Alan Brown (Scottish politician)
Alan Brown | |
|---|---|
 Brown in 2019 | |
| SNP Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change | |
| Assumed office 7 January 2020 | |
| Leader | Ian Blackford |
| Preceded by | Callum McCaig |
| SNP Shadow Secretary of State for Transport | |
| In office 20 June 2017 – 7 January 2020 | |
| Leader | Ian Blackford |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Gavin Newlands |
| SNP Spokesperson on Infrastructure and Energy | |
| In office 20 June 2017 – 1 July 2018 | |
| Leader | Ian Blackford |
| Preceded by | Drew Hendry |
| Succeeded by | Ronnie Cowan |
| Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock and Loudoun | |
| Assumed office 7 May 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Cathy Jamieson |
| Majority | 12,659 (26.5%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 August 1970 Newmilns, Scotland |
| Political party | Scottish National Party |
| Children | 2 sons |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
| Website | Official website |
Alan Brown (born 12 August 1970) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kilmarnock and Loudoun since 2015.[1] Brown served as the SNP Shadow Secretary of State for Transport from 2017 to 2020 and was the SNP Infrastructure and Energy Spokesperson in the House of Commons from 2017 to 2018.[2] He has served as the SNP Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change since 2020.[3]
Background and education
Brown was born on 12 August 1970 to parents Eric and Irene in Kilmarnock; Brown has lived there all his life.[4] He attended his local primary school and Loudoun Academy. He subsequently attended Glasgow University, where he graduated with an honours degree in civil engineering.[5] He worked, both in the public and private sectors, as a Civil engineer.[5] He is a lifelong supporter of Kilmarnock Football Club.
Political career
Councillor
He was first elected as a SNP councillor in the 2007 East Ayrshire Council election for the Irvine Valley ward, topping the poll with 1,497 first preferences. He was re-elected in the 2012 East Ayrshire Council election, taking the second seat on this occasion with 1,252 first preferences but again exceeding the quota. A senior figure in the SNP delegation, he has held positions Housing and Strategic Planning & Resources.[6]
Member of Parliament (2015–present)
General election, 2015
Brown was selected to contest the Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency for the Scottish National Party at the 2015 general election and received 30,000 votes (a 55.7% share); defeating the sitting Labour MP, Cathy Jamieson. The first Scottish seat to be declared on election night, the seat was the first of fifty SNP net gains made at that year's general election.[7] He made his maiden speech on 22 June, in which he quoted the poem Is There for Honest Poverty by Robert Burns.[8][9]
In 2016, Brown was one of 58 Scottish MPs who voted against the renewal of the UK's Trident nuclear programme. He claimed the programme had not served as a deterrent and that each job created through it cost the UK taxpayer £6.5 million.[10][11]
Brown has revealed that Hansard reporters in Parliament often ask him to provide written 'translations'' of his questions to the Commons due to his thick Ayrshire accent being difficult to understand. Even so, he has said he would not alter his accent because his constituents “know me locally and know how I talk, they would actually question what was happening if my accent changed when I came down to Westminster”.[12][13][14][15]
General election, 2017
Despite the SNP losing seats and support at the 2017 general election, Brown was re-elected as MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun with a majority of 6,269 votes.[16]
Frontbencher
On 20 June 2017, Brown was appointed to the Frontbench Team of Ian Blackford as the SNP spokesperson on Transport, Infrastructure and Energy in the Palace of Westminster.[2] In 2019 during a reshuffle, Brown was appointed to the role of SNP spokesperson on Energy and Climate Change by Iain Blackford.[17]
Brown also held the position of spokesperson for the SNP in Westminster for Transport, a position held from 2017 until 2020. Brown currently sits on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee within the House of Commons.[18]
General election, 2019
Brown contested the parliamentary seat of Kilmarnock and Loudoun in the 2019 general election. Brown won the election, receiving a majority of 12,659 based on a 63.9% voter turnout within the constituency.[19]
Personal life
Brown is married and has two sons.[5]
References
- ^ "Kilmarnock & Loudoun Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Alan Brown MP".
- ^ https://members.parliament.uk/member/4470/career
- ^ "Alan Brown as SNP MP for Kilmarnock & Loudoun".
- ^ a b c Burns, Janice (1 June 2015). "Meet your new Scottish MPs: #17 Alan Brown, Kilmarnock and Loudoun". The National. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ^ Brown, Alan. "Cllr Alan Brown". SNP Party Website. SNP. Archived from the original on 28 April 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ^ "Kilmarnock and Loudoun". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
- ^ "Local MP makes maiden speech at Westminster". Cumnock Chronicle. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ "Education and Adoption Bill - Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ Russell, Ian (20 July 2016). "MP Alan Brown says decision to renew Trident was "extremely disappointing"". dailyrecord. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ Association, Press (19 July 2016). "How your MP voted on Trident". the Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ "Scottish MP Alan Brown says ministers don't understand his thick accent". Sky News. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ "SNP MP Alan Brown claims Scots accent confuses parliament". TotalPolitics.com. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ "SNP MP reveals struggle to be understood in Parliament". Holyrood Magazine. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ PoliticsHome.com (3 April 2017). "SNP MP reveals struggle to be understood in Parliament". PoliticsHome.com. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ "Kilmarnock and Loudoun re-elects Alan Brown as MP on night of shocks". 9 June 2017.
- ^ https://members.parliament.uk/member/4470/career
- ^ Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee
- ^ https://members.parliament.uk/member/4470/electionresult
