Sir James Kenneth McLay KNZM QSO (born 21 February 1945) is a New Zealand diplomat and former politician.

[8] In Parliament, McLay was known as one of the more liberal members of the National Party, and had a particular focus on reforming laws that related to women's rights.

[9] In October and November 1980 McLay was a leading member of 'the Colonels' (alongside Derek Quigley, Jim Bolger and George Gair) who attempted to oust Muldoon as leader.

[9] He defeated fellow cabinet ministers Jim Bolger and Bill Birch for the position, receiving a majority in the first caucus ballot.

[12] His elevation to the deputy leadership was thought to be a reflection of his youth and stance as a social and economic liberal which was seen as key at the time to blunt the growth of the incipient New Zealand Party which was making serious inroads among National's traditional support base.

This desire came mainly from the younger and less conservative wing of the party, which saw Robert Muldoon as representing an era that had already passed.

McLay, in distinct contrast to Muldoon, promoted free market economic policies and a relatively liberal social outlook.

Muldoon's hostility was to prove a major problem for McLay's leadership, and undermined all attempts to promote unity within the party.

[17] Muldoon, apparently realising that there was little chance of him regaining the leadership, threw his support behind Bolger, who remained opposed to McLay.

In early 1986, however, McLay made a fatal mistake: in an attempt to "rejuvenate" the party's upper ranks, he demoted George Gair and Bill Birch, both of whom were highly respected for their long service.

Bolger received a clear majority in the resulting caucus vote, ending McLay's leadership of the National Party.

[1] On 16 October 2014, McLay led New Zealand to victory in the United Nations Security Council election for a temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council winning in the first round of voting with 145 votes out of a possible 193 beating both Spain and Turkey.

[27] In the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to conservation,[28] and in the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was promoted to Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to business and the State.