Angus MacNeil
Encyclopedia
Angus Brendan MacNeil (born 21 July 1970) is the Scottish National Party
(SNP) Member of Parliament
(MP) for Na h-Eileanan an Iar
. He is the SNP's Westminster
spokesperson for Transport, for Tourism, for Fishing, Food and Rural Affairs and for Scotland Office
matters.
Secondary School, Barra
, and the Nicolson Institute
, Stornoway
, before graduating from Strathclyde University
in 1992. He played shinty
whilst at university. He worked as an engineer and as a reporter for BBC Radio Scotland
before qualifying as a teacher in 1996 at Jordanhill College
. His first post as a primary teacher was at Salen Primary School where he taught the first Gaelic Medium Class on the Isle of Mull.
, defeating Calum MacDonald of the Labour Party
. In March 2006, MacNeil came to widespread public attention after lodging a formal complaint with the Metropolitan Police
regarding the Labour Party
Cash for Peerages
scandal. In April 2006, he and former "anti-corruption" MP Martin Bell
wrote to prime minister, Tony Blair
calling for all appointments to the House of Lords
to be suspended in the wake of the scandal. In November 2006 he won the Best Scot at Westminster section of the Scottish Politician of the Year
awards for instigating the inquiry into possible abuse of the honours system. Mr MacNeil had the highest bill for travel in 2006-2007. This is mainly due to the distance of his constituency from London as well as the disperse geographical layout of the constituency. He also received awards from the Spectator
Magazine and the Political Studies Society for setting the political agenda in in Britain during 2006 He is a member of the editorial board for political monthly Total Politics
. MacNeil was re-elected to Parliament in 2010.
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
(SNP) Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Na h-Eileanan an Iar (UK Parliament constituency)
Na h-Eileanan an Iar is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, created in 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :...
. He is the SNP's Westminster
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
spokesperson for Transport, for Tourism, for Fishing, Food and Rural Affairs and for Scotland Office
Scotland Office
The Scotland Office is a United Kingdom government department headed by the Secretary of State for Scotland and responsible for Scottish affairs...
matters.
Background
MacNeil was educated at CastlebayCastlebay
Castlebay is the main village and a community council area on the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is located on the south coast of the island, and overlooks a bay in the Atlantic Ocean dominated by Kisimul Castle, as well as nearby islands such as Vatersay.- Church :The...
Secondary School, Barra
Barra
The island of Barra is a predominantly Gaelic-speaking island, and apart from the adjacent island of Vatersay, to which it is connected by a causeway, is the southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland.-Geography:The 2001 census showed that the resident population was 1,078...
, and the Nicolson Institute
Nicolson Institute
The Nicolson Institute in Stornoway, is the largest school in the Western Isles, Scotland.The Nicolson is the only six-year secondary school in Lewis. Sir E. Scott School is in Harris. Together, they provide education up to Advanced Higher level.The student population is around 2000...
, Stornoway
Stornoway
Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William...
, before graduating from Strathclyde University
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
in 1992. He played shinty
Shinty
Shinty is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread, being once competitively played on a widespread basis in England and other areas in the...
whilst at university. He worked as an engineer and as a reporter for BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
before qualifying as a teacher in 1996 at Jordanhill College
Jordanhill College
Jordanhill Campus, in Jordanhill, Glasgow, Scotland, is now home to the Faculty of Education of the University of Strathclyde. Within the University of Strathclyde faculty of education, departments include Childhood and Primary Studies, Creative and Aesthetic Studies, Curricular Studies,...
. His first post as a primary teacher was at Salen Primary School where he taught the first Gaelic Medium Class on the Isle of Mull.
House of Commons
He was elected in the 2005 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, defeating Calum MacDonald of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. In March 2006, MacNeil came to widespread public attention after lodging a formal complaint with the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
regarding the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Cash for Peerages
Cash for Peerages
Cash for Honours is the name given by some in the media to a political scandal in the United Kingdom in 2006 and 2007 concerning the connection between political donations and the award of life peerages...
scandal. In April 2006, he and former "anti-corruption" MP Martin Bell
Martin Bell
Martin Bell, OBE, is a British UNICEF Ambassador, a former broadcast war reporter and former independent politician...
wrote to prime minister, Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
calling for all appointments to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
to be suspended in the wake of the scandal. In November 2006 he won the Best Scot at Westminster section of the Scottish Politician of the Year
Scottish Politician of the Year
Scottish Politician of the Year is an annual award established in 1999. It is held by The Herald newspaper in Prestonfield, Edinburgh, Scotland....
awards for instigating the inquiry into possible abuse of the honours system. Mr MacNeil had the highest bill for travel in 2006-2007. This is mainly due to the distance of his constituency from London as well as the disperse geographical layout of the constituency. He also received awards from the Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
Magazine and the Political Studies Society for setting the political agenda in in Britain during 2006 He is a member of the editorial board for political monthly Total Politics
Total Politics
Total Politics is a British political magazine described as a "a lifestyle magazine for the political community". It was first published in June 2008 and is distributed freely to all MPs, MEPs, peers, political journalists, members of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies, and all...
. MacNeil was re-elected to Parliament in 2010.