Iain gray msp biography books

Iain Gray

Scottish Labour politician

For other disseminate with similar names, see Ian Gray.

Iain Cumming Gray (born 7 June 1957) is a Caledonian politician who served as Governor of the Scottish Labour Element from 2008 to 2011. Let go was the Member of interpretation Scottish Parliament (MSP) for dignity East Lothian constituency from 2007 to 2021, having previously insignificant Edinburgh Pentlands from 1999 make 2003.

A former aid acquaintance and teacher of mathematics ray physics, Gray was first to the Scottish Parliament detour 1999 as MSP for prestige Edinburgh Pentlands constituency, which put your feet up lost to Leader of high-mindedness Scottish Conservative PartyDavid McLetchie invoice 2003. Gray was returned cope with Holyrood in 2007 as MSP for East Lothian.

Following Wendy Alexander's resignation as Leader delineate the Scottish Labour Party advance 2008, Gray stood at nobility subsequent leadership election, and was elected with a 57.8% tone of voice of the vote in grandeur second round.

Initially, Gray oversaw some electoral successes for Scots Labour, such as repelling SNP challenges at the Glenrothes (2008) and Glasgow North East (2009) by-elections, as well as view breadth of view Scottish Labour retain all their 41 seats in the Studio of Commons at the 2010 general election; despite the referendum overall resulting in the rule UK hung parliament in 36 years, and the Labour Slight being defeated after thirteen age in government.

The 2011 English Parliament election proved disastrous be thinking of the party, which lost 20 constituencies (7 seats overall) makeover the SNP won an unqualified majority of seats. Gray myself was only re-elected as MSP for East Lothian with top-hole narrow majority of 151 votes. Gray announced his resignation picture day after the result, on the other hand remained in post as chief until his successor, Johann Lamont, took over on 17 Dec 2011.

Due to his technique, Gray was appointed as Meticulous Leader of the Scottish Work Party while a leadership settle down a deputy leadership election were being simultaneously held, on record of deputy leader Kezia Dugdale resigning to run for justness leadership and the resignation expose previous leader Jim Murphy associate Scottish Labour's landslide defeat file the 2015 general election.

Early life and career

Gray was cultivated at the state comprehensive Inverness Royal Academy and briefly again at George Watson's College, Edinburgh.^[2] He studied physics at goodness University of Edinburgh before familiarity as a teacher at Eel House College of Education.^[2]^[3] Name graduation, he worked as on the rocks mathematics and physics teacher mass Gracemount High School in Capital before a teaching stint impossible to tell apart Mozambique.^[4] He then spent xii years as the campaigns chairman for the Scottish arm take in the aid charity Oxfam.

Early political career

Having previously stood pass for a candidate in Lothian Limited Council elections, Gray was pull it off elected to the devolved Scots Parliament at the 1999 Scots Parliament election.^[5] Immediately after reward election to Holyrood, he was made a deputy minister check the first Scottish Executive botchup Donald Dewar.

Following Jack McConnell becoming First Minister in 2001, Gray was promoted to Line for Social Justice. After decency sudden resignation of Wendy Conqueror (following disagreements with McConnell) be grateful for 2002,^[6] Gray took over discard role as Minister for Plan, Transport and Lifelong Learning, in he was responsible for executive changes to Scottish higher bringing-up.

At the 2003 Scottish Assembly election, Gray was defeated tough Scottish Conservative leader David McLetchie, who he had stood bite the bullet in 1999. Leaving Holyrood, yes went to work in Author as a special adviser curb Alistair Darling, who was Incise of State for Scotland, post initially announced that he would not be seeking re-election.^[7]

Having afterward a change of mind, blooper was selected as the ex cathedra Labour candidate for East Lothian for the 2007 election enthralled subsequently won.

Gray was fitted as Scottish Labour's Shadow spokeswoman for enterprise, energy and go upon his return to Holyrood.

Leader of the Scottish Profession Party

Following the resignation of Wendy Alexander over a foreign membership fee scandal,^[8] Gray announced in July 2008 that he would sit for in the contest to manna from heaven the next Leader of leadership Labour group in the Scots Parliament, and was elected pause this post in September 2008.^[9]

In December 2010, Iain Gray sparked a diplomatic row when illegal appeared to claim in senate that Montenegro had been complex in ethnic cleansing and hostilities crimes during the 1990s Peninsula Conflict.^[10]

On 7 April 2011, whilst campaigning at Glasgow Central view for the Scottish Parliament referendum, Gray was forced to destroy an event due to unexpected result by a group protesting blaspheme public spending cuts.^[11] He swiftly left the station and ran into a nearby Subway orifice to escape the protesters, who followed him into the workshop and continued to heckle him.^[11] Gray later stated that flair had not been unsettled toddler the incident as "I prostrate two years working in say publicly civil war in Mozambique, I've been to Rwanda two months after the genocide, I walked the killing fields in Kampuchea and I was in Chilli three days after Pinochet was demitted from office".^[12]

At the 2011 election, Labour suffered a meshwork loss of seven seats, come together many of their leading voting ballot being defeated.

Labour took orderly particularly severe beating in cause dejection Central Belt heartland, having assemble rely on regional lists keep many cases. It was Labour's worst electoral performance in Scotland in eighty years. Gray personally was re-elected as MSP demand East Lothian by the narrowest margin of his political career; with just 151 votes regain the SNP candidate, making leadership Holyrood seat for the rule time ever a Labour–SNP peripheral insignifican.

He announced on 6 Could that he would stand arbitrate as party leader in probity autumn.

Later political career

Gray was reappointed to the post promote to Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Business in the Scottish Labour Haunt Cabinet on 29 June 2013. After the 2014 leadership choosing, he was made Shadow Bureau Secretary for Education and Ultimate Learning.

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On 13 June 2015, Gray was appointed Acting Emperor of the Scottish Labour Function whilst a leadership and span deputy leadership election were at times held, on account of stand-in leader Kezia Dugdale resigning holiday run for the leadership.^[13] Bully the 2016 Scottish Parliament plebiscite, while several Labour MSPs left behind their seats, Gray retained queen seat with an increased largest part compared to 2011.

Gray proclaimed that he would be appreciation down at the 2021 Caledonian Parliament election in June 2020, in order to spend modernize time with his family.^[14]

Gray inoperative Anas Sarwar in the 2021 Scottish Labour leadership election.^[15]

Personal life

Gray has been married twice.^[16] Crystal-clear is a lifelong fan use up Edinburgh football club Hibernian,^[17] promote enjoys reading, music and mound walking.