Stuart McDonald (Scottish politician)

Not to be confused with Stewart McDonald, the SNP MP for Glasgow South since 2015; or with Stewart MacDonald, a Scottish Labour member of East Dunbartonshire Council; or with Stuart McDonald (Australian politician).

Stuart McDonald
Official portrait, 2020
SNP Justice and Immigration Spokesperson in the House of Commons
In office
10 December 2022 – 4 September 2023
LeaderStephen Flynn
Preceded byAnne McLaughlin
Succeeded byChris Stephens
SNP Home Affairs Spokesperson in the House of Commons
In office
1 February 2021 – 10 December 2022
LeaderIan Blackford
Preceded byJoanna Cherry
Succeeded byAlison Thewliss
SNP Spokesperson for Immigration & Attorney General in the House of Commons
In office
20 May 2015 – 1 February 2021
LeaderAngus Robertson
Ian Blackford
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byAnne McLaughlin (Immigration)
Angela Crawley (Attorney General)
Member of Parliament
for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
In office
7 May 2015 – 30 May 2024
Preceded byGregg McClymont
Succeeded byKatrina Murray
Personal details
Born
Stuart Campbell McDonald

(1978-05-02) 2 May 1978 (age 46)
Glasgow, Scotland
Political partyScottish National Party
Alma materUniversity of Edinburgh

Stuart Campbell McDonald (born 2 May 1978) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East constituency since 2015.[1] A member of the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, he previously served as the SNP Spokesperson for Justice and Immigration from 2022 to 2023.[2][3] He served as the SNP Shadow Home Secretary from 2021 to 2022. He was the SNP Spokesperson on Immigration, Asylum and Border Control from 2015 to 2021.

He was first elected at the general election in May 2015, unseating incumbent Labour MP and Shadow Pensions Minister, Gregg McClymont. McDonald is the first SNP MP to represent Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East (Margaret Bain was MP for Dumbartonshire East which covered Cumbernauld in the early-1970s), which covers parts of the North Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire council areas.

Early life and career before politics

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Raised in Milton of Campsie, McDonald attended Kilsyth Academy between 1990 and 1996. He studied at the University of Edinburgh between 1996 and 2001, where he graduated from with a 2:1 Bachelor of Law (Hons), and a Diploma in Legal Practice. During his time at the University of Edinburgh, McDonald studied European and Comparative Law while on an ERASMUS year at the University of Leuven, between 1997 and 1998.[4][5]

After graduating from university, McDonald worked as a Legal Trainee with Simpson and Marwick Solicitors, between October 2001 and July 2003, before he went to work for NHS Scotland's Central Legal Office, as a Solicitor – a position he held between July 2003 and November 2005.[6] In November 2005, McDonald began working for the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS), as a Human Rights Solicitor – a job he held until November 2009, when he became a Senior Researcher at the Scottish Parliament.

He left his position at the Scottish Parliament in February 2013, to become a Senior Researcher for the pro-independence Scottish independence referendum campaign Yes Scotland, a position he held until the independence referendum on 18 September 2014.[7] Immediately prior to his election, McDonald worked as a Parliamentary and Public Affairs Officer for the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, a Glasgow-based charity.[8]

Member of Parliament (2015–present)

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McDonald was officially selected unopposed as the SNP candidate, in December 2014, for the constituency which he has described as his "home patch".[9][10] He went on to win Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East in the 2015 UK Parliamentary Election with 59.9% of the vote, and a majority of 14,752.[11][12]

Following his election, McDonald became the SNP's Spokesperson on Immigration, Asylum and Border Control, building on his previous experience as an immigration lawyer.[13]

McDonald is gay and, on 19 May 2015, gathered with other LGBT SNP MPs, including his near-namesake Stewart McDonald, to campaign for a Yes vote in the Irish referendum on same-sex marriage, being held 3 days later.[14]

McDonald is a Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Choice at the End of Life.[15]

McDonald topped the backbenchers' ballot for private members bills in 2023 which allowed him to introduce 'The Neonatal Care Leave and Pay Act' later passed by parliament. This will provide paid leave of up to 12 weeks to parents of newborn babies who are taken into hospital for a week or more before they reach their 28th day, regardless of whether they were premature or full-term.[16] The chief executive of the charity Bliss Caroline Lee-Davey, said "this will make a huge difference to around 60,000 parents every year, and to their babies, it will relieve the additional stress of having to juggle looking after a critically ill baby in hospital with work, ease some of the financial pressure and, by allowing parents to be more involved in their babies' care, improve the health outcomes of premature and sick babies."[17]

In April 2023 the SNP executive appointed him as national treasurer of the SNP replacing Colin Beattie who resigned.[18]

References

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  1. ^ "List of Members returned to Parliament at the General Election 2015 Scotland". The Edinburgh Gazette. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  2. ^ SNP, the (10 December 2022). "The real opposition: meet your new SNP Westminster Frontbench". Scottish National Party. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  3. ^ "SNP announces frontbench reshuffle at Westminster". BBC News. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  4. ^ "'About Me' section of Stuart McDonald's official Facebook page". Facebook.
  5. ^ Stuart McDonald's CV from Democracy Club
  6. ^ "McDonald, Stuart Campbell". Mc Donald, Stuart Campbell, (Born 2 May 1978), MP (SNP) Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East, since 2015. Who's Who. 2015. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u283936.
  7. ^ Coman, Julian (10 November 2013). "Could an independent Scotland be just what northern England needs?". The Observer. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  8. ^ CRER Scotland official Twitter page
  9. ^ "SNP choose candidate for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East ward at UK general election". Kirkintilloch Herald. Johnston Press. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  10. ^ Campbell, Scott (10 December 2014). "SNP announce Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East candidate". Cumbernauld Media. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  11. ^ 2015 General Election results from North Lanarkshire Council website
  12. ^ "Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East results". BBC News Online. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  13. ^ "2015 SNP confirms group roles". SNP Press Office. 20 May 2015. Archived from the original on 21 May 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  14. ^ ""The Gayest Group in Westminster" is urging Ireland to vote Yes to same-sex marriage". BuzzFeed. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  15. ^ "Members". The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Choice at the End of Life. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  16. ^ Paterson, Kirsteen (26 February 2024). "Stuart McDonald MP: The SNP's money man on party fortunes and winning new pay rights for parents". Holyrood Magazine. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  17. ^ Paterson, Kirsteen (26 February 2024). "Stuart McDonald MP: The SNP's money man on party fortunes and winning new pay rights for parents". Holyrood Magazine. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  18. ^ "SNP appoint MP Stuart McDonald as new treasurer after Beattie resignation". BBC News. 22 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
2015–2024 		Succeeded by
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