Lord David Steel

Lord Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood, is a British and Scottish politician and a Liberal Democrat member of the UK House of Lords.  Lord Steel is part of several prestigious orders such as The Order of the Thistle, an order of chivalry associated with Scotland; The Order of the British Empire, an order of chivalry established by George V; and a member of the Privy Council, a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. He was leader of the Liberal Party from 1976 until its 1988 merger with the Social Democratic Party that formed the Liberal Democrats, and was briefly joint interim leader of the new party, then known as the Social and Liberal Democrats. He was also the first Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, holding that post between 1999 and 2003.