Eilidh Whiteford

Eilidh Whiteford
Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP
Member of Parliament
for Banff and Buchan
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2010
Preceded by Alex Salmond
Majority 4,027 (10.5%)
Personal details
Born 24 April 1969 (1969-04-24) (age 42)

[1]
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Nationality Scottish
Political party Scottish National Party
Spouse(s) Stephen Smith
Occupation university lecturer, charity manager
Website eilidhwhiteford.info

Eilidh (Scots Gaelic: pronounced -Ay-lee- [2]) Whiteford (born 24 April 1969 Aberdeen) is the Scottish National Party (SNP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Banff and Buchan.

She sits on the Scottish Affairs Select Committee and is the SNP's Westminster Spokesperson for Fishing, Food and Rural Affairs, and International Development.

Contents

Biography

Whiteford was born in 1969 in Aberdeen and grew up in Macduff, Banffshire, where her parents still live. She went to Banff Academy. She has been active in the SNP since joining her local branch in 1986 during the run up to Alex Salmond's victorious 1987 election. She later served in the Peterhead office working for Alex Salmond in 1992.

At Glasgow University she quickly got involved with the Federation of Student Nationalists, first as National Organiser and then as President, sitting on the SNP National Executive and acting as party spokesperson on Higher Education.

In between the politics, she graduated with First Class Honours in English and Scottish Literature, followed by postgraduate studies in Canada and Scotland that led to a PhD in 1998.

She returned to the North East in early 1998 to work for Allan Macartney MEP. Following Macartney's passing in 1998, she worked for Ian Hudghton MEP until the 1999 elections, and later helped new MSP Irene McGugan establish a constituency office in the first term of the Scottish Parliament.

She returned to Glasgow University in 1999 to teach, lecturing in Scottish Literature and developing access routes into higher education for mature students (in Glasgow University's adult and continuing education department).

In 2001, she moved into a campaigning role in the voluntary sector as Co-ordinator of the Scottish Carers' Alliance, a network of carer, disability and children's organisations working for the rights of and to support people looking after elderly, sick or disabled relatives or friends at home.[3]

In 2003 she moved to Oxfam where she worked as a policy adviser and campaigns manager for over six years in a role that took her to many parts of the world. Closer to home, Whiteford was very actively involved in the Make Poverty History campaign in 2005 and helped establish the Scottish Fair Trade Forum.[4] She also promoted development issues with Scottish parliamentarians and, in the wake of the Make Poverty History campaign in 2005, she became Oxfam's Scottish Campaigns Manager.

Whiteford maintains her interests in social policy and global issues as a volunteer for several charities, sitting on the Boards of Turning Point Scotland,[5] and Jubilee Scotland.[6]

Member of Parliament

She made her maiden speech at 20:47 on 7 June 2010 on Constitution and Home Affairs[7] stating that ... a very great deal is at stake in our constitutional arrangements. Banff and Buchan’s local economy depends heavily on agriculture, fisheries and energy and the manufacturing industries associated with them ...

Controversy

On 25 October 2011 it emerged that Clerks appointed to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee had raised concerns with the Clerk of Committees, the most senior official responsible for House of Commons Select Committees, alleging that Ian Davidson had threatened to inflict "a doing" upon Whiteford, in the event that details of the committee's discussions during a private session were leaked to the media. Following the allegations Dr Whiteford withdrew from the committee and a formal complaint was made by the SNP Parliamentary Leader, Angus Robertson, to the Speaker of the House [8].

At the next session of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee on 26 October, Davidson made a public apology "for any offense that might have been caused" by his remarks; simultaneously denying that the remarks had been in any way threatening. [9].

Committee members present had suggested that "Davidson may have apologised to Dr Whiteford for the other members of the committee “giving her a doing” over independence". However, the remarks were allegedly regarded by another committee member at the time as being sufficiently inappropriate to warrant a note, expressing such concerns, to be passed to Davidson.[10].

However Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative committee members all stated that no threats were made [11][12][13][14]. With fellow committee member Fiona Bruce stating that she did not hear any threats, merely a political debate and Alan Reid stating that he also did not hear any threats being made and was surprised that the issue was raised six days later [15]. After an investigation the Labour Party stated that it amounted to a "smear campaign" against Davidson due to the forthcoming investigations chaired by Davidson into the SNP's referendum proposal[16]. Several equality campaigners and academics have criticised Davidson for using inappropriate language[17], although Sandra Osborne, a Labour MP and former Womens Aid counsellor, criticised Whiteford for equating political debating with violence against women [18].

A member of the SNP politican Joan McAlpine's staff, Gail Lythgoe, was found to have emailed a Women's equality group, supporting Whiteford and alleging that Davidson has a history of bullying Women and called on them to demonstrate against him whilst asking them not to reveal SNP involvement in it's instigation[19][20]. The email was later leaked and Lythgoe publicly apologised for making unsubstantiated allegations, with the Labour Party alleging that this was a result of an SNP "dirty tricks campaign" against Davidson and called for an investigation [21].

Personal life

Dr Whiteford is married to SNP Councillor, Stephen Smith who represents Peterhead South and Cruden on Aberdeenshire Council.

In her spare time, she enjoys singing traditional and choral music, going to the theatre, cooking and reading.

References

  1. ^ "Eilidh Whiteford MP". BBC Democracy Live. BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/74736.stm. Retrieved 25 July 2010. 
  2. ^ www.babynames.com
  3. ^ Scottish Carers' Alliance web site
  4. ^ Scottish Fair Trade Forum web site
  5. ^ Turning Point Scotland web site
  6. ^ Jubilee Scotland web site
  7. ^ Hansard, House of Commons, 7th June 2010, Col 111
  8. ^ "SNP MP alleges Ian Davidson made 'doing' remark". bbc.co.uk. 2011-10-25. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15451876. Retrieved 2011-10-25. 
  9. ^ "Labour MP Ian Davidson says sorry to select committee". bbc.co.uk. 2011-10-26. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15459725. Retrieved 2011-10-26. 
  10. ^ Johnson, Simon (26 October 2011). "SNP dirty tricks row over Ian Davidson 'getting a doing' remark to female MP". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/8850174/SNP-dirty-tricks-row-over-Ian-Davidson-getting-a-doing-remark-to-female-MP.html. Retrieved 26 October 2011. 
  11. ^ http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics-news/2011/10/27/alex-salmond-accused-of-smear-campaign-against-labour-mp-ian-davidson-over-bullying-claims-86908-23517958/
  12. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15459725
  13. ^ http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/uk/eilidh_whiteford_ratchets_up_ian_davidson_row_1_1938189
  14. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/alancochrane/8861453/Bullying-is-a-big-problem.-Its-time-the-Nats-stopped.html
  15. ^ http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics-news/2011/10/27/alex-salmond-accused-of-smear-campaign-against-labour-mp-ian-davidson-over-bullying-claims-86908-23517958/
  16. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/8850174/SNP-dirty-tricks-row-over-Ian-Davidson-getting-a-doing-remark-to-female-MP.html
  17. ^ www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/uk/eilidh_whiteford_ratchets_up_ian_davidson_row_1_1938189
  18. ^ http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/uk/eilidh_whiteford_ratchets_up_ian_davidson_row_1_1938189
  19. ^ http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/first-minister-s-aide-linked-to-dirty-tricks-allegations-1.1132328?55374
  20. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15546898
  21. ^ http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/first-minister-s-aide-linked-to-dirty-tricks-allegations-1.1132328?55374

External links

v · d · eScottish National Party MPs

Elected in the 2010 election
Stewart Hosie · Angus MacNeil · Angus Robertson · Mike Weir · Eilidh Whiteford · Peter Wishart

Former SNP MPs
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