Paul Monaghan

Paul Monaghan
MP
Member of Parliament
for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Assumed office
7 May 2015
Preceded by John Thurso
Majority 3,844 (11.2%)
Personal details
Born (1966-11-11) 11 November 1966
Montrose, Scotland
Political party Scottish National Party
Spouse(s) Stephanie Anderson
Children Sian
Alma mater University of Stirling

Paul William Monaghan (born 1966) is a Scottish National Party politician who is currently the Member of Parliament (MP) for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross.

He was elected to the House of Commons in 2015, polling 15,831 individual votes or 46.3% of the cast vote, defeating the long-term incumbent Liberal Democrat MP John Thurso by 3,844 votes.[1]

Monaghan was the founder of the Yes Highland campaign which supported a Yes vote in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.

Early life and education

Monaghan was born in Montrose, before moving to Inverness at the age of two with his family. He was educated at Inverness Royal Academy and at the University of Stirling, where he gained a first class honours degree in Psychology and Sociology and a PhD in Social Policy. He is a Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management.[2]

Employment

In the mid-nineties, he was employed with his family-run care home, the Balmoral Lodge Eventide Residential Home at Strathpeffer. The care home was deregistered in June 1995.[3] Prior to this several of the twenty members of staff had left or were suspended before then making complaints.[3] The police had investigated a complaint and released a statement that nothing of a criminal nature was revealed.[3] The council's Registration Panel had met in private and had not revealed any misconduct, however following this social workers had moved into the home to take over the care of the 21 residents.[4]

He was employed as Head of Planning and Development at Northern Constabulary. In 2008, he had been detained as part of the force's investigation into an email that contained disparaging comments relating to a shake-up of the organisation.[5] After six years working for the force, this triggered his resignation.[6]

Management

Monaghan is a board member of UHI North Highland College,[7] He is also a director of the Highland Homeless Trust.[8]

Political career

Monaghan joined the Scottish National Party in 1994 and has held various roles within their Wester Ross branch.

His constituency includes the Vulcan Nuclear Research Testing Establishment which houses the prototype nuclear propulsion plants of the type operated by the Royal Navy in its submarine fleet. As part of his election campaign, he advocated the decommissioning of Royal Navy nuclear submarines at this site. It was reported that he did not want "submarines polluting the waters of the Firth of Forth".[9]

As of June 2015, he is one of 125 MPs who employ a member of their family; he employs his brother as a communications manager.[10]

Offensive language

Monaghan was revealed in 2015 as having previously posted offensive comments on twitter relating to the British flag and royal family.[11][12] Monaghan was also revealed to have posted comments in 2012 accusing "the proud Jewish race" of persecuting Palestinians, claiming such treatment was reminiscent of the Nazis. These comments led to accusations of antisemitism from the Jewish Chronicle. After being contacted in 2015 about the posts Monaghan, by then an MP, deleted them and issued an apology.[13]

Personal life

Monaghan lives in Contin, Ross-Shire with his wife and daughter.

References

  1. ↑ "Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross Parliamentary constituency". BBC. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  2. ↑ Munro, Ally (8 May 2015). "SNP win Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross". The Scotsman (Johnston Press). Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 "Social workers move in to care home after abuse claims". The Herald (Glasgow). 21 June 1995. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  4. ↑ Peterkin, Tom; Maddox, David (4 October 2015). "SNP selection under fire over second MP". The Scotsman. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "Exclusive: Police probe their own policy expert over email". The Daily Record. 1 August 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "Adviser to chief constable on e-mail charge", The Herald, Glasgow, 22 December 2008.
  7. ↑ "SNP select candidate to fight Easter Ross seat at Westminster". Ross-shire Journal. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  8. ↑ "Scottish young homeless 'subclass' warning". BBC News. 7 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "We have skills to decommission nuclear subs" John o' Groat Journal North of Scotland Newspapers, 1 May 2015.
  10. ↑ Mason, Rowena (29 June 2015). "Keeping it in the family: new MPs continue to hire relatives as staff". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  11. ↑ Roden, Alan (4 September 2015). "SNP MP exposed as a 'pathetic' internet troll who attacked the Royal Family and branded the Union Flag Britain's 'butcher's apron'". Daily Mail.
  12. ↑ Hardman, Isabel (5 September 2015). "Why won’t the SNP discipline Paul Monaghan over offensive tweets?". The Spectator.
  13. ↑ Dysch, Marcus (2 September 2015). "Scottish MP Paul Monaghan apologises over antisemitic tweet". The Jewish Chronicle.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John Thurso		 Member of Parliament
for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
2015–present 		Incumbent
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