Kirsten Oswald

Kirsten Oswald
MP
Member of Parliament
for East Renfrewshire
Assumed office
8 May 2015
Preceded by Jim Murphy
Majority 3,718 (6.6%)
Personal details
Born Kirsten Frances Oswald
(1972-12-21) 21 December 1972
Dundee, Scotland
Political party Scottish National Party
Spouse(s) Davinder Bedi
Alma mater University of Glasgow
Website Campaign website

Kirsten Frances Oswald (born 21 December 1972)[1] is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. She has been the Member of Parliament MP for East Renfrewshire since May 2015.[2]

Biography

Kirsten Oswald was born in Dundee and grew up in Carnoustie where she attended Carnoustie High School. She attended Glasgow University where she studied History. She moved to East Renfrewshire with her husband and two sons in 2008. Her mother is Helen Oswald, Provost of Angus.[3]

Oswald was head of Human Resources at South Lanarkshire College for 12 years.[4] She became active in the Scottish National Party during the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, serving on the committee of her local Women for Independence group where she was responsible for local food bank collections.[5]

2015 Westminster election

On 30 January 2015, it was announced that Oswald would stand as the SNP candidate for the Westminster constituency of East Renfrewshire in the 2015 May election.[6] During her campaign, she was criticised for sending letters to Conservative voters asking for their support to beat Labour. Oswald stated that her letters served to contrast voter values with negative campaign tactics from the Conservatives that focused on keeping the SNP out of power.[7][8]

She won the vote with a majority of 3,718, taking the seat from Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy.[9][10]

References

  1. ↑ Birth certificate of Kirsten Frances Oswald, 21 December 1972, Dundee District 3928/24 2934 – National Records of Scotland
  2. ↑ "List of Members returned to Parliament at the General Election 2015 Scotland". The Edinburgh Gazette. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  3. ↑ "Carnoustie Lady Aims for Westminster", The Guide and Gazette, 30 April 2015, retrieved 8 May 2015
  4. ↑ Burns, Janice. "Meet Your New Scottish MPs: #4 Kirsten Oswald, East Renfrewshire". The National. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "General election 2015: the winners and losers". The Guardian. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "Kirsten Oswald to stand for Scottish National Party", Barrhead News, 30 January 2015, retrieved 8 May 2015
  7. ↑ "SNP candidate sparks row after asking Tories to help her claim Jim Murphy's scalp". The Herald. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  8. ↑ "SNP candidate asks Tory voters to help beat Labour". The Scotsman. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  9. ↑ UK prediction results - Renfrewshire East Parliamentary constituency, bbc.co.uk
  10. ↑ "How election was won north & south of the border". The Scotsman. Retrieved 10 May 2015.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Jim Murphy		 Member of Parliament
for East Renfrewshire
2015–present 		Incumbent
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