A Message to Midlothian Members This election will be a very short one and we need a candidate who already knows this constituency like the back of his hand. I delivered my first leaflets when I was aged 8; my dad and uncle would be out campaigning or supporting by-elections and my brother and I would go along to help and it quickly took hold of me – there was just no looking back, I joined the SNP in 1992 when my mum signed me up on a junior membership. We moved to Loanhead in 1985 when my dad became Minister at Loanhead Parish Church and I grew up in the Loanhead community. I know Midlothian - people still want to be part of something and hold dearly to community identity. Our candidate needs that understanding and my local roots mean it’s part of me. I graduated with a BA in Accounting and Finance from Napier University where I got involved with the SNP Student Association and was elected National Organiser for the Federation of Student Nationalists. I had a career in financial services until 2005 when I was asked to stand for the party in the Loanhead by-election and it’s been some roller-coaster of a journey since then. Winning made me the youngest elected Councillor in Scotland and the only SNP Councillor in Midlothian. That meant I had to learn the hard way simply by getting on with the job. It also meant that I had to learn how to build alliances and play hardball to get anything done for my community and I think I’ve done a decent job of getting results – there are 8 SNP Midlothian councillors now and we run the council and I lead it. Being a councillor is an honour and privilege. In my 9 years in Midlothian Council I have been able to help shape some genuine improvements to the communities I represent: park improvements in Roslin, Rosewell and Loanhead; amenity space improvements in Bilston; supporting the groups developing the Kabin in Loanhead and the Auchendinny Centre, and more recently have pushed for the new primary schools at Paradykes in Loanhead and in Roslin. As leader I’ve helped the council do the same for the County. New facilities are being developed like the new Newbattle High school; we’re supporting high tech industry to expand at the Bush bringing highly skilled jobs to the county, and we’ve driven improved performance for our school leavers, improving from 31st place of the 32 Councils in Scotland to 7th. I’ve got a sound track record in delivering in the front line of politics. As an SNP activist I have fought in many campaigns across Scotland, have become a seasoned campaigner and I know how to win elections. More importantly I know how to beat the Labour party in elections and I want to do that in May. Since my victory in that council by-election ten years ago we’ve won European elections here twice, won the Scottish Parliament constituency seat in 2011 and elected 8 SNP councillors. We’ve learned how to win since my victory and we can go on and win the Westminster seat with the right candidate. Midlothian is my home and my community; this is the only constituency I’m interested in standing in. Give me your trust, give me your support, give me your vote and together we can win this election.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 20:27:10 +0000
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