Peter Grant (politician)
Peter Grant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament for Glenrothes | |
| In office 7 May 2015 – 14 dec 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Lindsay Roy |
| Succeeded by | re-elected |
| Majority | 3,267 (8.1%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 October 1960 Coatbridge, United Kingdom |
| Political party | Scottish National Party |
| Spouse | Fiona Grant (1985–present) |
Peter Grant (born 12 October 1960) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Glenrothes in the 2015 general election. He held this seat in the UK 2017 general election.
Early life
Grant was born in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire to a family that were traditionally Labour voters. He moved to Glenrothes in 1982.
Before being elected as an MP, Grant worked in public sector finance. He had trained as a physics teacher before qualifying as an accountant.[1]
Political career
Grant became a Councillor for the Scottish National Party in Glenrothes in 1992. In May 2007 he became Leader of Fife Council.[2] He was also the leader of the SNP group served for five years
In August 2008 the Labour MP for Glenrothes, John MacDougall died, triggering a by-election. Grant was the council leader and was selected as the SNP candidate.[3] Just over a week before the by-election, Grant said that due to 'homesickness' he would spend as minimal time as possible as an MP, and would serve less than a full term as one in the event of a 'yes' vote in a future Scottish Independence Referendum.[4] He was beaten by Labour's Lindsay Roy.[5] Roy stood down in 2015.
In the 2015 UK General Election, Grant was the SNP candidate in Glenrothes and gained the seat with a majority of 13,897 defeating the defending Labour candidate.[6] Following this he stepped down from his council role.[7]
In 2016, Grant estimated that it would take five to ten years for another Scottish independence referendum to take place, depending on levels of support for it in the polls.[8]
Grant held his seat in the UK 2017 general election. He received 17,291 votes, 42.8% of the overall votes cast.[9]
He is Shadow SNP Spokesperson for Europe.[10]
In November 2017 Grant called on the House of Commons Commission to look at implementing electronic voting for the House of Commons.[11]
Personal life
Grant is an amateur musician, being able to play the piano and the fiddle.[12] He is also an amateur bowls player, previously being the chairman of Leslie Bowling Club.[13] He has been married to his wife, Fiona, who is a GP, for thirty years, and an SNP Councillor for Mid Fife and Glenrothes.[14]
He is an ambassador for the charity Breast Cancer Now.[15]
References
- ^ "petergrantmp". petergrantmp. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
- ^ "New Administration for Fife Council". Fife Direct. 18 May 2007. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "Inside Holyrood - End of the phoney war as big guns head for front line". The Scotsman. 24 August 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ Editor, Simon Johnson, Scottish Political (28 October 2008). "SNP Glenrothes candidate says homesickness means he wants less than five years". ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Big Glenrothes by-election win for Labour rocks Nationalists". The Scotsman. 7 November 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/election-2015-32594267
- ^ "Grant steps down from council to concentrate on MP role". Central Fife Times. 11 July 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ O'Leary, Elisabeth. "Scotland's SNP to start rebuilding independence campaign this summer". U.K. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
- ^ "Glenrothes parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". BBC News. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "Scottish National Party Spokespersons". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ "SNP calls for electronic voting in Commons ridiculed by Tory MP - Evening Express". Evening Express. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
- ^ "Meet your new Scottish MPs #30 Peter Grant, Glenrothes". The National. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ^ "Bowling club fury at rumour". Fife Direct. Johnston Press. 16 May 2007. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "Glenrothes: Candidate profiles". BBC News. 29 October 2008.
- ^ "Is your MP a Breast Cancer Ambassador?" (PDF).
