Andrew Arbuckle (politician)
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Andrew Arbuckle | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Scotland and Fife | |
| In office 2005–2007 | |
| Preceded by | Keith Raffan |
| Succeeded by | Richard Simpson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 April 1944 |
| Died | 25 December 2025 (aged 81) |
| Party | Scottish Liberal Democrats |
Andrew David Arbuckle MBE (12 April 1944 – 25 December 2025) was a Scottish journalist and Liberal Democrat politician, who served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Mid Scotland and Fife region. Arbuckle was first elected as a Fife councillor in 1986 and represented Newburgh until 2012.[1][2][3]
Arbuckle replaced Keith Raffan at the Scottish Parliament after Raffan resigned in 2005.[4] Arbuckle failed to win re-election at the 2007 Scottish Parliament election.
Arbuckle was from a farming background; he was brought up at Logie Farm, Fife, and was a past director of the cooperative Fife Growers (1974–77).[2] He was the farming editor for The Courier from 1985 to 2005 and also fulfilled the same role at The Scotsman from 2007.[5][6][2] In 2012 he received the Netherthorpe award, the UK's top award in agricultural journalism, from the Guild of Agricultural Journalists.[7][8] He had covered crisis situations such as the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak and the cattle disease BSE, as well as writing commentary pieces.
Arbuckle also authored seven books including a volume to mark NFU Scotland's centenary.[9] He served on the NFU Scotland Legal committee at national level for seven years and was awarded the NFU Scotland Ambassador Award in 2023.[10]
Arbuckle was a former trustee of the RSABI agricultural welfare charity and an honorary vice-president.[7] Andrew and his brother, John Arbuckle, published three light-hearted farming-related books which raised over £100,000 for the RSABI.[2] He was honoured with an MBE for his RSABI work in the 2024 New Year's Honours and for services to farming and his community.[3][10][11]
Arbuckle Lane in Newburgh is named after him.[6] Arbuckle was a past-chairman of Newburgh Community Trust (NCT); the NCT raised over £250,000 to convert a former factory site into Riverside Park and Arbuckle also led the NCT to buy a former reservoir as a community-owned park between 2000 and 2010.[10]
Arbuckle died on 25 December 2025, at the age of 81.[12]
