Owen Thompson
Owen Thompson | |
---|---|
![]() Thompson in 2020 | |
Member of Parliament for Midlothian | |
Assumed office 12 December 2019 | |
Preceded by | Danielle Rowley |
Majority | 5,705 (11.8%) |
In office 7 May 2015 – 3 May 2017 | |
Preceded by | David Hamilton |
Succeeded by | Danielle Rowley |
Personal details | |
Born | 17 March 1978 |
Political party | Scottish National Party |
Alma mater | Edinburgh Napier University |
Website | Official website |
Owen George Thompson (born 17 March 1978)[1] is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He was elected in 2015 as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Midlothian, but was defeated at the next general election in 2017. He regained the seat at the 2019 general election.
Early life
Thompson was brought up in Loanhead after moving there when he was seven.[2] He studied Accounting and Finance at Edinburgh Napier University.[3]
Political career
Thompson had previously been the leader of Midlothian Council. He was first elected to the council at the Loanhead by-election in 2005.[4] At the age of 27, he was Scotland's youngest councillor at the time.[5] He was then re-elected in the 2007 council election and again in the 2012 council election.[2][6] He became leader of the council in November 2013, succeeding his party colleague Bob Constable.[5]
In December 2014, the Bonnyrigg, Loanhead and District SNP branch nominated Thompson to be the party's official candidate at the 2015 general election.[7] He was elected as the MP for Midlothian with 24,453 votes, a 50.6% share of the votes cast.[8][9] He was sworn into office at Westminster on 20 May 2015, and on that same day was given a position in the SNP Whips' Office under SNP Chief Whip Mike Weir.[10]
Thompson narrowly lost his seat at the 2017 general election to Danielle Rowley of the Labour Party by 885 votes, receiving 34.4% of the overall vote share, compared to 36.4% for Rowley.[11] However, two years later, at the 2019 election, he regained the seat, taking a 41.5% vote share and a majority of 5,705 (11.8%).
References
- ^ "Owen Thompson". Politics.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Working together". Holyrood. 31 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ Swanson, Ian (9 May 2015). "SNP brings seismic shift to Edinburgh politics". Evening News. Johnston Press. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ "SNP delight as they take Loanhead seat". Midlothian Advertiser. Johnston Press. 16 November 2005. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Midlothian elects Owen Thompson as council leader". Evening News. Johnston Press. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "Election 2015: Who are the 56 new SNP MPs?". BBC News. BBC. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "Councillor sets sights on Westminster". Midlothian Advertiser. Johnston Press. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ "Midlothian Parliamentary constituency". BBC. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ^ "Scottish MPs in Westminster: The full list of the SNP parliamentarians". Ben Tufft. The Independent. 10 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "SNP confirms group roles". Scottish National Party. 20 May 2015. Archived from the original on 21 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "Midlothian parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". BBC News. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
External links
- Profile on SNP website
- personal website