Neil Findlay

Neil Findlay
MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Lothian
Assumed office
5 May 2011
Personal details
Born (1969-03-06) 6 March 1969
West Lothian, Scotland
Political party Labour
Spouse(s) Fiona Findlay[1]
Children One daughter[1]
Alma mater University of Strathclyde
University of Glasgow
Profession Housing Officer, Teacher
Religion Roman Catholic[2]
Trade Union membership Educational Institute of Scotland, Unite[2]
Website neilfindlaymsp.com

Neil Findlay (born 6 March 1969) is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothian since 2011.[3][4] He has also been a councillor in West Lothian from 2003 to 2012.

Early and personal life

Findlay was born in 1969 and educated at St. Kentigern's Academy in Blackburn, West Lothian. After leaving school in 1986, he became an apprentice bricklayer in his father's business, and spent ten years working there. During this time, he also studied at the University of Strathclyde, gaining a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Politics, and going on to become a housing officer in 1996. After working for Almond Housing Association in Livingston for seven years, he completed a PGCE at the University of Glasgow in 2003 and became a teacher in Falkirk for the next eight years.[1][2] He is married with one daughter.[1]

Political career

In 2003 he was elected onto West Lothian Council for the Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley ward, and was re-elected in 2007 until 2012.[1]

In 2011 he was elected to the Scottish Parliament as one of the seven list members for Lothian. In 2012 he was appointed Shadow Cabinet Minister for Skills and Learning.[2] He was later appointed to the frontbench as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 29 May 2013.[5]

He has also been a member of the Scottish Parliament's Performance Committee, Local Area Committee and the Services for the Community Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel.

On 29 October 2014, Findlay declared that he would stand in the upcoming election to become the Leader of the Scottish Labour Party.[6] Initially Findlay wanted Gordon Brown to run for leader, but Brown ruled himself out. Findlay has called for the creation of "clear red water" between Scottish Labour and the Scottish National Party. Policy options he raised include raising the minimum wage, the reintroduction of council house building, reduction of the use of the private sector in the NHS, and allowing councils to set their own taxes to help reverse job losses within councils.[7] The trade unions ASLEF, CWU, GMB, Musicians' Union, NUM, RMT, TSSA, UCATT, UNISON and Unite have supported Findlay's candidature.[8][9][10][11][12] He came second to Jim Murphy with 34.99% of the vote.[13]

Findlay was the Scottish campaign chief for Jeremy Corbyn during the 2015 Labour leadership election, and is the convener of Scottish Labour's Campaign for Socialism.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Neil Findlay MSP – About Neil". Neil Findlay. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Neil Findlay – Personal Information". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Neil Findlay MSP website". Neil Findlay. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Neil Findlay MSP". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Johann Lamont in Scottish Labour front bench shake-up". BBC. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Scottish Labour leadership: MSP Neil Findlay second to enter contest". BBC. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "Profile: Neil Findlay, Scottish Labour leadership candidate". BBC. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  8. ↑ "Unite union backs MSP for Labour job". BBC. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "Ucatt backs 'former brickie' for Labour leader". The Construction Index. 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  10. ↑ "Neil Findlay launches Labour leadership bid". BBC. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  11. ↑ Alan Jones (11 November 2014). "Labour leadership contest: Communication Workers Union gives 'full support' to Neil Findlay". daily Record. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  12. ↑ "Findlay in work death charges call". The Courier. Press Association. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "MP Jim Murphy named Scottish Labour leader". BBC. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  14. ↑ "Who's who on the Scottish Labour left". Morning Star. 3 May 2016. p. 8. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
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