Barry Henderson

James Stewart Barry Henderson (29 April 1936 – 14 November 2025) was a British Conservative Party politician who served in the House of Commons on two occasions, February–October 1974 and 1979–87, both for Scottish constituencies.

Henderson was born in Kirkcaldy, Scotland on 29 April 1936.^[1] His parents were James Henderson and his wife Jane (formerly McLaren), and he had an older sister, Anne (1931–2018), who later became the first wife of Martin Attlee, 2nd Earl Attlee.^[1][a] Henderson was educated at Stowe before undertaking his National Service in the Scots Guards between 1954 and 1956.^[1] He then worked as a computer systems advisor and at the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Central Office.

Henderson contested Edinburgh East at the 1966 general election. He was first elected as the Member of Parliament for East Dunbartonshire at the February 1974 general election. Although a constituency of this name had existed before that election, this was in effect a new constituency because of large-scale boundary changes, and the sitting MP Hugh McCartney had moved to Central Dunbartonshire. However, Henderson lost his seat at the October 1974 election, to Margaret Bain of the Scottish National Party, by just 22 votes.

At the 1979 general election, he was returned to Parliament as the MP for East Fife. After boundary changes for the 1983 general election, he was elected for North East Fife, which was largely the same constituency with only limited boundary changes. However, Henderson lost his seat at the 1987 general election to Menzies Campbell of the Liberal Democrats. Campbell would remain as the MP for the constituency until his retirement from the Commons 28 years later in 2015.

Henderson died on 14 November 2025, at the age of 89.^[2][1]

• Times Guide to the House of Commons June 1987
• Who's Who 2007

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Barry Henderson