5 August 1964: Peter Preston interviews Lord Strathclyde, chairman of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board
Lord Strathclyde, at 73, is an old warrior – of naval encounters, of tough forays in Glasgow City Council, of parliamentary in-fighting. He has learnt not only to keep his powder dry but to keep it out of sight. He does not belong to the “slick” school of nationalised industry chairmen who become, in themselves, the image and salesmen of their industries. How, then, does he see his role as chairman of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board? “Well, a chairman hasn’t got a role. He’s the chairman of a board; the board has the role. The board’s job is to provide consumers in the North of Scotland with electricity at the cheapest possible price.”
This is the straight-and-narrow, non-controversial Highland track; with a general election, and clouds of controversy, gathering around the board, it is the only one to follow. But Lord Strathclyde does not mute his assessment of the board’s achievements in its 21 years, nor hide his belief in its future potential.