The next speaker in the winter programme of Carnegie Lectures is the Right Honourable Henry McLeish presenting his thoughts on ‘Carnegie and America’.

Henry McLeish began his political career in Fife working his way through the ranks of elected office in Fife Regional Council. He was elected to the UK Parliament in 1987 and was a member of the Labour government in 1997, serving as Minister for Devolution and Home Affairs, and was instrumental in shaping Scotland’s first Parliament in almost 300 years.

Henry became First Minister of Scotland in 2000 taking responsibility for Scotland’s emerging role on the European and world stage.

Since retiring from public office Henry has undertaken various visiting professorships in the United States teaching European Studies, including at the University of Arkansas and the University of Oklahoma. He has also lectured at the United Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs and the School of International Studies at Denver University.

Most recently he was Visiting Professor of European Studies at St Mary’s University Law School in San Antonio Texas, and has now taken up a lecturing post for the next three years at the University of South Florida. A frequent visitor to the USA, having visited 42 of the 50 US states in the last 35 years, Henry will draw on this wide experience to deliver his lecture on ‘Carnegie and America’.