Andrew Welsh (politician)

Andrew Paton Welsh DL (born 19 April 1944 in Glasgow)[1] is a Scottish politician. He was the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament (MP) for South Angus from 1974–1979, East Angus from 1987–1997 and Angus from 1997–2001. He was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the constituency of Angus 1999–2011.

Andrew Welsh
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Angus
In office
6 May 1999 – 22 March 2011
Preceded bynew constituency
Majority8,243 (25.8%)
Member of the UK Parliament
for Angus
East Angus (1987–1997)
In office
11 June 1987 – 14 May 2001
Preceded byPeter Fraser
Succeeded byMichael Weir
Member of the UK Parliament
for South Angus
In office
10 October 1974 – 3 May 1979
Preceded byJock Bruce-Gardyne
Succeeded byPeter Fraser
Personal details
Born (1944-04-19) 19 April 1944
Glasgow, Scotland
Political partyScottish National Party
Alma materGlasgow University

Early life

He was educated at Govan High School and the University of Glasgow. Welsh worked as a teacher before he became a politician.[2]

Parliamentary career

House of Commons

Welsh contested Central Dunbartonshire in February 1974.

He was elected to South Angus in the October 1974. Following the election he was announced as the SNP's spokesperson on housing.[3] East Angus from 1987 to 1997 and Angus from 1997 to 2001.[1]

Scottish Parliament

In June 1998, he was announced as a SNP candidate for the newly formed Scottish Parliament in the elections that would take place the following year.[4] Welsh was elected the first Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Scottish Parliament constituency of Angus in May 1999.[5] He was appointed to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) during first years of the Parliament, when the various systems within the Parliament needed to be set up.[6] He served on the SPCB until January 2006,[7][8] making him the longest serving member of that body. He was Convener of the Finance Committee from June 2007 to March 2011. Andrew Welsh retired as an MSP when his term ended on 22 March 2011, ahead of the 2011 election.[9][10]

Outside Parliament

From 1984 until 1987, he served as the Provost of Angus,[6] the leader of Angus District Council and served on the Governing Court of the University of Dundee. Before being re-elected to the House of Commons at the 1987 General Election, he worked as a Senior Lecturer in Business Administration at Arbroath College in Angus.

A fluent speaker of French and Chinese (clarification required), he is an elder of the Church of Scotland in Arbroath, where he lives with his wife and daughter.

Previous positions
  • SNP spokesperson, local government, housing and education (1997–2005)
  • SNP chief whip (1989–1997)
  • SNP chief whip (1978–1979)
  • SNP deputy chief whip (1976–1977)
  • SNP spokesperson, agriculture (1976–1979)
  • SNP spokesperson, self-employed and small businesses (1975–1979)
  • SNP spokesperson, local government (1974–1978)
  • SNP spokesperson, housing (1974–1978)

Honours and awards

In May 2012, Welsh became a freeman of the County of Angus.[11] In January 2013, he was announced as a Deputy Lieutenant for Angus.[11]

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References
  1. "HANSARD 1803–2005: People (W): Mr Andrew Welsh". Hansard. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  2. Urquhart, Frank (29 March 2013). "Former SNP MP Andrew Welsh named Freeman of Angus". The Scotsman. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  3. Clark, William (15 October 1974). "SNP to press Labour on assembly pledge". The Herald. p. 14. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  4. "UK Politics: SNP names Scots parliament candidates". BBC News. 16 June 1998.
  5. "Previous MSPs: Session 1 (12 May 1999-31 March 2003): Andrew Welsh". Scottish Parliament. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  6. "Angus MSP Andrew Welsh to retire". STV News. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  7. "MSP Margo in bid to join the management". The Scotsman. 12 January 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  8. "Previous MSPs: Session 2 (1 May 2003-2 April 2007): Andrew Welsh". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  9. "Previous MSPs: Session 3 (3 May 2007-22 March 2011): Andrew Welsh". Scottish Parliament. 26 April 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  10. "Former SNP bright lights say no to Holyrood comeback". The Scotsman. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  11. "New deputies for the county of Angus". Forfar Dispatch. 10 January 2013. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Jock Bruce-Gardyne		 Member of Parliament for South Angus
October 1974 – 1979		 Succeeded by
Peter Fraser
Preceded by
Peter Fraser		 Member of Parliament for East Angus
1987–1997		 Constituency abolished
New constituency Member of Parliament for Angus
1997–2001		 Succeeded by
Michael Weir
Scottish Parliament
Preceded by
Constituency created		 Member of the Scottish Parliament for Angus
1999–2011		 Succeeded by
Constituency abolished
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