John Corrie gave a wonderful insight into his life as a politician at the April meeting of the Stewartry U3A.
He was first encouraged to stand for parliament by Sir Alex Douglas Home and contested the North Lanarkshire constituency in 1964; he served as Conservative Member of Parliament for Bute and North Ayrshire from 1974 to 1983 and for Cunninghame North from 1983 to 1987. He had a dual mandate as a MEP from 1974 to 1979 and was later elected as a Conservative Member of European Parliament for Worcestershire and South Warwickshire from 1994 to1999 and then for West Midlands from 1999 to 2004.
John said that he enjoyed being a MEP much more than sitting on the back benches in Westminster where members are expected to follow the line. During his time in the European Parliament he was involved in putting some 130 bills through that Parliament.
While an MEP his main interest was foreign affairs and development aid. He described the work of the committees on which he had served and the developing countries which he had visited. He is now a member of the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa Governing Council.