Alasdair Morgan
Encyclopedia
Alasdair Neil Morgan 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 first joined the SNP in 1974, where he has been active ever since in the party.
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 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 West Lothian Regional Council in 1986.
in 1987.
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. In May 2003 to September 2004 Morgan was also appointed as Scottish Parliamentary Group Convener.
In May 2007 Morgan became a Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament and so must remain impartial while he is in the Presiding Officer's chair.
Alasdair Morgan has announced he plans to retire as an MSP at the 2011 election.
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
politician. He was a Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
for the South of Scotland
South of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)
South of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament...
region from 2003 to 2011, having previously been first MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
from 1997 to 2001 and then MSP from 1999 to 2003 for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election....
. He first joined the SNP in 1974, where he has been active ever since in the party.
Early life
He went to Breadalbane Academy in Aberfeldy, Perth and KinrossPerth and Kinross
Perth and Kinross is one of 32 council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy Area. It borders onto the Aberdeenshire, Angus, Dundee City, Fife, Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Argyll and Bute and Highland council areas. Perth is the administrative centre...
and the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
where he studied Mathematics, Politics and Economics gaing an MA
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
. He gained a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
. He became a computer project manager in Edinburgh. From 1971-4 he was a teacher of Maths at Douglas Ewart High School in Newton Stewart
Newton Stewart
Newton Stewart is a burgh town in the south of Scotland in the west of the region of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire....
. He was a Software Programmer at Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
from 1974-80. From 1980-4, he was a Systems Analyst at GE
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
and a Computer Systems Team Leader at Fife Regional Council from 1984-6, moving to West Lothian Regional Council in 1986.
Parliamentary career
He contested Tayside North in 1983 and Dundee WestDundee West (UK Parliament constituency)
Dundee West is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system....
in 1987.
He had previously been a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale was a county constituency which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
at Westminster
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. He was elected at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
and served for a time as leader of the SNP group in the House of Commons, but stepped down at the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
.
He then stood for the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of 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
Additional Member System
The Additional Member System is the term used in the United Kingdom for the mixed member proportional representation voting system used in Scotland, Wales and the London Assembly....
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. In May 2003 to September 2004 Morgan was also appointed as Scottish Parliamentary Group Convener.
In May 2007 Morgan became a Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament and so must remain impartial while he is in the Presiding Officer's chair.
Alasdair Morgan has announced he plans to retire as an MSP at the 2011 election.
Personal life
He is married with two daughters. He lives in Crocketford in Dumfries and GallowayDumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
.