Ian Davidson (Scottish politician)
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| Ian Davidson MP | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 May 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Jimmy Dunnachie |
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Member of Parliament
for Glasgow Govan |
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| In office 9 April 1992 – 1 May 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Sillars |
| Succeeded by | Mohammad Sarwar |
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| Born | 8 September 1950 Jedburgh |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Political party | Labour Co-operative |
| Alma mater | Galashiels Academy |
Ian Graham Davidson (born 8 September 1950, Jedburgh) is a Scottish Labour Party politician, and Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament for Glasgow South West. Davidson previously worked as a Community Service Manager and for a Labour Member of the European Parliament.
He has been an MP since 1992, originally for the seat of Glasgow Govan, and after major boundary changes for Glasgow Pollok from 1997-2005. After major boundary changes across Scotland, Davidson stood in the 2005 general election for the new constituency of Glasgow South West, where he won the second biggest swing to Labour in Scotland. He is a member of the Public Accounts Select Committee and has lobbied to support the Scottish shipbuilding industry. He is also secretary of the influential Trade Union Group of Labour MPs.
Like his colleague and friend, Dennis Canavan, he was rejected as a candidate for the Scottish Parliament by the Labour Party, and has felt free to criticise the government since. In 2002 he criticised Prince Michael of Kent for 'squatting' in Kensington Palace and has more recently criticised the Prince of Wales over his personal finances. He was the chair of Labour Against the Euro before it ceased campaigning following the decision of Gordon Brown that the five economic tests for UK to join the euro had not been met in 2003.
During the debate in the House of Commons over the decision whether to have a referendum over the EU Treaty of Lisbon (5th March 2008), Davidson drew jeers from his Labour colleagues after branding New Labour supporters "Maoists and Trotskyists". Davidson was putting forward the case for disobeying the party line and voting for a referendum.
He is now chair of the Centre for a Social Europe, a pro-EU but mildly sceptic left-of-centre think tank. He has been a member of the Scotland Office Select Committee since the 2005 General Election.
From 1973 to 1974, Davidson was Chair of the National Organisation of Labour Students.[1]
[edit] External links
- ePolitix - Ian Davidson official site
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Ian Davidson MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Ian Davidson MP
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jim Sillars |
Member of Parliament for Glasgow Govan 1992–1997 |
Succeeded by Mohammad Sarwar |
| Preceded by Jimmy Dunnachie |
Member of Parliament for Glasgow Pollok 1997–2005 |
Succeeded by constituency abolished |
| Preceded by new constituency |
Member of Parliament for Glasgow South West 2005 – present |
Incumbent |
