He was a Tory candidate for the Western Isles in the February 1974 election having, in the climate of the era, accepted he could realise his original Liberal Parliamentary ambitions only by joining the Conservatives.
Against the advice of officials he supported a Private Member's Bill on solvent abuse, a scourge of the time, which became law in 1983.
Following his defeat, he was given a life peerage as Baron Mackay of Ardbrecknish, of Tayvallich in the District of Argyll and Bute.
During this time he was held in high regard by both the civil servants who worked with him and by the ex-Service community with whom he had regular contact in his role as War Pensions Minister.
In addition, he was sworn of the Privy Council in the 1996 Birthday Honours[4] and was appointed to be a deputy lieutenant of the city of Glasgow on 7 January 1997.