The Right Honourable Sir Walter Menzies Campbell (born May 22, 1941) is a Scottish barrister and the Liberal Democrat member of Parliament for North East Fife. "Menzies" is correctly pronounced and Campbell is thus usually known as "Ming" for short.

Campbell studied law at University of Glasgow receiving an LLB and an MA and was made President of the Glasgow University Union. Awarded a scholarship to Stanford University. A sprinter at University he competed at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Campbell's contemporaries at University of Glasgow included Donald Dewar and John Smith, who attempted to recruit him for the Labour Party.

He became chairman of the Scottish Liberals in 1975, and was a candidate at various general elections between 1974 and 1983, finally being elected as member for North East Fife in 1987. He was made the Liberal Democrat chief spokesman on foreign affairs and defence in 1992, and when the Liberal Democrats in 1997 decided to operate a proper Shadow Cabinet was made Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. Since October 2003 he has also been deputy leader and when Charles Kennedy was incapacitated with an illness he was approached by the party to act as leader, but declined. On 12 April 2005 took over in the election campaign whilst Kennedy took three days paternity leave.

Campbell was awarded a knighthood in 2003 for 'services to Parliament', having previously been appointed CBE in 1999. He is also a Privy Counsellor.

See also

• Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet

External links

• Liberal Democrats - Rt Hon Sir Menzies Campbell CBE QC MP official site
• Guardian Unlimited Politics Ask Aristotle - Sir Menzies Campbell
• They Work For You - Menzies Campbell MP