Further to my earlier post touching on Gladstone’s high level of energy and effectiveness in his late sixties, seventies and eighties, John Locke’s Body has pointed out that Henry Campbell-Bannerman, who led the Liberal Party to its greatest ever victory, with one of its strongest front bench teams, and most radical reforming period in power, was 63 years old when he became the leader of the Liberal Party, and 69 when he became Prime Minister.
It might also be interesting to note that C-B also represented a Scottish constituency, the majority of which is now covered by Willie Rennie in Dunfermline and West Fife
Isn’t Rennie 39 though? I hope we do not have to wait 30 years to have a Liberal Prime Minister.
The former constituency of Henry Campbell-Bannerman, as well as the current ones of both Willie Rennie and Ming Campbell are in Fife, and Ming will be around 69 years old (well, 67 or 68) at the following General Election, so maybe you don’t have to wait quite that long.