Political party Labour Name Neil Findlay Spouse(s) Fiona Findlay Role Politician | Children One daughter Party Scottish Labour Party Religion Roman Catholic Music group Hey Negrita | |
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Born 6 March 1969 (age 55)
West Lothian, Scotland ( 1969-03-06 ) Alma mater University of Strathclyde
University of Glasgow Profession Housing Officer, Teacher Education University of Strathclyde, University of Glasgow People also search for Paul Tkachenko, Felix Bechtolsheimer, Paul Sandy, Will Greener, Matt Ord Profiles | ||
Neil Findlay MSP announces he will stand for Scottish Labour leader
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. He has also been a councillor in West Lothian from 2003 to 2012.
Contents
- Neil Findlay MSP announces he will stand for Scottish Labour leader
- Early and personal life
- Political career
- References
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. He is married with one daughter.
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.
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. He was later appointed to the frontbench as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 29 May 2013.
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. 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. The trade unions ASLEF, CWU, GMB, Musicians' Union, NUM, RMT, TSSA, UCATT, UNISON and Unite have supported Findlay's candidature. He came second to Jim Murphy with 34.99% of the vote.
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.