Murdoch McKenzie Wood


Major Sir Murdoch McKenzie Wood OBE, DL was a Scottish Liberal politician.

Background

He was the second son of James Wood of Cullen, Banffshire, and
Christina McKenzie. He was educated at Fordyce Academy and Edinburgh University. He served with the Gordon Highlanders during World War I, being appointed a Second Lieutenant in the 6th Battalion in 1914. By then ranked as a Captain, he was awarded the OBE in the 1919 New Year Honours in recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the War. In 1924 he married Muriel Davis. He was knighted in 1932 and was a Deputy Lieutenant for Banffshire from 1948.

Professional career

He received a call to the bar by Gray's Inn in 1910. He was on the editorial staff of the Daily Mail. In World War I he served with the Gordon Highlanders and was severely wounded. He later served with the administrative staff of the Royal Air Force.

Political career

He was the unsuccessful Liberal Party parliamentary candidate for the Unionist seat of Ayr Burghs in 1918 where the intervention of a Labour Party candidate prevented what would otherwise have been a rare gain for the Liberals;
He entered Parliament as Liberal MP for Aberdeenshire Central at a by-election in April 1919. This was a notable gain for the opposition Liberals against a Unionist candidate supported by the Coalition Government;
He was comfortably re-elected at the following general election;
Following re-union between Asquith and Lloyd George, he was comfortably re-elected at the next election;
He served as the Scottish Liberal Whip from 1923 to 1924. At the following general election, a Labour candidate intervened and split the anti-Unionist vote, which cost him his seat;
He switched to contest Banffshire for the 1929 United Kingdom general election. He comfortably re-gained a seat the Liberals had lost in 1924;
In 1931, following the formation of the National Government, he was returned unopposed at the general election as a supporter of the new administration. He was an unpaid Assistant Government Whip from 1931 to 1932. When the Liberal party left the National Government he continued in the role of Scottish Liberal Whip from 1932 to 1934. In 1935 he was defeated at Banffshire;
He did not stand for parliament again.