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David Linden (politician)

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David Linden
MSP
Official portrait, 2019
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 May 2026
Preceded byconstituency established
Majority5,103 (18.9%)
SNP Spokesperson for Social Justice in the House of Commons
In office
10 December 2022 – 5 July 2024
LeaderStephen Flynn
Preceded byKirsty Blackman
SNP Spokesperson for Work and Pensions in the House of Commons
In office
1 February 2021 – 29 March 2022
LeaderIan Blackford
Preceded byNeil Gray
Succeeded byKirsty Blackman
SNP Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government in the House of Commons
In office
7 January 2020 – 1 February 2021
LeaderIan Blackford
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byPatricia Gibson
Member of Parliament
for Glasgow East
In office
8 June 2017 – 30 May 2024
Preceded byNatalie McGarry
Succeeded byJohn Grady
Personal details
BornDavid Melvyn Linden
(1990-05-14) 14 May 1990 (age 35)[1]
Glasgow, Scotland
PartyScottish National Party

David Melvyn Linden[2] (born 14 May 1990) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow East from the 2017 General Election until May 2024.[3] He served as the SNP Spokesperson for Work and Pensions from 2021 to 2022 and the Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government in the House of Commons from 2020 to 2021.

Early life and education

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David Linden was born on 14 May 1990 in Glasgow, Scotland.[4] He grew up in Cranhill and Garrowhill,[5] and was educated at Milncroft Primary School, Garrowhill Primary School and then Bannerman High School in Baillieston.[6][7][8] He left school at the age of 16 and undertook an apprenticeship in Business Administration with Glasgow City Council.[9] He worked for Glasgow Credit Union for two years.[10]

Political career

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Linden was the national convenor for the youth wing of the Scottish National Party, SNP Youth and campaigned for Scottish independence in the 2014 independence referendum. Linden worked as a researcher for John Mason MSP.[11] Between 2015 and 2017, he worked as a parliamentary assistant for Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central.[12]

At the 2017 general election, Linden was elected as MP for Glasgow East with 38.8% of the vote and a majority of 75 votes.[12][13][14][15]

Linden voted for the United Kingdom to remain within the EU during the 2016 UK EU membership referendum. In the indicative votes on 27 March 2019, he voted for a referendum on a Brexit withdrawal agreement.[16]

At the 2019 general election, Linden was re-elected as MP for Glasgow East with an increased vote share of 47.7% and an increased majority of 5,566.[17][18][19][20]

During his time in Parliament, Linden chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Premature and Sick Babies as well as the APPG on Nutrition for Growth.[21]

In November 2020, Linden was reprimanded for using taxpayer's money to send 200 birthday cards to children turning 18, using prepaid envelopes embossed with a Westminster logo. A parliamentary inquiry said he had used them to promote himself and ordered him to pay back £147.34 in postage. Linden admitted he had breached the parliamentary code of conduct.[22]

In November 2021, the defence secretary, Ben Wallace, accused a delegation of MPs, including Linden, of conduct that "put military personnel in a difficult position" after drinking in an airport departure lounge and once in the air during a visit to Gibraltar-based soldiers. They were also accused of being impolite to airport staff. An SNP spokesman denied the allegations, describing them as "false".[23]

In October 2023, Linden was re-selected as the SNP candidate for Glasgow East at the 2024 general election.[24] He was defeated in his bid for re-election, and lost his seat to John Grady of the Labour Party.

Linden was the SNP candidate for the Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston constituency at the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.[25] He was elected constituency MSP.[26]

Electoral record

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General election 2024: Glasgow East[27][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Grady 15,543 43.8 +10.4
SNP David Linden 11,759 33.2 −15.5
Green Amy Kettyles 2,727 7.7 +6.3
Reform Donnie McLeod 2,371 6.7 +6.6
Conservative Thomas Kerr 1,707 4.8 −7.5
Liberal Democrats Matthew Clark 872 2.5 −1.6
Scottish Socialist Liam McLaughlan 466 1.3 New
Majority 3,784 10.6 N/A
Turnout 35,445 51.4 −7.6
Registered electors 68,988
Labour gain from SNP Swing +13.0
General election 2019: Glasgow East[29][30][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP David Linden 18,357 47.7 +8.9
Labour Kate Watson 12,791 33.2 −5.4
Conservative Thomas Kerr 5,709 14.8 −4.0
Liberal Democrats James Harrison 1,626 4.2 +2.6
Majority 5,566 14.5 +14.3
Turnout 38,483 57.1 +2.5
SNP hold Swing +7.1
General election 2017: Glasgow East[31][32][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP David Linden 14,024 38.8 −18.1
Labour Kate Watson 13,949 38.6 +6.2
Conservative Thomas Kerr 6,816 18.8 +12.8
Liberal Democrats Matthew Clark 567 1.6 +0.9
UKIP John Ferguson 502 1.4 −1.2
Independent Karin Finegan 158 0.4 New
SDP Steven Marshall 148 0.4 New
Majority 75 0.2 −24.3
Turnout 36,175 54.6 −5.7
SNP hold Swing −12.2

Post-parliamentary career

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Following his defeat at the 2024 UK General Election, Linden was appointed as Senior Director of Public Affairs at the Good Faith Partnership, and later as managing director at management consultancy firm Milncroft Limited.[25]

Personal life

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Linden is the father to two children with his first wife, Roslyn, whom he married in 2012.[33] As of September 2021, Linden is in a relationship with Labour Party MP Cat Smith.[34]

In his spare time, Linden enjoys fishing, and is a fan of Airdrieonians Football Club.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "Members' Names Data Platform query". UK Parliament. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  2. ^ "No. 27885". The Edinburgh Gazette. 19 June 2017. p. 1077.
  3. ^ Kathleen Speirs (9 June 2017). "Glasgow's two new MPs – everything you need to know". Glasgow Live. MGN. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  4. ^ Linden, David. A & C Black. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U289519. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  5. ^ "Glasgow's two new MPs – everything you need to know". Glasgow Live. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  6. ^ "GE2017 Essential Candidates" (PDF). DeHavilland. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  7. ^ Sim, Philip (16 June 2017). "First week at work for Scotland's new MPs". BBC News. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Primary Schools". Cranhill Primary School. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  9. ^ Paterson, Kirsteen (20 June 2017). "New SNP MP David Linden: Vote count was as nerve-wracking as my son's birth". The National.
  10. ^ "Welfare Reform and Work Act". Hansard. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  11. ^ Currie, Brian (3 November 2011). "New smear tactics claim against SNP". The Herald. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  12. ^ a b Rodger, Hannah (10 June 2017). "Election 2017: Meet Glasgow's new boys in town". The Herald. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  13. ^ Glasgow Young Scot, 20 Trongate (11 May 2017). "General Election 2017 – Glasgow candidates announced". Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Glasgow East parliamentary constituency – Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  15. ^ a b "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
  16. ^ "How MPs voted on May's withdrawal deal defeat". Financial Times. 29 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019.
  17. ^ "Glasgow East parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  18. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Glasgow East parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  20. ^ a b "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis" (PDF). London: House of Commons Library. 28 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Biography". David Linden MP. 7 October 2020. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  22. ^ "Rectification" (PDF). 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Three MPs accused of drunken conduct on armed forces Gibraltar trip". the Guardian. 11 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  24. ^ "SNP MP David Linden beats Alison Thewliss to win Glasgow East nomination". 12 October 2023.
  25. ^ a b Crowther, Zoe (6 July 2025). "One Year After The General Election: Where Are Former MPs Now?". PoliticsHome. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  26. ^ Hilley, Sarah (4 May 2026). "What you need to know for election if you live in Baillieston and Shettleston". Glasgow Live. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  27. ^ "Westminster Elections 2024 – Glasgow East". Glasgow City Council. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  28. ^ "Glasgow East results". BBC News. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  29. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  30. ^ "Glasgow East parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  31. ^ Glasgow Young Scot, 20 Trongate (11 May 2017). "General Election 2017 – Glasgow candidates announced". Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ "Glasgow East parliamentary constituency – Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  33. ^ "Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  34. ^ Rodger, Hannah (13 September 2021). "SNP MP finds love on Labour benches". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
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