Natalie McGarry

Natalie McGarry (born 1981) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) activist in Scotland and convener of the party's Glasgow Region Association.[1][2]

A co-founder of the Women for Independence group,[3] McGarry is a prominent figure in the SNP and has appeared on several current affairs programmes as a commentator, including STV's Scotland Tonight. She is currently standing as the SNP candidate for Glasgow East in the 2015 General Election.[4][5]

Personal life

Born and raised in Inverkeithing in Fife, McGarry studied law at the University of Aberdeen and works as a policy adviser for a voluntary sector organisation.[6][7]

McGarry's mother, Alice McGarry, has been a councillor in Fife since 1986. Her aunt is Tricia Marwick, the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.[8]

Political career

McGarry, who had never classed herself as a feminist, was among activists who set up Women for Independence in 2012. She told the Herald it was created "over a glass of wine" with former SSP MSP Carolyn Leckie as its main driving force.[9] Explaining the decision, she said: "We came together because a group of us arrived at the conclusion, individually, that women's voices were missing from both sides of the referendum debate."[10]

At the SNP's annual conference in 2012, McGarry argued on the losing side of the Nato debate in the Scottish National Party, stating that opposition "is not merely about nuclear weapons" and calling for the SNP to retain its opposition to Nato membership.[11]

Already a well-known activist, McGarry's profile in the SNP increased when she was selected as the party's candidate for the 2014 Cowdenbeath by-election. She had previously sought selection as an SNP candidate in the 2014 European Parliament election, but failed.[12] McGarry failed to win the by-election, netting 5,704 votes (28.4%).[13] A year later, she was selected to contest Glasgow East in the 2015 General Election.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Natalie McGarry: Time for female views to be heard". The Scotsman. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Glasgow SNP - Scottish Independence - SNP in Glasgow". Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "Why is the Scottish independence debate dominated by men?". New Statesman. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "SNP and Tory candidates revealed". Evening Times. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "First Minister backs calls to stamp out sexism in election campaign". The Herald. 1 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "Labour goes for experience to rebuild party base in Falkirk". The Herald. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "Gordon Brown: independence threatens future of Rosyth dockyard". The Herald. 8 January 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  8. ↑ "Nat for Europe!". Dunfermline Press. 31 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "You know what? I've made up my mind. This advert is rubbish". The Herald. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  10. ↑ "New women's group aims to close gender gap and boost support for Yes campaign". The Herald. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  11. ↑ 19 SNP Conference 2012 NATO - Natalie McGarry. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "Natalie for Europe". Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  13. ↑ "Labour wins Cowdenbeath seat in by-election". The Targe. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.