he took on the role of the Presiding Officer in the first four years of the Scottish Parliament.

He is perhaps most famous for his sponsorship of the 1967 Abortion Bill, which legalised abortion in the UK and set a time limit of 28 weeks for any termination. This was later reduced to 24 weeks in 1990.

Lord Steel was made a privy councillor in 1977 and made a peer in 1997 by the out-going John Major.

Speaking today, Lord Steel said he was "astounded and honoured" by his appointment as a Knight of the Thistle.

March will mark his 40th anniversary in Parliament.

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