Gil Paterson
Encyclopedia
Gil Paterson, born in Glasgow
, 1942 is the Scottish National Party
Member of the Scottish Parliament
(MSP) for the Clydebank and Milngavie
constituency, which he gained from Labour on 5 May 2011.
Previously he had been an MSP for the West of Scotland region, having been elected on 3 May 2007. From 1999 to 2003 he was an MSP for Central Scotland
.
Brought up in the North of Glasgow, Paterson attended Possilpark
Secondary School, before building up his own business Gil's Motor Factors. He served as a Scottish National Party
(SNP) councillor in Strathclyde Regional Council and sat on the SNP's National Executive Committee, before being elected as one of five SNP MSPs for Central Scotland in the first election to the Scottish Parliament
. During the first parliamentary term he sat on both the Local Government and Procedures committees in the Parliament.
Paterson lost his seat in Parliament when at the 2003 election only three SNP MSPs were returned for Central Scotland. He returned to running his business but stayed active in the SNP, becoming the party's Vice-Convenor in charge of Fundraising, a position he had held previously.
Paterson was one of the heaviest critics of the leadership style of John Swinney
, and in the aftermath of the 2004 European election
he openly called for Swinney's resignation, which happened shortly afterwards.
In 2006, Gil Paterson was selected to stand as candidate for the Clydebank and Milngavie
Scottish Parliamentary constituency.
In the current session of the Scottish Parliament, Gil was elected as the SNP Group Convener. He is also a member of two Committees, 'European and External Relations' and 'Subordinate Legislation', the latter of which he is Deputy-Convener.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, 1942 is the 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:...
(MSP) for the Clydebank and Milngavie
Clydebank and Milngavie (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Clydebank and Milngavie is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
constituency, which he gained from Labour on 5 May 2011.
Previously he had been an MSP for the West of Scotland region, having been elected on 3 May 2007. From 1999 to 2003 he was an MSP for Central Scotland
Central Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)
Central Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Ten 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...
.
Brought up in the North of Glasgow, Paterson attended Possilpark
Possilpark
Possilpark is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow, situated north of the River Clyde. Following the closure of the Saracen Foundry in 1967, this section of Glasgow has become one of the poorest in the United Kingdom, with an above average crime rate....
Secondary School, before building up his own business Gil's Motor Factors. He served as 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....
(SNP) councillor in Strathclyde Regional Council and sat on the SNP's National Executive Committee, before being elected as one of five SNP MSPs for Central Scotland in the first election to 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...
. During the first parliamentary term he sat on both the Local Government and Procedures committees in the Parliament.
Paterson lost his seat in Parliament when at the 2003 election only three SNP MSPs were returned for Central Scotland. He returned to running his business but stayed active in the SNP, becoming the party's Vice-Convenor in charge of Fundraising, a position he had held previously.
Paterson was one of the heaviest critics of the leadership style of John Swinney
John Swinney
John Ramsey Swinney is the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire North, having previously represented North Tayside...
, and in the aftermath of the 2004 European election
European Parliament election, 2004 (UK)
The European Parliament election, 2004 was the UK part of the European Parliament election, 2004. It was held on 10 June. It was the first European election to be held in the United Kingdom using postal-only voting in four areas. It coincided with local and London elections.The Conservative Party...
he openly called for Swinney's resignation, which happened shortly afterwards.
In 2006, Gil Paterson was selected to stand as candidate for the Clydebank and Milngavie
Clydebank and Milngavie (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Clydebank and Milngavie is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
Scottish Parliamentary constituency.
In the current session of the Scottish Parliament, Gil was elected as the SNP Group Convener. He is also a member of two Committees, 'European and External Relations' and 'Subordinate Legislation', the latter of which he is Deputy-Convener.