The Rt Hon Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke was British High Commissioner to Australia from 2005-2009. She had previously been a Member of Parliament for Monklands East from 1994-1997, and for Airdrie and Shotts from 1997-2005.

Her Ministerial career began in 1997 when she became Economic Secretary to the Treasury. In 1998 she became Deputy Secretary of State for Scotland and Minister for Education, and then Minister for Transport in 1999. She was appointed Minister of State for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe until January 2001, when she became Secretary of State for Scotland until 2003.

Before entering Parliament, she was an Executive Director of the Scottish Daily Record & Sunday Mail Ltd (1988-1992), and Chief Executive of Business Ventures Ltd (1993-1994), following earlier positions in broadcasting and the Scottish TUC.  She holds no other public appointments.

She received a life peerage in 2010.