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'The Scottish National Party says it is on course to have Scotland's first Asian MSP sitting at Holyrood. Glasgow councillor Bashir Ahmad is among the candidates the party has listed as those it most wants elected to the Scottish Parliament next year.' BBC Scotland News, 30 th 2006. |
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1. Nicola Sturgeon MSP (Also standing in Glasgow Govan constituency) |
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| Scottish National Party | ||
| Nicola has been MSP for Glasgow since 1999. She was elected Depute Leader of the SNP in September 2004 and subsequently became SNP Leader in Holyrood, tackling the First Minister at First Minister's Questions every Thursday. Prior to that Nicola was a member of the SNP's Cabinet as Shadow Justice Minister and had also held the portfolios of education and health. Nicola joined the SNP in 1986 and is a member of the SNP's National Executive, previously holding the posts of Youth Affairs Vice Convener and Publicity Vice Convener. Born in Irvine, Ayrshire in 1970, Nicola Sturgeon studied Law at Glasgow University and was awarded LLB (Hons) and Diploma in Legal Practice. Before becoming an MSP, she worked as a solicitor at Drumchapel Law Centre in Glasgow. Shadow Ministerial positions May 1999 - September 2000 - Shadow Minister for Children & Education September 2000 - April 2003 - Shadow Minister for Health & Community Care May 2003 - September 2004 - Shadow Minister for Justice September 2004 - Leader of the Opposition Scottish National Party positions 2004 - Scottish National Party Deputy leader 2004 - SNP Leader in the Scottish parliament Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Glasgow Govan, 6,599 votes (31.22 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Second on SNP Glasgow list, 34,894 votes (17.96 %) (elected) 1999 Scottish Parliament election, Glasgow Govan, 9,665 votes (36.65 %) 1999 Scottish Parliament election, First on SNP Glasgow list, 65,360 votes (25.50 %) (elected) 1997 Westminster election, Glasgow Govan, 11,302 votes (35.05 %) | ||
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2. Cllr Bashir Ahmad | |
| Scottish National Party | ||
| Bashir Ahmad was born in India before partition but brought up in Pakistan. He came to Scotland aged 21 and worked as a bus conductor and bus driver before buying his own shop. He subsequently owned shops, restaurants and a hotel before retiring from business. He was elected five times as president of the Pakistan Welfare Association. In 1995 he founded Scots Asians for Independence, and he has been a member of the SNP's national executive committee since 1998. In 2003 he was elected as Cllr for the Pollokshields East ward of Glasgow City Council. Upon his selection as secon on the SNP's Glasgow list Cllr Ahmad said: "The lack of any Asian or ethnic minority voice in the Scottish Parliament has been felt deeply in my community. But SNP members have righted that wrong.
By doing so, they have proved that the SNP aspires to lead a Scottish Parliament that will represent all of Scotland - a truly national parliament. I firmly believe the SNP can now earn the trust of the Asian community throughout Scotland and that this will be a bond that endures for generations." Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish Parliamentary election, Seventh on SNP Glasgow list, 34,894 votes (17.96 %) 2003 Glasgow City Council election, Pollokshaws East, 1,045 votes (34.21 %) (elected) 1999 Scottish Parliamentary election, Ninth on SNP Glasgow list, 65,360 votes (25.50 %) 1999 Glasgow City Council election, Knightswood Park, 892 votes (25.02 %) | ||
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3. Sandra White MSP (Also standing in Glasgow Kelvin constituency) |
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| Scottish National Party | ||
| Sandra White was born on the 17 th August 1951 and educated at Garthamlock Secondary School in Glasgow, Glasgow College and Cardonald College, Glasgow. She worked as a Press officer for the William Wallace Society. She lives in the Merchant City and is married with three children. In 1992 she stood in Glasgow Hillhead and increased the SNP vote by no less than 10.0 %. She has been an MSP for Glasgow since 1999. A key member of the successful "Save the Queen Mother's Hospital Campaign", Sandra is a tireless campaigner for the people of Glasgow. In the parliament she is Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Older People Age and Ageing. Before she was an MSP, Sandra served as a councillor for Foxbar in Renfrewshire. Shadow Ministerial positions May 1999 - April 2003 Deputy Whip May 2003 - September 2004 - Shadow Deputy Minister for Health & Social Justice September 2004 - September 2005 Shadow Deputy Minister for Equal Opportunities September 2005 - Shadow Deputy Minister for Health & Social Justice Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Glasgow Kelvin, 4,591 votes (20.79 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, First on SNP Glasgow list, 34,894 votes (17.96 %) (elected) 1999 Scottish Parliament election, Glasgow Kelvin, 8,303 votes (29.28 %) 1999 Scottish Parliament election, Fourth on SNP Glasgow list, 65,360 votes (25.50 %) (elected) 1997 Westminster Parliament election, Glasgow Kelvin, 6,978 votes (21.37 %) 1995 Renfrewshire Council election, Foxbar, 1,070 votes (65.58 %) (elected) 1992 Westminster Parliament election, Glasgow Hillhead, 6,484 votes (16.47 %) | ||
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4. Bob Doris (Also standing in Glasgow Maryhill constituency) |
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| Scottish National Party | ||
| Bob Doris is convenor of the SNP Glasgow Regional Association, a group of SNP members from 10 constituencies in and around the city who join together for campaigning purposes. He was campaign manager for Dr Bill Wilson, SNP leadership challenger in September 2003. In February 2006 he was the SNP organiser for the Milton by-election for Glasgow Council which Billy McAllister won with a 15.1 % swing from Labour to the SNP. At a well-attended meeting held on Friday 21st April at Maryhill Community Central Halls, Bob Doris was unanimously endorsed as the SNP candidate Maryhill Constituency. Recent electoral experience | ||
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5. Bill Kidd (Also standing in Glasgow Anniesland constituency) |
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| Scottish National Party | ||
| Bill joined the SNP in 1983 and again in 1999. He has been a Westminster parliamentary candidate, contesting Glasgow Hillhead in 1987 and Cunninghame South in 2001, as well as Glasgow Anniesland in the 2003 Scottish Parliamentary elections. In 2003 he was third on the SNP Glasgow list and as the eighth ranked candidate in the region just missed out in becoming one of the seven Glasgow MSPs. Bill is a trade unionist; 48 years of age; single, and lives in the West End of Glasgow. At the 2005 Westminster election he said, 'I will be fighting this election on a platform that aims to get our troops out of Iraq, increase the state pension to £110pw and restore the link with earnings and also to protect our hospital services from centralisation.' Recent electoral experience 2005 Westminster Parliament election, Glasgow Central, 4,148 votes (14.79 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Glasgow Anniesland, 3,888 votes (17.54 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Third on SNP Glasgow list, 34,894 votes (17.96 %) 2001 Westminster Parliament election, Cunninghame South, 5,194 votes (18.54 %) 1987 Westminster Parliament election, Glasgow Hillhead, 2,713 votes (6.48 %) | ||
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6. Anne McLaughlin (Also standing in Glasgow Springburn constituency) |
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| Scottish National Party | ||
| Anne McLauchlin joined Greenock SNP in 1977. She fought the Westminster election in 2001 as candidate for Glasgow Rutherglen. Anne graduated from Glasgow University and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 1987 and on graduation taught drama in underprilileged areas throughout Glasgow. She then pursued a career in charity fundraising and in the past has worked with Sense Scotland, a charity for deafblind people and as Scottish Fundraising Manager with the charity now known as Cancer Research UK. Currently employed as Fundraising Executive at SNP HQ, Anne has lived on the Southside of Glasgow for twenty years. Locally, Anne has supported public service workers in their fight for better pay and against cuts in services, in order to save the Victoria Infirmary and keep Cambuslang Fire Station fully staffed. Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish parliament election, Glasgow Rutherglen, 3,517 votes (14.93 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Eighth on SNP Glasgow list, 34,894 votes (17.96 %) 2001 Westminster election, Glasgow Rutherglen, 4,135 votes (14.15 %) 1999 Glasgow City Council election, Cathcart, 798 votes (20.99 %) | ||
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7. James Dornan (Also standing in Glasgow Cathcart constituency) |
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| Scottish National Party | ||
| James joined the SNP in 1996. He was the Organiser and Vice-Convenor of Govan Riverside branch is is currently a member of Glasgow Cathcart branch. He has held many positions both at local and regional level. In 2003 James was the SNP's Scottish Parliamentary Candidate in Ayr Constituency and has also been a local government candidate. He has been a member of the National Organisation Committee for the past two years and is the Community Councillor for the Battlefield ward. James is the father of 2 sons and has 2 grandchildren. He and his family have all been born and lived in the southside of Glasgow. Having previously worked in both the legal and finance sectors James is now employed as Parliamentary Assistant to Stewart Maxwell MSP. Recent electoral experience 2005 Westminster election, Glasgow South West, 4,757 votes (15.36 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Ayr, 4,334 votes (13.72 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Seventh on SNP South of Scotland Scotland list, 48,371 votes (18.37 %) 1999 Glasgow Council election, King's Park, 915 votes (27.44 %) | ||
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8. Margaret Park (Also standing in Glasgow Rutherglen constituency) |
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| Scottish National Party | ||
| Margaret Park has been politically active since her teens. She has been a member of the SNP since the late 1980s and was an active union member for a number of years. Margaret is 43 years old and lives in South Lanarkshire with her husband Richard and two teenage children Stephen and Frances. Following a career within the voluntary sector with 10 years at senior management level Margaret is a Management Training Consultant and has her own business which was set up in the past year. She is a member of the Chartered Management Institute,. Margaret has previously stood at local elections. She is Vice Convener, Political Education Officer and Organiser of her local SNP branch and, in addition, is a delegate to the SNP's policy making national bodies. Her particular areas of interest are young people and how the lack of training and employment opportunities impacts on local communities and the levels of youth crime. Apart from children, husband, cat and politics Margaret is a keen traveller, completed her HNC in Social Science and also a MBA. Recent electoral experience 2005 Westminster election, Rutherglen & Hamilton West, 6,023 votes (13.92 %) Local council candidate | ||
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9. John McLaughlin (Also standing in Glasgow Shettleston constituency) |
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| Scottish National Party | ||
| John joined the SNP in the mid sixties and has held offices in the party at constituency and regional level. He was one of the first SNP Councillors in Glasgow and served on Housing, Finance, Transport and Parks Committees. He also served on the Executive Council of the National Health Service for Glasgow. This, together with his voluntary work assisting a Member of the Scottish Parliament, has given John a wealth of experience dealing with people and their problems at many levels. John's interests outside politics are public speaking and voluntary work He is currently the Speaker of the Glasgow Parliamentary Debating Association and was recently elected Secretary of the Glasgow North and East Multiple Sclerosis Society. For relaxation John is an avid reader, particularly of history and political memoirs and biographies. He also enjoys good food, good wine and good conversation. Recent electoral experience 2005 Westminster parliament election, Glasgow North East, 5,019 votes (17.66 %) Glasgow Councillor | ||
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