cow ▁pra ised ▁Mac G reg or ' s ▁loyal ty , ▁but ▁also ▁l ament ed ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁his ▁talent ▁and ▁cre ativity , ▁adding ▁" the ▁modern ising ▁ag enda ▁has ▁been ▁at ▁best , ▁s idel ined ▁and ▁at ▁worst , ▁lost ". ▁ ▁Personal ▁political ▁alleg ian ces ▁▁ ▁Mac G reg or ▁was ▁an ▁active ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Th atch er ite ▁' Con serv ative ▁Way ▁For ward ' ▁group ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁though ▁he ▁is ▁no ▁longer ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁organisation . ▁Rob bie ▁Gib b ▁one - time ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ▁for ▁Francis ▁Mau de ▁and ▁brother ▁of ▁Nick ▁Gib b , ▁MP ▁was ▁best ▁man ▁at ▁Mac G reg or ▁' s ▁first ▁wed ding . ▁The ▁two ▁were ▁near ▁neighb ours ▁in ▁P im lic o ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁and ▁have ▁been ▁friends ▁since ▁Mac G reg or ▁was ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Stud ents ▁and ▁Gib b ▁a ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Stud ents ▁in ▁the ▁mid - E ight ies . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁General ▁E lections , ▁Mac G reg or ▁worked ▁for ▁Michael ▁F ors yth ▁who ▁was ▁elected ▁in ▁the ▁marg inal ▁seat ▁of ▁St ir ling ▁in ▁Scotland . ▁He ▁was ▁Francis ▁Mau de ' s ▁campaign ▁manager ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁General ▁E lection . ▁Mau de ▁would ▁lose