Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Gordon Wilson (1938-2017)
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Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
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Description area
Dates of existence
History
Robert Gordon Wilson was born 1938. He came to national prominence in the 1960s when he served as Secretary of the Scottish National Party and was a leading figure in Radio Free Scotland. In 1973, as the Scottish National Party candidate in the Dundee East by-election, Wilson polled over 13,000 votes and was only narrowly defeated in a seat which had been considered to be fairly safe territory for the Labour Party. The following year Wilson won the seat at the February General Election, holding it with an increased majority in the second election of 1974. He would hold Dundee East until 1987, when he was defeated by Labour's John McAllion. Between 1979 and 1987 Wilson was one of only two SNP MPs. From 1979 until 1990 he was Chairman of the SNP, being succeeded in the leadership of the party by Alex Salmond. Gordon Wilson was elected as Rector of the University of Dundee in 1983 and served in that role until 1986, and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws by the University in July 1986. Gordon Wilson died in June 2017.