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INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 3
MANIFESTO ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
INTERVIEW WITH STEWART HOSIE MP DEPUTY LEADER OF THE SNP ..................................... 6
KEY PROSPECTIVE PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES .......................................................................... 8
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The outcome of the UK General Election could be decided in Scotland.
Despite holding less than ten per cent of the 650 seats being contested across the UK in May, the
Scottish National Party (SNP) has seen a surge in support in the wake of the historic Scottish
independence campaign.
The SNP enters the 2015 General Election campaign in a high profile position. Despite only returning
six MPs to Westminster in 2010, the party won a landslide victory at the Scottish Parliament elections
the following year, securing its second term in government at Holyrood, this time with a majority.
Under former leader Alex Salmond, it embarked on a grassroots, nationwide campaign to secure an
independent Scotland.
Whilst the country rejected independence in the September 2014 referendum, the SNP carried
support from nearly half of all Scottish voters on a record turnout. The resonance of the party’s
message was rewarded by a surge in support, which saw membership rise from 25,000 to nearly
100,000. Meanwhile, under new leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP has opened up a
huge poll lead over Scottish Labour, threatening many of the latter’s safest seats.
Source: Survation
As 7 May approaches, the SNP has turned its attention to converting this support into strong
electoral gains at Westminster. In addition, Nicola Sturgeon is set to be afforded a national platform
for her party during the televised election debates.
In this briefing, DeHavilland offers an assessment of the SNP’s manifesto process, the key people
forming it and the policy platform the party will present to voters. We also profile ten Prospective
Parliamentary Candidates who could be heading to Westminster if the nationalists, as many are
predicting, emerge as a major new force in Westminster politics.
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Immigration
The SNP is seeking the devolution of immigration powers to Scotland and wishes to introduce a
Canadian-style earned citizenship system, designed to attract highly-skilled immigrants.
Austerity
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has claimed that SNP MPs will use their influence to “put heart back
into Westminster economic policy” and pledged to “lock austerity out of Westminster.”
The SNP would like to introduce similar measures to those in the Scottish Parliament which would
require Westminster budgets and welfare policy to meet more robust equality assessment standards.
This would include restoring the equality impact assessments that the Conservatives scrapped in
2012.
The SNP’s approach to austerity would see an extra £180bn being spent on public services; a 0.5 per
cent increase in real terms.
Jobs
The Living Wage is "a central priority" for those working to fulfil all Scottish government contracts
and the SNP has called for the issue to be devolved.
The party has also called for the introduction of gender quotas on public boards and for the power to
legislate for gender quotas to be devolved. It would also like to see the continuation of the 'small
business bonus' which seeks to eliminate or substantially reduce the tax paid as business rates for
eligible small businesses located in Scotland.
Benefits
The SNP has opposed cuts to in-work benefits and supports moves to extend paternity leave, as well
as to protect policies such as concessionary travel for older Scots. It also wishes to introduce a
maximum combined withdrawal rate for benefits and achieve reforms to the Employment and
Support Allowance and cold weather payments.
Ms Sturgeon stated that in the event of independence, the Scottish Government would increase the
Carer’s Allowance to the same rate as the Jobseeker’s Allowance, restore the cost of living link with
benefits, and abolish the Work Capability Assessment.
Furthermore, she has said: “We are committed to mitigating the harmful effects of Westminster’s
welfare reforms where we can, such as securing the transfer of powers over discretionary housing
payments to the Scottish Government, allowing us to help people struggling with the Bedroom Tax.”
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The NHS
The SNP oppose further privatisation of the NHS. Commenting on this, Ms Sturgeon has said that
“we would be prepared to vote on matters of English health because that has a direct impact
potential on Scotland's budget.”
"So, if there was a vote in the House of Commons to repeal the privatisation of the health service that
has been seen in England, we would vote for that because that would help to protect Scotland's
budget."
The SNP would also seek to reduce the number of senior managers in the NHS by a quarter at the
next parliament, streamline the work of health boards which include proposed savings of £450m,
and see real terms increases in year-on-year NHS spending.
Energy
As well as opposing nuclear weapons, the SNP is opposed to new nuclear power stations or dumps
in Scotland and has pushed for the removal of Trident submarines from the country.
It has strongly advocated for renewable energy, which is particularly prominent in Scotland, and
forms a central part of the party’s independence plans.
The SNP is also strongly opposed to fracking; a theme commonly featured in candidates’ own
manifestos.
Speaking during the parliamentary passage of the Infrastructure Act, SNP MP Mike Weir, the party's
Westminster Energy Spokesman, said: “We think there should be a moratorium which would mean
that before there could be anything going forward with fracking there would have to be an
assessment to take account of the impacts of exploration on climate change, environment, health and
safety, and the economy.”
Defence
Despite a U-turn in the SNP’s position on NATO membership under Alex Salmond’s leadership in
2012, the party remains committed to unilateral nuclear disarmament. Defeat in the independence
referendum has not quenched the nationalists’ desire to remove the UK’s Trident nuclear deterrent
from Scottish soil. Nicola Sturgeon has gone as far as to say that this would be a red line for any SNP
support for a future Government.
Education
Enjoying fully-devolved control over education policy, the Scottish National Party has put the issue
front and centre in its past campaigns. It has pledged 30 hours of free childcare a week for three and
four-year-olds in Scotland. The party is also committed to its pledge for free university education in
Scotland, a position that could cause tension in any involvement with a UK-wide governing
relationship.
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The SNP’s deputy leader spoke to DeHavilland
about his role, the process of drafting the party’s manifesto
and its key themes.
Mr Hosie explained that as the deputy leader of the
party, he was responsible for drafting its manifesto
through drawing on support and resources from party
figures, politicians and others.
He said this consisted of staff from the SNP’s
headquarters in Edinburgh, “first class” input from his
fellow SNP politicians and what he described as the
“unique” aspect of the consultation with the party’s
entire membership.
“The ideas are coming from everywhere and the
professional support I need is being provided centrally
by [SNP] headquarters”, Mr Hosie said.
Mr Hosie outlined that input had been received “from
every part of the party”. Following the completion of
the membership consultation, a process of “fine tuning
and polishing” would be undertaken by “senior
politicians” within the party.
He also revealed that the SNP had been meeting with “dozens of external bodies to get their input
and check technical elements”.
There had been over 1,000 responses from the membership consultation that fell within a dozen
different categories, Mr Hosie explained, adding that “most were in line with existing party
thinking”. Sufficient time had allowed during the consultation process for any branch of the SNP
seeking to change party policy to table a motion at the party’s spring conference on 28 and 29 March.
This would be the date for any final policy decisions relating to the manifesto, according to Mr
Hosie.
The leadership of the SNP would collectively sign off the final draft of the manifesto.
Detailing the central themes of the manifesto, Mr Hosie explained that these would consist of an end
to austerity, calling for further powers for Scotland beyond the Smith Commission, rejecting Trident
renewal and a support package for the North Sea oil and gas sector, specifically rolling back the
supplementary charge to the pre-2011 level.
Mr Hosie confirmed that these policies would form the basis of conditions for any SNP support for a
Westminster Government after the General Election.
Elected as deputy leader of the Scottish
National Party in November 2014, Stewart
Hosie has responsibility for producing his
party’s manifesto for the 2015 General Election.
Mr Hosie has served as MP for Dundee East
since 2005 and is his party’s Westminster
Spokesperson on HM Treasury issues. He has
also served as member of the Commons
Treasury Select Committee.
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“Our instinct is that neither [Labour nor the SNP] would want to go down the formal coalition route.
Our judgement is that a confidence and supply arrangement would be the most likely outcome”, he
explained.
However, Mr Hosie was quick to indicate that this view was not intended to pre-judge the outcome
of the General Election, but instead emphasised that the “substantial” poll lead that the SNP held
had over Scottish Labour for the last five months could put the former in a “pivotal position at a UK
level” after May.
The SNP deputy leader expressed the view that it was important to set out his party’s position on
policy and process in advance of polling day, for the sake of transparency.
It was “right and proper” that the UK Civil Service “worked up” the SNP manifesto in terms of
policy and negotiation implications, in line with the same access enjoyed by the Official Opposition
in any other election, Mr Hosie said.
He believed that former First Minister Alex Salmond
would be a “huge asset” to the SNP in Westminster if
he was elected, but reiterated that Nicola Sturgeon
would lead any post-election negotiations for the
party overall.
Mr Hosie indicated that whilst SNP MPs would not
completely reverse their party’s position of abstaining
from votes on English-only issues, they would vote on
issues that would impact on Scotland’s funding
settlement, like the NHS.
Questioned over whether or not the General Election manifesto would contain a commitment to
securing an independent Scotland, Mr Hosie said, “We are very clear that this election is not about
that. It is about forcing Westminster to deliver on the promises that the Scottish people thought that
they had, which is full fiscal autonomy.”
“The Scottish people think that ‘devo max’ is everything except defence and foreign affairs. That is
the bar that has been set. Our job is to make sure that Westminster delivers to that.”
Note - it is expected that the SNP will publish its final manifesto document shortly after its spring conference
on 28 and 29 March 2015.
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Incumbent MP: Jim McGovern (Lab)
2010 Majority: 7,278
Chris Law is the SNP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for
Dundee West. The seat has been a Labour stronghold since 1950, but
is a key target seat for the SNP in the upcoming General Election.
Policy interests
Mr Law has a strong interest in Scottish independence and contributed a written submission to the
Smith Commission on devolved powers to Scotland.
Discussing Scottish financial services during the referendum campaign, he said that “the kind of
messages that were being sent out by large institutions were mixed half the time, and at other times
half-truths”.
Beyond Scottish independence, Mr Law has an interest in welfare issues, including disability
funding, due to his own experience of living with a mother who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis.
He has also expressed opposition to nuclear weapons and has stated that “the amount of money
targeted towards the renewal of Trident is abhorrent in this day and age”.
On Westminster’s austerity cuts, he said: “The effect it is having on Dundee has been reflected in the
label “sanction city” and the increasing use of food banks. It is something that people can no longer
tolerate and it something that I will be campaigning against”.
Mr Law has also claimed to consider tax avoidance a “burning issue”, and has attacked “a gross
neglect of all London parties towards tax avoidance”.
In the event of a hung Parliament, Mr Law has ruled out collaboration with the Conservatives, but is
open to working with Labour on an issue-by-issue basis if the party should form a minority
Government.
Political life
Mr Law is an active member of the SNP, and is the political engagement officer and treasurer of his
local branch.
He was a leading Yes campaigner during the Scottish referendum and is the founder of the Spirit of
Independence road tour, which brought its message to communities in a refurbished fire engine,
attracting national and international interest.
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He is also a member of Business for Scotland, a campaign group focused on the economic case for
independence, and a member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
Professional life
The 45-year-old is a local businessman who runs his own company as a financial advisor. In his
youth, Mr Law trained as a French Chef before going to university.
As a student, he started his first business running expeditions to the Himalayas on 1950s
motorcycles.
Personal life
Mr Law boasts a first class degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology.
He has been a motorcyclist since the age of sixteen.
Click here to read DeHavilland’s interview with Chris Law.
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.chrislaw.scot/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisLawSNP
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisLawSNP
Ashcroft poll (January 2015)
Con 6%
Lab 25%
Lib Dem 3%
SNP 59%
SNP lead Lab by 34%
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Incumbent MP: Anas Sarwar (Lab)
2010 Majority: 10,551
Alison Thewliss is the SNP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for
Glasgow Central at the 2015 General Election.
The seat is held by Labour MP Anas Sarwar with a majority of 10,551.
In 2010, the SNP came second in the seat with 5,357 votes.
Policy interests
As a Councillor, Ms Thewliss has campaigned against school closures and service cuts.
She has also criticised Westminster's austerity policies and the effect they have had “on ordinary
people”, which she wishes to change.
She was also an active campaigner during the Scottish Independence Referendum campaign.
Political life
A local councillor since 2012, Ms Thewliss has been a prominent campaigner for her party in the city
for many years. The Guardian quoted her during the 2009 by-election campaign for Glasgow North
East as claiming that voters carrying Labour promotional material had tipped her "a nod and a wink"
as a sign that they supported the nationalists.
She has been an SNP member for nearly half of her life, joining whilst at school and leading the
youth wing around Scotland in 2007. Since 2007, she has been a Glasgow City Councillor for Calton
ward.
She has also supported many election campaigns, including the 2007 Council and Scottish
Parliament elections, the Glasgow East by-election, the 2010 General Election, the 2011 Scottish
Parliament Election, the 2012 Council Elections, the European Elections and the Yes Shettleston
campaign.
Professional life
Ms Thewliss has experience working for the SNP, the Scottish Parliament and the clothing retailer
Next. She was employed by SNP MSP Bruce McFree until 2007, and then went on to become an
Assistant to SNP MSP Bill Kidd from 2008.
Personal life
Hailing from Carluke and having attended the local high school, Ms Thewliss went onto study for an
MA in Politics and International Relations at the University of Aberdeen.
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Outside of politics, Ms Thewliss' interests include football, Formula 1 and shopping. She lists North
by North West, Rear Window and There's Something About Mary among her favourite films, whilst you
are likely to find the works of Ian Rankin, Alex Gray and Christopher Brookmyre on her bookshelf.
She is a mother of two children, one son and one daughter.
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://bellgrovebelle.blogspot.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alisonthewliss/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alisonthewliss
Ashcroft poll (January 2015)
Con 5%
Lab 35%
Lib Dem 3%
SNP 45%
SNP lead Lab by 10%
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Incumbent MP: Margaret Curran (Lab)
2010 Majority: 11,840
Natalie McGarry is the SNP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for
Glasgow East.
The seat is held by Labour MP Margaret Curran, who won it back
from the SNP with a majority of 11,840 votes in 2010. The SNP came
second with 7,957 votes.
Policy interests
Ms McGarry has been a high-profile SNP voice behind the Yes Scotland referendum campaign, and
comes with a long history of campaigning for the party, including for First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Most notably, she was among the activists, including former Scottish Socialist Party MSP Carolyn
Leckie, who set up Women for Independence in 2012. Explaining the decision, she said: "We came
together because a group of us arrived at the conclusion, individually, that women's voices were
missing from both sides of the referendum debate".
She has written extensively in support of Scottish independence and female participation in the
referendum, and also in support of SNP policies.
Following claims that Britain's most senior civil servant and the Queen’s private secretary had
intervened to ensure the monarch made a pro-Union appeal to the people of Scotland in the final
days of the referendum campaign, Ms McGarry took to Twitter to argue: "When the Queen allows
herself to become a political tool, she undermines the role she has carved out".
Speaking at the SNP's annual conference in 2012, Ms McGarry argued on the losing side of the
NATO debate within the SNP, stating that opposition "is not merely about nuclear weapons" and
calling for the SNP to retain its opposition to NATO membership.
Political life
Ms McGarry is the convener of the SNP’s Glasgow Region Association. As a co-founder of the
Women for Independence group, she has appeared on several current affairs programmes as a
commentator, including the BBC’s Newsnight and STV's Scotland Tonight.
Ms McGarry's profile in the SNP increased when she was selected as the party's candidate for the
2014 Cowdenbeath by-election but failed to win, netting 5,704 votes (28.4 per cent).
She had previously sought selection as an SNP candidate in the 2014 European Parliament election,
but failed.
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Professional life
Ms McGarry currently works as a policy adviser for a third sector organisation.
She has previously worked in Human Resources and as a community officer for unemployed
parents.
Personal life
Ms McGarry was born and raised in Inverkeithing, and studied Law at the University of Aberdeen.
Her mother, Alice McGarry, has been a councillor in Fife since 1986. Her aunt is Tricia Marwick
MSP, the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.
Ms McGarry grew up in the party, with her earliest memory involving a day out leafleting at the age
of four.
Transcending party lines in her personal life, Ms McGarry has been romantically linked to
Conservative Councillor David Meikle.
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.nataliemcgarry.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatalieForGlasgowEast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nataliemcgarry
Ashcroft poll (January 2015)
Con 4%
Lab 35%
Lib Dem 1%
SNP 51%
SNP lead Lab by 14%
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Incumbent MP: Ann McKechin (Lab)
2010 Majority: 3,898
Patrick Grady is the SNP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for
Glasgow North at the 2015 General Election.
The seat is held by Labour MP Ann McKechin with a majority of 3,898
votes. In 2010, the SNP came third in the seat with 3,530 votes, when Mr
Grady was also the candidate.
Policy interests
As a prominent figure within the SNP, Mr Grady is a passionate campaigner for Scottish
independence and it is a central theme in his election campaign.
He has previously campaigned against the closure of community facilities in Glasgow North.
Following the actions of four SNP councillors in burning a copy of the Smith Commission report on
devolved Scottish powers, Mr Grady, as National Secretary of the SNP, said he had made a
complaint to the party's disciplinary committee against the four people involved, and that they
would be suspended until it was heard.
Political life
As the National Secretary of the SNP, it was Mr Grady who took centre stage at the 2014 SNP
conference when he announced that Nicola Sturgeon had been the sole nominee for the leadership.
Since joining the SNP aged 17, he has held a variety of posts in the party, including National
Secretary of the Federation of Student Nationalists, and as served as Convenor of the Glasgow
Kelvin Constituency Association.
He previously stood in the 2010 General Election for the Glasgow North seat as the SNP candidate.
Professional life
Having moved to Glasgow from Inverness in 1997 to study History at Strathclyde University, Mr
Grady has spent time working in both London and Africa as a professional in the charity sector.
Returning to Glasgow in 2007, Mr Grady has also worked as a policy officer in the Scottish
Parliament.
Personal life
Mr Grady studied at Strathclyde University.
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Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.glasgowsnp.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GradyGlasgowNorth/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/grady_patrick
Ashcroft poll (January 2015)
Con 5%
Lab 33%
Lib Dem 5%
SNP 45%
SNP lead Lab by 12%
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Incumbent MP: Ian Davidson (Lab)
2010 Majority: 14,671
Chris Stephens is the SNP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for
Glasgow South West at the 2015 General Election.
Having stood against veteran Scottish Labour MP Ian Davidson in
2010, Mr Stephens came second with 5,192 votes, whilst Mr
Davidson secured a majority of 14,671 votes.
However, polling has indicated that the SNP is in with a fighting chance of gaining the seat in May
2015.
Policy interests
Like many of his SNP colleagues, Mr Stephens is a passionate campaigner for Scottish independence.
In his capacity as a senior UNISON activist, Mr Stephens has campaigned on issues such as disability
and racial discrimination, occupational pension protection, and on equal pay matters.
He believes that membership of a trade union “is more important than ever before”, and has called
for workplace issues and rights to be a part of SNP decisionmaking and policy.
He has also said: “We will organise our new resources to create campaigning units and structures to
play a vital part in communities supporting victims of austerity and so-called welfare reforms,
arguing that a better way of running the economy is possible”.
His European Election statement stated that his priority issues were ending austerity, tackling tax
avoidance and evasion, creating care standards in workers’ rights, and changing procurement
regulations.
He also said: “The Scottish Parliament has been at its best when it has delivered the kind of positive,
progressive changes that have reflected Scotland’s priorities. Now we want to build on that progress
by securing positive change in the EU on key social measures”.
Political life
A trade union activist based in Glasgow, Mr Stephens is the Group Secretary of the SNP's Trade
Union Group.
Having joined the SNP aged 16 years old, he is also a member of the party's National Executive
Committee as well as the Convener of Glasgow Pollok Constituency Association.
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Mr Stephens has stood in Scottish Parliament elections in Glasgow Pollok in 2007 and 2011, when in
the latter contest he came within 623 votes of taking the seat from former Scottish Labour Leader
Johann Lamont.
He also stood in the 2010 General Election against veteran Labour MP Ian Davidson, and as an SNP
candidate in the 2014 European Elections.
Professional life
Mr Stephens works for Glasgow City Council and has represented workers for the union UNISON
over the last decade.
Personal life
Mr Stephens was raised in Glasgow. He is a proud Patrick Thistle supporter and regularly attends
matches.
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://thegiantstepforward.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisforGlasgowSouthWest
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CStephenssnp
Ashcroft poll (January 2015)
Con 4%
Lab 42%
Lib Dem 2%
SNP 48%
SNP lead Lab by 15%
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Incumbent MP: Sir Malcolm Bruce (Lib Dem)
2010 Majority: 6,748
In January 2015, former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond was
selected to be the SNP prospective parliamentary candidate for
Gordon at the 2015 General Election.
The seat is currently held by retiring Liberal Democrat MP Sir
Malcolm Bruce with a majority of 6,748 votes. In 2010, the SNP came
third in the seat with 10,827 votes.
Policy interests
During two decades at the summit of Scottish Nationalism, Alex Salmond transformed his party
from a minority group into a major force in UK politics.
Addressing the Scottish Parliament on Burns Day in January 2012, Mr Salmond set out the question
he intended to ask Scottish voters at a referendum in 2014: "Do you agree that Scotland should be an
independent country?"
In keeping with the centrality of this issue to his career, following the 'No' vote in the Scottish
independence referendum on 18 September 2014, Mr Salmond announced that he would not be
seeking nomination as SNP Leader at the party's forthcoming November conference. He had
conceded defeat in the poll early the following day, taking the opportunity to urge Westminster
leaders to pursue a speedy implementation of their campaign promises regarding further
devolution.
During his final party conference as First Minister, his successor Nicola Sturgeon predicted to
delegates that they had had not seen the last of Alex Salmond. Since declaring his candidacy for the
UK General Election, Mr Salmond has set out core tenants of his party’s campaign, including ruling
out demanding a second referendum and calling for full fiscal autonomy for Scotland.
As leader, it is generally agreed that he moderated his left-wing views and adopted a gradualist
approach to independence, agreeing to campaign in favour of Scottish devolution in spite of anger
from some nationalist hardliners.
Mr Salmond has also established himself as standing firmly against foreign conflicts. He bucked a
general trend by opposing the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999, something he saw as an
“unpardonable folly”, and then united with Plaid Cymru in an attempt to have Tony Blair
impeached for what he saw as misleading the British public over the Iraq War.
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Political life
As Scotland’s longest-serving First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party, Alex Salmond
came the closest to achieving his party’s desire for an independent country. He may have lost the
September 2014 referendum and stood as First Minister, but both he and the SNP have enjoyed a
sensational revival since then.
Mr Salmond was first elected to the House of Commons in 1987 as Member for Banff and Buchanan.
He retained the seat at the 2001 and 2005 General Elections. In 2010 he was succeeded by fellow SNP
member Eilidh Whiteford.
Following the establishment of the devolved Scottish Parliament in 1999, Mr Salmond was elected
MSP for Banff and Buchan, thus simultaneously representing the area as both an MP and MSP. In
2007 he contested and won the East Aberdeenshire constituency.
In 1990 Mr Salmond was elected National Convener for the Scottish National Party (SNP). He helped
increase the SNP’s share of the vote at two General Elections, claiming six seats in the House of
Commons in 1997, and firmly establishing the SNP as Scotland’s second largest party with 35 seats
in the newly-created Scottish Parliament.
He stood down after ten years as leader, with his preferred choice of successor, John Swinney, being
elected to take his place. One year later Mr Salmond stepped down from the Scottish Parliament to
lead the SNP group at Westminster.
In 2004, he returned as leader with Nicola Sturgeon as his deputy, securing a commanding 75 per
cent of the vote. This came as something of a surprise, as he had previously insisted that nothing
would tempt him to return to the leadership. He was quoted as saying: "If nominated I'll decline. If
drafted I'll defer. And if elected I'll resign”.
In his second spell as leader, he has sought to establish a different agenda for the SNP, one that could
impress business leaders. He has even said that it was the social side of Margaret Thatcher’s politics
he objected to in the 1980s, but that he did not mind the economic element so much.
His close partnership with Ms Sturgeon defined his second spell as SNP leader, and it was she who
succeeded him in 2014 as both party leader and First Minister.
Professional life
Mr Salmond’s working life began as an economist for the Government Economic Service, starting as
an Assistant Economist in the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland. After two years,
he moved to the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), where he was an oil economist and later a bank
economist. He spent seven years in total working at RBS.
Before taking up politics as a permanent vocation, he wrote and broadcasted extensively. He
maintained his interest in economics after entering politics full-time, and was for many years a
visiting economics lecturer at Strathclyde University.
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Personal life
Mr Salmond grew up in a middle-class home in Linlithgow, his parents both working as civil
servants. His father was a devoted nationalist and Mr Salmond later recounted how he had not
really approved of his son taking a place in the House of Commons. He went to the University of St.
Andrews, where he received a joint honours degree in Economics and History.
He and his wife Moira married in 1981, settling in Strichen in Aberdeenshire. When not engaged in
politics, Mr Salmond is a keen sports fan, who follows Hearts enthusiastically. He once wrote, in a
diary for the Independent newspaper, “take away politics and golf, and horse-racing would be my
favourite pastime”.
He has often appeared on Channel 4’s The Morning Line and has also written a horse racing column
for the Scotsman. Mr Salmond likes watching Star Trek and says that his “guilty secret” is his love of
Country and Western music, especially Tammy Wynette.
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.snp.org/people/alex-salmond
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexSalmond/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexsalmond
Ashcroft poll (January 2015)
Con 4%
Lab 42%
Lib Dem 2%
SNP 48%
SNP lead Lab by 17%
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Incumbent MP: Danny Alexander (Lib Dem)
2010 Majority: 8,765
Drew Hendry is the SNP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey at the 2015 General
Election.
The seat has been held by Liberal Democrat MP Danny Alexander
since 2005, including with a majority of 8,765 in 2010. The SNP came
third in the seat in 2010 with 8,803 votes.
Policy interests
Mr Hendry has developed a reputation as someone who can secure cross-party support. Upon his
appointment as Leader of the Highland Council, Mr Hendry stated he was adamant that pro-
independence campaigning would not interfere with the council’s work.
He said: “We have agreed to put the politics aside and concentrate on achieving the best outcomes
for the Highlands… Outside the council chamber I will be campaigning for independence”.
Mr Hendry has campaigned on many issues during his career in local government, including on the
retention of 344 Classroom Assistant posts and the devolution of the Crown Estate, which controls
nearly all of the Highlands’ seabed and foreshore.
He is also responsible for bringing in the living wage for council employees, as well as the
introduction of regional assemblies.
His internal campaign material has called the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey seat a
“step on the road” to independence.
Political life
As a teenager, Mr Hendry joined the SNP as a volunteer, convinced of the need for an independent
Scotland, and then formally joined the party as an adult.
Selected in November 2014, Mr Hendry has been a Councillor for Aird and Loch Ness since 2007,
and has been the Leader of the Highland Council since 2012. He has led the SNP Group on the
Council since 2011.
Professional life
A former Director with a multinational appliances manufacturer, Mr Hendry draws on extensive
experience in retail, from online to shop floor and all the way to senior management.
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He was previously employed by the Swedish electrical firm Electrolux in Edinburgh, working his
way up to director level, which saw him dealing with a number of European factories. He was also
employed as the company’s Scottish Sales Manager.
He set up a company called Teclan, which provides sales and other support for businesses using the
internet. Clients range from sole traders to large European firms.
He has also been a board member of Cairngorms National Park and is a board member of Highland
Opportunity Limited, a body intended to help small and medium businesses start and grow.
Personal life
Mr Hendry grew up in Edinburgh, and it was the 1979 referendum on whether Scotland should
establish a devolved assembly that sparked his interest in politics.
He spent a lot of time in the Highlands, before moving north with his wife Jackie in 1999, to settle in
Tore on the Black Isle.
He is married and has four children.
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.highlandsnp.org/ drewhendry/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CouncillorDrewHendry
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drewhendrysnp
Ashcroft poll (January 2015)
Con 10%
Lab 13%
Lib Dem 21%
SNP 50%
SNP lead Lab by 29%
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Incumbent MP: Frank Roy (Lab)
2010 Majority: 16,806
Marion Fellows is the SNP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for
Motherwell and Wishaw.
The seat has been held consistently by Labour. In the 2010 General
Election, current MP Frank Roy won with 43 per cent of the vote
share, but current polling has placed the SNP ahead.
Policy interests
As a teacher by profession, Ms Fellows has an interest in Further Education and the opportunities it
provides students and their communities. She has also been actively involved in the Yes Scotland
campaign for independence.
Upon her selection, Ms Fellows stated that she stood for an end to "policies of austerity, a fair
welfare system and an end to Trident".
Currently a councillor on North Lanarkshire Council, Ms Fellows has called for compensation for
local businesses following the upheaval caused by road works in the town centre of Wishaw.
She said: “The measures taken by North Lanarkshire Council to support local businesses need to be
looked at again - restrictions on who qualifies and a realistic compensation scheme for local
businesses should be brought forward urgently.”
Political life
Ms Fellows was a senior figure in the Yes Motherwell and Wishaw campaign, which won a majority
in North Lanarkshire at the 2014 independence referendum.
She was elected to North Lanarkshire Council 2012, representing Wilshaw.
She is a member of the SNP Trade Union Group and of the SNP Campaign Against Nuclear
Disarmament.
Ms Fellows stood as the SNP candidate for the same seat in the 2010 general elections, but finished
second behind Labour MP Frank Roy. She has also previously stood as the SNP candidate for the
corresponding Scottish Parliamentary seat against former First Minister Jack McConnell and
achieved a 6.9% swing from Labour to the SNP.
Professional life
Ms Fellows was a lecturer in Business Studies of 19 years at West Lothian College, Livingston.
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She was an active and senior member of the EIS-CLA (College Lecturers Association), and has been a
Branch Official and a member of its national Salary and Conditions Committee.
Personal life
Born in Irvine, Ms Fellows was educated at Belmont High, Ayr and Carrick Academy, Maybole,
before graduating from Heriot-Watt University in Accountancy and Finance.
Ms Fellows has lived in Wishaw and Bellshill for 40 years. She is married with three children.
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://marionfellows.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marionfellows
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marion53f
Ashcroft poll (January 2015)
Con 5%
Lab 39%
Lib Dem 1%
SNP 50%
SNP lead Lab by 11%
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Incumbent MP: Douglas Alexander (Lab)
2010 Majority: 16,614
Mhairi Black is the SNP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for
Paisley and Renfrewshire South. The seat was formed in 2005, and is
currently held by MP and Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas
Alexander who has a majority of over 16,000.
Policy interests
Ms Black’s primary policy interests lie in Scottish independence which has dedicated the majority of
her political career towards.
She spoke for a resolution on Social Justice at the SNP National Conference in which she stated that
“food banks and charity do not effect change. They are an indication that we need change”.
Responding to concerns over her young age (she was 20 at the age of selection), she said that “the
Commons is there to represent everybody and part of the population is youngsters. So who came up
with a rule that you have to be middle-aged, middle-class man to be in the House of Commons?”
Political life
Ms Black was a prominent Yes Scotland campaigner that rose in popularity following her
participation in the Scottish independence referendum. As an active SNP member, she has spoken
on several platforms including rallies and conferences.
Ms Black joined former SNP deputy leader Jim Sellar’s “Margo Mobile” campaign that toured
housing estates and working communities across Scotland for the independence referendum.
As a student at Glasgow University, she serves as the Campaign Officer for the university’s Scottish
Nationalist Association. She is also the Women's Officer for Paisley SNP.
Ms Black generated controversy over comments she made at the Hope over Fear rally in the
aftermath of Scotland backing the Union, in which she stated that she considered “putting the nut”
(head-butting) Labour councillors following the news of the loss, and called no-voters “selfish” and
“gullible”. This, amidst crude comments made on social media, prompted calls for First Minister
Nicola Sturgeon to strip Ms Black of her candidacy.
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Professional life
Ms Black is a final year student studying politics at the University of Glasgow.
Personal life
Ms Black lives in Ralson, in Paisley, is a supporter of Partick Thistle Football Club (nicknamed the
Jags), and has expressed a distaste for Celtic.
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mhairi.Black.SNP
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhairi1921
Ashcroft poll (January 2015)
Con 6%
Lab 40%
Lib Dem 2%
SNP 48%
SNP lead Lab by 8%
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Incumbent MP: Gemma Doyle (Lab)
2010 Majority: 17,408
Martin Docherty is the SNP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for
West Dunbartonshire. The seat is currently held by Gemma Doyle who
came into the position with a 41.2 per cent majority in the 2010 General
Election.
Policy interests
Mr Docherty has claimed that he wants to “defend our communities against the austerity measures
of Westminster and to ensure a strong pro-independence, pro-Scotland voice is loud and clear in the
UK Parliament”.
As well as challenging austerity, he is against Trident renewal and fracking. LGBT equality is also an
issue close to his heart.
In February 2015, following a decision by Glasgow City Council to reverse their cut to primary
school education less than 48 hours after setting their budget, Mr Doherty insisted that local MP and
opponent Gemma Doyle should take no credit for the Council’s change of mind.
Commenting on this, he said “Any representative should have been involved in this budget from the
start, not turning up when things get rough. The parents of West Dunbartonshire had to overturn
this. This is all down to the parents and nothing to do with Labour — and nothing to do with
Gemma Doyle”.
Political life
Mr Docherty has served on Glasgow City Council since 2012.
In this capacity, he has sat on several committees including the Sustainability and Environmental
Policy Development Committee, the Community Planning Partnership and the Operation Delivery
Scrutiny Committee.
Professional life
Mr Docherty is currently a Policy Advisor for Volunteer Scotland, previously working for West
Dunbartonshire CVS as the Policy and Research Lead. He was also a Board member for the Glasgow
Housing Association and National Secretary for Cahonas Scotland, a male cancer awareness charity.
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Personal life
Mr Docherty was born, and has spent the majority of his years, in West Dunbartonshire.
He completed his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Essex in Political Science and Government,
and then a Master’s and MPhil in Art and Design from the Glasgow School of Art.
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Martin-Docherty-for-West-Dunbartonshire/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MartinJDocherty
Ashcroft poll (January 2015)
Con 6%
Lab 38%
Lib Dem 1%
SNP 47%
SNP lead Lab by 9%