Heather Anderson (politician)
{{short description|Scottish politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Heather Anderson
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
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| constituency_MP = Scotland
| term_start = 27 January 2020
| term_end = 31 January 2020
| predecessor = Alyn Smith
| successor = Constituency abolished
| parliament = European
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|1|31|df=y}}
| birth_place = Dundee, Scotland
| death_date =
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| nationality = Scottish
| party = Scottish National Party
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| profession = Farmer
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Heather Anderson (born 31 January 1959) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who briefly served as the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Scotland constituency in late January 2020.{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Alyn|date=January 8, 2020|title=Fighting the good fight for Scotland|url=https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/opinion/fighting-good-fight-scotland|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=The Parliament Magazine}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/204371/HEATHER_ANDERSON/home|title=Home | Heather ANDERSON | MEPs | European Parliament|website=www.europarl.europa.eu}}
Political career
Anderson was first elected as a councillor for the Tweeddale West ward at the 2017 Scottish Borders Council election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/info/20071/election_results/286/local_government_election_results_2017|title=Local government election results 2017|first=Scottish Borders|last=Council|website=www.scotborders.gov.uk}}{{Cite web|last=Kelly|first=Paul|date=30 December 2019|title=Borders councillor to take on MEP's role for matter of weeks|url=https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/politics/borders-councillor-take-meps-role-matter-weeks-1351802|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-04|website=www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk|language=en}}
She was originally placed fifth on the Scottish National Party list for the 2019 European Parliament election, in which the party won three seats. However, following the election to the UK House of Commons of first-placed Alyn Smith at the 2019 United Kingdom general election, he ceased to be an MEP, since an individual cannot serve as a representative in both a member state's legislature and the European Parliament.{{Cite news|date=2020-01-28|title=New Scottish MEP sworn in - for four days|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-51284842|access-date=2020-09-04}} Fourth-placed Margaret Ferrier was also elected to the UK parliament at the same election. This made Anderson eligible for the newly vacant SNP seat,{{Cite web|last=Davidson|first=Jenni|date=December 17, 2019|title=Heather Anderson to replace Alyn Smith as SNP MEP until Brexit|url=https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,heather-anderson-to-replace-alyn-smith-as-snp-mep-until-brexit_14883.htm|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Holyrood Website}}{{Cite web|last=Hannan|first=Martin|date=22 December 2019|title=New SNP MEP: Scotland is merely in temporary exile over Brexit|url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/18118241.snp-councillor-heather-anderson-scotland-merely-temporary-exile/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=The National}} which she took up on 27 January 2020. She would, however, serve as an MEP for only four days, until 31 January when the Brexit process completed.{{Cite web|last=Allegretti|first=Aubrey|date=28 January 2020|title=New Scottish MEP Heather Anderson starts role four days before Brexit|url=https://news.sky.com/story/new-scottish-mep-heather-anderson-starts-role-four-days-before-brexit-11920294|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-04|website=Sky News|language=en}}
At the 2022 Scottish local elections, Anderson stood as councillor for the SNP in Dundee City Council. She was elected, winning her seat in the Coldside Ward at first preference with 31.1% of the vote.
Personal life
Anderson is an organic farmer who owns her own produce and butcher's shop in the Scottish Borders.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/204371/HEATHER_ANDERSON/history/9 European Parliament Page]
{{SNP MEPs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Heather}}
Category:21st-century women MEPs for Scotland
Category:Councillors in Scotland
Category:MEPs for Scotland 2019–2020
Category:Politicians from Dundee
Category:Scottish National Party councillors