Ian Blackford

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Ian Blackford
MP
Member of Parliament
for Ross, Skye and Lochaber
Assumed office
8 May 2015
Preceded by Charles Kennedy
Majority 5,124 (12.3%)
Personal details
Born (1961-05-14) 14 May 1961 (age 63)
Edinburgh, Scotland
Political party Scottish National Party
Website Official website

Ian Blackford (born 14 May 1961) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ross, Skye and Lochaber since May 2015.[1]

Originally from Edinburgh, Blackford previously worked as an investment banker and has been involved with various business ventures since. A prominent SNP member, he was formerly the party's national treasurer.

Early life

Blackford was educated at the Royal High School in Edinburgh.[2]

Banking and business

Blackford worked as an analyst with NatWest Securities,[3] before moving to a managerial role. The company was bought by BT Alex. Brown, and Blackford became the managing director.[4] After further integration into Deutsche Bank AG in 1999, Blackford ran Deutsche Bank's equity operations in Scotland and the Netherlands.[5] Following 20 years in the financial industry, he left to do independent consultancy work, forming an investor relations company called First Seer in 2002.[6]

In 2005, Blackford joined the Dutch baking products company CSM as an investor relations manager.[7] He was appointed non-executive chairman of the Edinburgh-based telecommunications firm Commsworld in 2006,[8] having joined the board as a non-executive director in 2005.[6][9] He is a trustee at the Golden Charter Trust.[10] In 2013, he helped explain the business case for not closing a primary school in Milngavie when East Dunbartonshire Council had proposed closure.[11]

He is a prominent supporter of Hibernian football club.[12]

Skye

He was previously the chairman of the Glendale Trust, an organisation responsible for a community-owned estate on Skye, which made an approach to Highland Council to bring a historic pier under community control.[13] Under his chairmanship, support was secured for establishing a heritage centre in 2010.[14] He had also been a member of the FlySkye group, campaigning to bring commercial air services back to Skye.[15][16]

Politician

Blackford stood to be a member of parliament as a Scottish National Party (SNP) candidate in the Paisley 1997 by-election[17] but he was unsuccessful, with the contest having the lowest turn-out at a by-election in Scotland for 30 years.[18] He then stood for the Ayr seat in the 1997 general election but was not elected.[19]

Blackford had been treasurer of the SNP and during this time he began to be viewed as a critic of the leader, Alex Salmond.[20] Blackford was removed from the post in 2000, after he had tried to impose financial controls to tackle the party's overdraft.[21] However, the limits for expenditure which he set were not adhered to.[22] Blackford's reputedly hard line over financial matters had led to a breakdown of trust between the national executive and him.[23] The fallout between Blackford and Salmond had looked as if it might end up in legal action.[24]

Blackford has argued for better telecommunication infrastructure for rural area, noting that video-conferencing is one way of overcoming travel time and in the absence of air links.[25] Following the financial crisis of 2007–08 he has made calls for Scotland to have its own financial regulator, to protect society from irresponsible practices.[26][27] Blackford has also suggested that a zero rate of capital gains tax could help Scotland to attract investment.[28]

Following the independence referendum in September 2014, Blackford argued that Scotland should consider the constitutional change offered by the Westminster parties.[29] He was the author of a report which had explored options for the banking sector in Scotland, had the country chosen to become independent.[30]

In January 2015, it was announced that he would be the SNP candidate for Ross, Skye and Lochaber in the 2015 general election.[31] He received 20,119 votes and 48.1% of the vote and defeated the former Liberal Democrat party leader and incumbent Charles Kennedy by 5,124 votes.

References

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External links

Party political offices
Preceded by Treasurer of the Scottish National Party
1999–2000		 Succeeded by
Jim Mather
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Ross, Skye and Lochaber
2015–present		 Incumbent
  1. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/S14000055
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