Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'In every working day a Scottish teacher achieves more than a New Labour Minister does in a lifetime.' Alex Salmond at the SNP Conference 1998.

Aberdeen South

Candidates

	Labour	Anne Begg MP
	Scottish National Party	Maureen Watt
	Conservative & Unionist	Stewart Whyte
	Liberal Democrat	Vicki Harris
	Scottish Socialist Party	Donald Munro
	Scottish Green Party	Rhonda Reekie

Candidates

The Labour candidate is Anne Begg, who won Aberdeen South from the Tories in 1997. She was born in Forfar in 1955 and educated at Brechin High School, Aberdeen University and Aberdeen College of Education. Before being elected, Begg taught English in Kirriemuir and then Arbroath. Begg is confined to a wheelchair and was named Disabled Scot of the Year in 1998. She in favour of devolution, proportional representation, and voted against the war in Iraq.

The SNP candidate is Maureen Watt. Maureen is Convener of Aberdeen South Constituency. She was born in Aberdeen and brought up in Keith. After gaining an Honours Degree in Politics at Strathclyde University and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education at Birmingham Maureen taught in a comprehensive school in Berkshire before returning to Aberdeen as candidate in Aberdeen North in the Election of 1979 when she was the youngest SNP candidate. She joined an international drilling company becoming personnel manager and lectured at evening classes. She left to raise a family full-time but was elected as Grampian Regional Councillor for Northfield. She has since been a community activist joining the Community Council and School Board elected as chair of both. Maureen is a visitor at Aberdeen Prison. She has also had a number of ministerial appointments serving on the Macintosh Commission and Kerley Committee. She is an Independent Assessor of Public Appointments. When family commitments and political activity allow she enjoys exercises classes and learning new languages.

Tory candidate, Stewart Whyte is currently the Deputy-Chairman of the West Aberdeen and Kincardine Conservative and Unionist Association (WAKCUA) and the Chairman of the WAKCUA Conservative Political Forum. He has lived in the North East region all his life attending local schools and the University of Aberdeen. At present Stewart works as a teacher in the Aberdeen area.

Lib Dem candidate Vicki Harris was born in 1967 and is single. She has a degree in Physics from Southampton University and worked as constituency manager for Nicol Stephen MSP. She contested Perth at the 2001 Westminster election, coming fourth with 12.8 %, and was third on the Lib Dem regional list for the Scottish parliament in North East Scotland in 2003.

The SSP candidate is Donald Munro who lives in the Aberdeen South constituency and works in Aberdeen as a travel agent. He has been active in local campaigns, such as the successful Save Kincorth Schools campaign, and a supporter of the Save Camphill campaign. He was involved in the Aberdeen United Against Fascism coalition that was successful is stopping the National Front parading down Union Street on St Andrews Day. Donald is a fully paid up member of the Tartan Army and is a keen golfer.

The Green candidate is Rhonda Reekie who lives in Aberdeen and works in the shipping and freight transport industry. Her Green interests include renewable energy, public transport, food safety and women's issues in politics. Rhonda has also been leading her local Mast Awareness/TetraWatch campaign in Bucksburn.

Notional 2001 result

Logo	Party	Denver			Baxter
		Votes	%		Votes	%
	Labour	15,753	38.04 %		16,661	39.25 %
	Liberal Democrat	11,822	28.55 %		11,876	27.98 %
	Conservative & Unionist	8,202	19.81 %		8,215	19.35 %
	Scottish National Party	5,065	12.23 %		5,103	12.02 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	566	1.37 %		593	1.36 %
Notional Labour win	Notional Labour majority	3,931	9.49 %		4,785	11.27 %

Local Government wards in the constituency

This constituency consists of the old Aberdeen South constituency (minus one ward) plus three wards from the old Aberdeen Central constituency.