Gavin Strang

Infobox MP


honorific-prefix =
name = Gavin Strang
honorific-suffix = MP
constituency_MP = Edinburgh East
parliament =
majority = 6,202 (15.6%)
predecessor = George Willis
successor = Incumbent
term_start = 18 June 1970
term_end =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1943|07|10|df=yes
birth_place = Crieff, Perthshire
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = Scottish
spouse =
party = Labour
relations =
children =
residence =
alma_mater =
occupation =
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religion =


website =
footnotes =

Gavin Steel Strang (born 10 July 1943) is a Scottish politician, and Labour Member of Parliament for Edinburgh East since 1970. Between 1997 and 2005 this constituency didn't exist, and was mostly replaced by Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Strang held this seat during this time. He had been Scotland's longest-serving MP since 2005 (when Tam Dalyell stepped down).

Early life

He was a farmer's son and grew up in Perthshire. He went to Morrison's Academy (a grammar school) in Crieff. At the University of Edinburgh, he gained a BSc in [http://www.genetics.med.ed.ac.uk Genetics] in 1964. At Churchill College, Cambridge, he gained a Diploma in Agricultural Science (DipAgriSci). From the University of Edinburgh he gained a PhD in Agricultural Science. from 1966-8. He was a member of the Tayside Economic Planning Consultative Group. He was a scientist at the Agricultural and Food Research Council and Animal Breeding Research Organisation in Edinburgh from 1968-70.

Parliamentary career

Strang was a minister under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan, serving as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy in 1974 and then at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food until 1979. He was Minister for Transport from 1997, with a seat in the Cabinet, but was sacked in 1998.

Since becoming a backbencher, he has been active against the government, campaigning against the privatisation of National Air Traffic Services. On 31 October 2006, Strang was one of 12 Labour MPs to back Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party's call for an inquiry into the Iraq War. [cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6104310.stm | title=Labour MPs who rebelled on Iraq | date=31 October 2006 | accessdate=2006-10-31 | work=BBC News]

He is Chairman of the All-Party Group for World Government [http://www.oneworldtrust.org/?display=pgwg] and on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. He had announced he will stand down at the next general election [ [http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=1855382007 Strang ready to quit Commons at next election] , "Edinburgh Evening News", 26 November 2007] , but later reversed the decision. On 27 June 2008, Strang reversed course yet again and announced that he will, indeed stand down at the next general election. [ [http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Strang-thinks-again-and-vows.4231109.jp Strang thinks again and vows to quit as MP in latest U-turn] , "The Scotsman", 27 June 2008]

Personal life

He married Bettina in 1973. They have a son and two step sons. His wife has been the Chair of the UK arm of the [http://www.cancerworld.org/EuropaDonna/ Europa Donna] medical organisation.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.gavinstrangmp.co.uk Gavin Strang MP] official site
* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,9290,-5037,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Gavin Strang MP]
* [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/gavin_strang/edinburgh_east TheyWorkForYou.com - Gavin Strang MP]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/693.stm BBC Politics]