Career
He was the only Scottish Member of Parliament to support government reprisals against Edinburgh over the Porteous Riots, a circumstance which made him an object of detestation among his countrymen. Anstruther was the lieutenant-governor of Minorca 1742 until 1743, and held a military command there until 1747, when he resigned it to return to Parliament for Anstruther Burghs from 1747 to 1754.
