Lord Russell-Johnston, the former Scottish Liberal Party leader and President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, was - simultaneously, and at a time when neither view was fashionable – a Highlander with a passion for Scottish Home Rule and an internationalist who worked to promote peace and stability in Eastern Europe.

A man of considerable force of character and charm, he was considered by many of his peers to be one of the most articulate exponents of British liberalism and liberal democracy of his day. His 1960s pamphlet To Be a Liberal was influential among Scottish Liberalism, and it was credited with having attracted many to the cause, including the former party leader Lord Wallace.

Russell-Johnston was one of the first Scottish politicians to push for Home Rule - he introduced a Private Member’s Bill to establish a Scottish parliament in 1966. He was also a supporter of the Callaghan Government’s unsuccessful Scotland Bill.

Russell-Johnston was an MP for 33 years, first for the Liberal Party and then as a member for the Liberal Democrats. He held the seat for Inverness from 1964 until 1983 and then the expanded seat of Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber from 1983 until 1997.

After starting as a Scottish Liberal Party research assistant, he rose to the top of the party, becoming its chairman, 1970-74, and party leader, 1974-88. The party then merged with most of the SDP to become the Social and Liberal Democrats, and he became not only deputy leader of the UK Liberal Democrats, 1988-92, but also deputy-leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, 1988-89.

As the Liberal Party leader for 14 years, he strongly supported first the SDP alliance, then the merger, negotiating the merger between the the two Scottish wings of the party.

He was an advocate of fairness, compassion and tolerance within society. It was, perhaps, this sense of fairness and ability to see both sides of an argument which led to a perception that he was not as decisive as other contenders for leadership of the Liberal Democrats, and that prevented him from reaching the top position within the party. On becoming a life peer in 1997 he changed his name by deed poll from Russell Johnston to Lord Russell-Johnston.

He was the first British Liberal member of the nominated European Parliament, and, wearing his kilt and sporran, made his maiden speech in French when he took his seat there in 1973.

After standing for direct election to the European Parliament twice without success, he became a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, 1984-86, and then from 1987 onwards. He served as the assembly’s President for three years from 1999.

He took on the role of President at a time when peace was being established in Kosovo and played an instrumental role in maintaining peace within the Balkans and fostering broader cooperation within Europe.

He wanted to ensure that European countries shared his belief in the importance of guaranteeing that the stability of the area remained stable – he was deeply disturbed by the ethnic conflicts that had unfolded in Bosnia and Kosovo, realising that much of what he stood for was threatened by such crises.

In 2001 he spoke out about his concerns over the disproportionate and unselective use of force by the USled military operation against the Taleban in Afghanistan. He was also vocal on issues in countries including Chechnya, Azerbaijan and Armenia. He continued to champion human rights causes in Europe until his death.

Born in 1932, David Russell Johnston was educated at Portree High School, Isle of Skye, then Carbost Public School and the University of Edinburgh. During his national service he was commissioned in the Intelligence Corps, and later became a teacher, studying at the Moray House College of Education. He taught at Liberton Secondary School, Edinburgh, 1961-63, and became a research assistant with the Scottish Liberal Party in the following year. He held various positions in the Liberal Party nationally, including vice-chair-man, 1965-70, and was a always a vigorous campaigner in Scotland during elections.

He was for a time the party’s spokesman on defence and was sometimes at loggerheads with radical young Liberals over some aspects of the party’s defence policy. As a skilled debater, he could usually outgun his party critics.

In his own way, Johnston was more radical than many of his parliamentary colleagues. At a time when the Young Liberals were criticised for their actions in opposing the South African cricket tour and making threats against juggernaut lorries, Johnston attracted publicity for a statement he made when campaigning for the party’s policy on a change to the PR system of elections.

“I, as a law-abiding person, believe that we should think seriously about civil disobedience about a case which is so demonstrably right,” he said. “Block the streets about it if you like . . . I am prepared to do that.”

He was for several years a member of the House of Commons Select Committee on EEC legislation, and also served on the Royal Commission of Local Government in Scotland from 1966 to 1969.

He was knighted in 1985. On his elevation to the peerage in 1997 he took the title of Lord Russell-Johnston of Minginish in Highlands. His publications included Highland Development; To Be a Liberal; Scottish Liberal Party Speeches (2 volumes) and Humankind has no Nationality; Human Rights and Wrongs and Moral Politics.

He was separated from his wife, Joan Graham Menzies, whom he married in 1967, and he is survived by their three sons.

Lord Russell-Johnston, Scottish Liberal Party leader, 1974-88, and President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, 1999-2002, was born on July 28, 1932. He died after a period of poor health on July 25, 2008, aged 75