Malcolm Laing

He was born to Robert Laing and Barbara Blaw at the paternal estate of Strynzia or Strenzie, on Stronsay, Orkney; Samuel Laing and Gilbert Laing Meason were his brothers. He attended the grammar school in Kirkwall, and was a student at Edinburgh University. He joined the Speculative Society in 1782.

In 1785 Laing was admitted advocate, and from 1789 for five years was advocate for poor litigants.[4] During 1790 he was working on the electoral roll in Orkney, in the Whig interest. In 1794, with Adam Gillies, he defended Joseph Gerrald in his sedition case. Sir James Mackintosh, a friend, regarded Laing's delivery as far too fast, and an impediment to his legal career; Henry Cockburn, Lord Cockburn commented quite positively on his "hard, peremptory, Celtic manner and accent".

Laing signed the declaration of the Society of Friends of the People in 1794, and joined the Whig Club. A personal friend of Charles James Fox, he was one of a group of advisers of Fox during the first years of the 19th century on his work of British history, with William Belsham, Samuel Heywood and James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale. He was Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland from 1807 to 1812, brought in by the Ministry of All the Talents.

In 1808 Laing suffered a breakdown, and withdrew from public life. He introduced merino sheep on the islands of Eday and Sanday, purchasing a flock from Tweeddale that had belonged to Sir James Montgomery, 1st Baronet. At the end of his life he tried to introduce the brown hare.