Colin Smyth
{{Short description|Scottish Labour politician}}
{{Use dmy dates |date=May 2016}}
{{Use British English |date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Colin Smyth
| honorific-suffix = MSP
| image = ColinSmythMSP.png
| caption = Smyth in 2017
| office = Member of the Scottish Parliament
for South Scotland
{{nobold|(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)}}
| term_start = 6 May 2016
| term_end =
| office1 = Scottish Labour portfolios
| suboffice1 = Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity
| subterm1 = 2017–2021
| suboffice2 = Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs
| subterm2 = 2021–present
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1972|11}}
| birth_place = Dumfries, Scotland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Scottish Labour & Co-operative
| alma_mater = University of Glasgow
| website = {{url|http://www.colinsmythmsp.com/|Official website}}
}}
Colin Smyth (born November 1972) is a Scottish Labour and Co-operative politician who has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the South Scotland region since 2016. A member of Scottish Labour, he served as its general secretary from 2008 to 2012.
Early life and career
Smyth was born in 1972.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Colin SMYTH - Personal Appointments|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/aYNTvavg5T6UvOHdaaB0kR3gjJk/appointments|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Companies House|language=en}} He was raised in Dumfries, where he attended Maxwelltown High School. Prior to entering politics, he worked as a modern studies teacher.{{Cite web|last=Shannon|first=Kate|date=2019-10-04|title=Getting to know you: Colin Smyth MSP|url=https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,getting-to-know-you-colin-smyth-msp_8350.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215004548/https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,getting-to-know-you-colin-smyth-msp_8350.htm |archive-date=15 February 2021 |access-date=2021-02-09|website=Holyrood Website|language=en}}
Political career
Smyth became a Labour party organiser in 2003.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7227017.stm |title=Labour unveils new top official |work=BBC News |date=4 February 2008}} In 2008, he was appointed general secretary of the Scottish Labour Party, succeeding Lesley Quinn.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-19636041 |title=Scottish Labour's Colin Smyth to step down as general secretary |work=BBC News |date=18 September 2012}} In September 2012, Scottish Labour announced that Smyth would step down from the position at the party's conference in the following month.
In 2007, Smyth was elected to Dumfries and Galloway Council, representing the Nith Ward. He was re-elected to this position in 2012.{{cite web |url=http://egenda.dumgal.gov.uk/aksdumgal/users/public/admin/main.pl?op=MemberDetails&keyid=42 |title=Member and Committee Information |publisher=Dumfries and Galloway Council |accessdate=7 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602054347/http://egenda.dumgal.gov.uk/aksdumgal/users/public/admin/main.pl?op=MemberDetails&keyid=42 |archive-date=2 June 2016 |url-status=dead }} In October 2013, a Labour/SNP coalition was formed on Dumfries and Galloway Council{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-24335475|title=Labour join SNP at council helm|date=2013-10-01|access-date=2019-08-18|language=en-GB}} when Smyth was appointed Chair of the Planning, Housing and Environment Committee.
In 2016, Smyth was elected to the Scottish Parliament, as an additional member representing the South Scotland region.{{cite news|date=6 May 2016|title=Election 2016: South Scotland. Scottish Parliament region|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/scotland-regions/S17000015}} He served as Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity under Richard Leonard from 2017 to 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://scottishlabour.org.uk/people/msps/|title=MSPs|website=Scottish Labour|language=en|access-date=2019-08-18}}
Smyth nominated Anas Sarwar in the 2021 Scottish Labour leadership election.{{Cite web|title=Scottish Leadership Election 2021 - Nominations|url=http://scottishlabour.org.uk/people/2021-leadership-election/nominations/|access-date=2021-01-26|website=Scottish Labour|language=en}} After the leadership election, Sarwar appointed Smyth as Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs.{{Cite web|last=Rodgers|first=Sienna|date=1 March 2021|title=Sarwar unveils new 'campaign cabinet' to lead Scottish Labour into election|url=https://labourlist.org/2021/03/sarwar-unveils-new-campaign-cabinet-to-lead-scottish-labour-into-election/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-11|website=LabourList|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301142143/https://labourlist.org/2021/03/sarwar-unveils-new-campaign-cabinet-to-lead-scottish-labour-into-election/ |archive-date=1 March 2021 }}
At the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, Smyth was supported as a Labour Co-operative candidate for the first time.{{cite web |url=https://party.coop/scottish-parliament-2021 |title=Introducing your Scottish Parliament candidate |publisher=Co-operative Party |access-date=16 July 2024}} He contested the constituency seat of Dumfriesshire, but was returned to the Scottish Parliament as a regional list member for South Scotland again.
Smyth backed the UK Government’s decision to introduce means-testing for the Winter Fuel Payment, voting in the Scottish Parliament against calls to reverse the decision.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-08 |title=How every MSP voted as Holyrood rejected the UK's Winter Fuel Payment cut |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/24639083.winter-fuel-payment-cuts-full-list-labour-msps-oppose/ |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=The National |language=en}}
Personal life
Smyth is married to Victoria, an English teacher. Together they have two daughters, Hannah and Evie.{{Cite web|last=Smyth|first=Colin|date=2020-05-19|title=Comment: Colin Smyth MSP on lockdown with a young family|url=https://www.holyrood.com/comment/view,comment-colin-smyth-msp-on-lockdown-with-a-young-family_15525.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922035949/https://www.holyrood.com/comment/view,comment-colin-smyth-msp-on-lockdown-with-a-young-family_15525.htm |archive-date=22 September 2020 |access-date=2021-02-09|website=Holyrood Website|language=en}} He is partly of Northern Irish descent.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{SP-MSP}}
{{SouthScotland MSPs|state=collapsed}}
{{Scottish Labour Party}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smyth, Colin}}
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Scottish Labour councillors
Category:Labour Co-operative MSPs
Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2016–2021
Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2021–2026
Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow
Category:Modern studies teachers
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