Dean of the School of Global Studies and Partnerships Randy Kluver sits down with former First Minister of Scotland Henry McLeish to talk about the current landscape of the European Union. McLeish, a former professional soccer player at age 15, began his political career in the early 1970s, working his way through the ranks of both local and regional government before being elected to the United Kingdom Parliament in 1987, where he worked under former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Serving as the Minister for Devolution and Home Affairs at the Scottish Office from 1997 to 1999, McLeish was instrumental in shaping Scotland’s first Parliament in almost 300 years. He became the First Minister of Scotland in 2000, where he implemented the country’s social and economic policies, lead official international government missions, and took responsibility for Scotland’s emerging role on the European and world stage. In the same year, McLeish became a member of the Privy Council – an honor awarded by the Queen. McLeish retired from elected public office in 2003.
