Alasdair Morgan

Alasdair Neil Morgan^[1] (born 21 April 1945) is a Scottish politician. He was a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South of Scotland region from 2003 to 2011, having previously been first MP from 1997 to 2001 and then MSP from 1999 to 2003 for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale . He has been a member of the SNP since 1974.

Early life

He went to Breadalbane Academy in Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross and the University of Glasgow where he studied Mathematics, Politics and Economics gaing an MA. He gained a BA degree from the Open University. He became a computer project manager in Edinburgh. From 1971-4 he was a teacher of Maths at Linlithgow Academy and subsequently Douglas Ewart High School in Newton Stewart. He was a Software Programmer at Shell from 1974-80. From 1980-4, he was a Systems Analyst at GE and a Computer Systems Team Leader at Fife Regional Council from 1984-6, moving to Lothian Regional Council in 1986, and West Lothian Council in 1996.

SNP career

He was elected National Treasurer in 1984, defeating the incumbent Mike Murgatroyd, which office he held until 1990 when he was elected Senior Vice Convener (deputy leader) in the same election that saw Alex Salmond first elected as SNP leader. The next year (1991) he was defeated by Jim Sillars, but was elected as National Secreatry in 1992, which office he held until 1997. In that year he was elected as one of the SNP's vice presidents, which office he held until these positions were abolished in the party's constitutional reforms of 2003, to which he contributed.

Parliamentary career

He contested Tayside North in 1983, Dundee West in 1987 and Dumfries in 1992.

He had previously been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale at Westminster. He was elected at the 1997 general election and served for a time as leader of the SNP group in the House of Commons, but stepped down at the 2001 general election.

He then stood for the Scottish Parliament and became a constituency member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, between 1999 and 2003. where he held a majority of 3201. In The 2003 election, he lost his constituency seat to Alex Ferguson of the Scottish Conservative Party, by just 99 votes. However he has held the Additional Member System seat since 2003. During this Parliament, Morgan held such positions as Chief Whip and Business Manager. Also he was Deputy Convener of the Airdrie-Bathgate Railway and Linked Improvements Bill Committee. From May 2003 to September 2004 Morgan was the SNP's Scottish Parliamentary Group Convener.

In May 2007 Morgan became a Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament and so was impartial while he was in the Presiding Officer's chair.

Alasdair Morgan retired as an MSP at the 2011 election.^[2]

Personal life

He is married with two daughters. He lives in Dunfermline in Fife.

References

1. ^ http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U28026/
2. ^ http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/veteran-nationalist-msp-to-stand-down-1.1034022

External links

• Scottish Parliament
• SNP
• They Work For You