Angus Robertson

Early life and career

Robertson was born in Wimbledon, London, to a Scottish father, Struan, who was an engineer, and a German mother, Anna, who was a nurse. Robertson was brought up in Edinburgh and speaks fluent German. He was educated at Broughton High School, Edinburgh and the University of Aberdeen, where he graduated in 1991 with an MA Honours degree in politics and international relations. After university he embarked on a journalistic career, and worked as a foreign and diplomatic correspondent in Central Europe for the BBC World Service, and then for the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation ORF.

Politics

Robertson joined the Scottish National Party in 1984, at the age of 15, after being given a leaflet about the party's youth wing by Charlie Reid of The Proclaimers.

Before his election to the UK House of Commons in June 2001, he was the European and International Affairs Adviser to the SNP Group in the Scottish Parliament. During his first parliamentary session, Robertson was Scotland's youngest MP and was rated Scotland's "hardest working MP" according to statistics from the House of Commons. He served as the SNP's spokesman on Defence and International Relations, and was well above average amongst MPs in the number of contributions he made in the House of Commons. Robertson provided Swiss Senator Dick Marty a report containing what he calls 'a detailed report of numerous suspect movements of aircraft transiting through Scotland.

Robertson's main political interests are Scottish independence, international and European affairs, defence, sustainable development and youth issues. In May 2007, he became SNP Leader in the House of Commons, following Alex Salmond's election as First Minister of Scotland. Following the 2015 general election and the election of Salmond as MP for Gordon, it was confirmed that he would continue in his role as leader in the Commons. In September 2015 he was appointed to the Privy Council and as a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.

In January 2016, Robertson said that British Prime Minister David Cameron should admit to British involvement in Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen: "Isn’t it time for the Prime Minister to admit that Britain is effectively taking part in a war in Yemen that is costing thousands of civilians lives and he has not sought parliamentary approval to do this?"

On 13 October 2016, he was elected Depute Leader of the SNP, replacing Stewart Hosie. Robertson received 52.5% of the votes, defeating Tommy Sheppard (25.5%), Alyn Smith (18.6%) and Chris McEleny (3.3%) in the election.

Expenses claims

In 2015 it was reported that Robertson's expenses claims had included a television costing £1,119, a £400 home cinema system, £500 for a bed, £20 for a corkscrew and £2,324 for a sofa bed. The home cinema system was initially denied by the expenses office; however, Robertson appealed this decision and it was subsequently awarded.

Robertson has stated that the use of his home cinema system was to keep up to date with political matters in the media.

Personal life

Robertson's wife, Jennifer Dempsie, is a former advisor to Alex Salmond. Dempsie campaigned to inherit Salmond's Scottish Parliament seat in Aberdeenshire East but withdrew to focus on her business career.

Outside politics Robertson is a music fan, and is particularly fond of Metallica. He is a supporter of Hearts.

Select committees

Honours

In August 2016 he was awarded the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Austrian Republic.

Positions held