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Ian Davidson (Scottish politician)
Encyclopedia
Ian Graham Davidson is a Scottish Labour Co-operative
politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Glasgow South West
since 2005
. Davidson previously worked as a Community Service Manager and for Janey Buchan
when she was a Member of the European Parliament
.
Davidson is currently the Chairman of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.
and, following boundary changes, for Glasgow Pollok
from 1997 to 2005. After further major boundary changes across Scotland, Davidson stood in the 2005 general election
for the new constituency of Glasgow South West
, where he won the second biggest swing to Labour
in Scotland. He is a member of the Public Accounts Select Committee and has lobbied to support the Scottish shipbuilding
industry. He is also secretary of the influential Trade Union Group of Labour MPs
.
In 2002 he criticised Prince Michael of Kent
for 'squatting' in Kensington Palace
. More recently he has criticised the Prince of Wales
over his personal finances. He was the chair of Labour Against the Euro before it ceased campaigning following the 2003 decision by Gordon Brown
that the five economic tests
for Britain
to join the euro
had not been met.
During the debate in the House of Commons over the decision whether to have a referendum over the EU Treaty of Lisbon
(5 March 2008), Davidson drew jeers from his Labour colleagues for branding New Labour supporters "Maoists and Trotskyists". Davidson was putting forward the case for disobeying the party line
and voting for a referendum.
He is now Chair of the Centre for a Social Europe, a pro-EU but mildly eurosceptic
left-of-centre think tank. He has been a member of the Scotland Office
Select Committee since the 2005 General Election
.
From 1973 to 1974, Davidson was Chair of the National Organisation of Labour Students
.
He is also a supporter of Republic
, a campaign to replace the British Monarchy
with an elected head of state
.
of "narrow neo-fascism
". The choice of language resulted in the Labour Party distancing itself from Mr Davidson's comments, saying the use of the word "neo-fascist" was unacceptable, even in the heat of debate, and prompted many in the Scottish National Party (SNP) - the Governing party in Scotland - to call on him to resign as chair of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.
On 25 October 2011 it emerged that Clerks appointed to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee had raised concerns with the Clerk of Committees, the most senior official responsible for House of Commons Select Committees, alleging that Ian Davidson had threatened to inflict "a doing" upon fellow committee member Eilidh Whiteford
, in the event that details of the committee's discussions during a private session were leaked to the media. Following the allegations Dr Whiteford withdrew from the committee and a formal complaint was made by the SNP Parliamentary Leader, Angus Robertson
, to the Speaker of the House.
At the next session of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee on 26 October, Davidson made a public apology "for any offense that might have been caused" by his remarks; simultaneously denying that the remarks had been in any way threatening..
Committee members present had suggested that "Davidson may have apologised to Dr Whiteford for the other members of the committee “giving her a doing” over independence". However, the remarks were allegedly regarded by another committee member at the time as being sufficiently inappropriate to warrant a note, expressing such concerns, to be passed to Davidson..
However Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative committee members all stated that no threats were made. With fellow committee member Fiona Bruce
stating that she did not hear any threats, merely a political debate and Alan Reid stating that he also did not hear any threats being made and was surprised that the issue was raised six days later. After an investigation the Labour Party stated that it amounted to a "smear campaign" against Davidson due to the forthcoming investigations chaired by Davidson into the SNP's referendum proposal. Several equality campaigners and academics have criticised Davidson for using inappropriate language, although Sandra Osborne
, a Labour MP and former Womens Aid counsellor, criticised Whiteford for equating political debating with violence against women.
A member of the SNP politican Joan McAlpine
's staff, Gail Lythgoe, was found to have emailed a Women's equality group, supporting Whiteford and alleging that Davidson has a history of bullying Women and called on them to demonstrate against him whilst asking them not to reveal SNP involvement in it's instigation. The email was later leaked and Lythgoe publicly apologised for making unsubstantiated allegations, with the Labour Party alleging that this was a result of an SNP "dirty tricks campaign" against Davidson and called for an investigation.
Labour Co-operative
Labour and Co-operative describes those candidates in British elections standing on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party, based on a national agreement between the two parties....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who has been the 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 Glasgow South West
Glasgow South West (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow South West is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
since 2005
United 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....
. Davidson previously worked as a Community Service Manager and for Janey Buchan
Janey Buchan
Janey O'Neil Buchan , was a Scottish Labour Member of the European Parliament for the Glasgow constituency from 1979 to 1994 when she retired from the post aged 67....
when she was a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
.
Davidson is currently the Chairman of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.
Political career
He has been an MP since 1992, originally for the seat of Glasgow GovanGlasgow Govan (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Govan was a parliamentary constituency in the Govan district of Glasgow. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 2005, returning one Member of Parliament elected by the first-past-the-post system.The area which the constituency...
and, following boundary changes, for Glasgow Pollok
Glasgow Pollok (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Pollok was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 2005, when it was replaced by Glasgow South West...
from 1997 to 2005. After further major boundary changes across Scotland, Davidson stood in the 2005 general election
United 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....
for the new constituency of Glasgow South West
Glasgow South West (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow South West is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
, where he won the second biggest swing to Labour
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 Scotland. He is a member of the Public Accounts Select Committee and has lobbied to support the Scottish shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
industry. He is also secretary of the influential Trade Union Group of Labour MPs
Trade Union Group of Labour MPs
The Trade Union Group of Labour MPs is a British group representing all Labour Members of Parliament who are members of trade unions that are affiliated to the British Labour Party. The group meets regular to discuss issues related to trade unions, keeping members informed via a web based bulletin...
.
In 2002 he criticised Prince Michael of Kent
Prince Michael of Kent
Prince Michael of Kent is a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary, making him a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. He is also the first cousin once removed of Prince Phillip. Prince Michael occasionally carries out royal duties representing the Queen at some functions in Commonwealth realms outside...
for 'squatting' in Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and...
. More recently he has criticised the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
over his personal finances. He was the chair of Labour Against the Euro before it ceased campaigning following the 2003 decision by Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
that the five economic tests
Five economic tests
The five economic tests were the criteria defined by the UK treasury under Gordon Brown that were to be used to assess the UK's readiness to join the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union , and so adopt the euro as its official currency...
for Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to join the euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
had not been met.
During the debate in the House of Commons over the decision whether to have a referendum over the EU Treaty of Lisbon
Treaty of Lisbon
The Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....
(5 March 2008), Davidson drew jeers from his Labour colleagues for branding New Labour supporters "Maoists and Trotskyists". Davidson was putting forward the case for disobeying the party line
Party line
The phrase party line may refer to:*Party line , an informal term for the agenda of a political party*Party line , a system where multiple telephone customers are connected to the same phone line...
and voting for a referendum.
He is now Chair of the Centre for a Social Europe, a pro-EU but mildly eurosceptic
EuroSceptic
EuroSceptic is the second album of British singer Jack Lucien. It was released in October 2009.Due to being an album influenced by Europop, it features songs with parts in different languages...
left-of-centre think tank. He has been a member of the 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...
Select Committee since the 2005 General Election
United 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....
.
From 1973 to 1974, Davidson was Chair of the National Organisation of Labour Students
Labour Students
Labour Students is a student organisation affiliated to the British Labour Party.Membership comprises affiliated college and university clubs . Membership of Labour Students is through membership of a university or college Labour Club. Affiliation is open to any Labour Club generally supportive of...
.
He is also a supporter of Republic
Republic (political organisation)
Republic is a British non-partisan republican pressure group advocating the replacement of the United Kingdom's monarchy with a democratically-elected head of state....
, a campaign to replace the British Monarchy
British monarchy
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
with an elected head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
.
Controversy
Davidson accused the Scottish NationalistsScottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
of "narrow neo-fascism
Neo-Fascism
Neo-fascism is a post–World War II ideology that includes significant elements of fascism. The term neo-fascist may apply to groups that express a specific admiration for Benito Mussolini and Italian Fascism or any other fascist leader/state...
". The choice of language resulted in the Labour Party distancing itself from Mr Davidson's comments, saying the use of the word "neo-fascist" was unacceptable, even in the heat of debate, and prompted many in the Scottish National Party (SNP) - the Governing party in Scotland - to call on him to resign as chair of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.
On 25 October 2011 it emerged that Clerks appointed to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee had raised concerns with the Clerk of Committees, the most senior official responsible for House of Commons Select Committees, alleging that Ian Davidson had threatened to inflict "a doing" upon fellow committee member Eilidh Whiteford
Eilidh Whiteford
Eilidh Whiteford is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Banff and Buchan....
, in the event that details of the committee's discussions during a private session were leaked to the media. Following the allegations Dr Whiteford withdrew from the committee and a formal complaint was made by the SNP Parliamentary Leader, Angus Robertson
Angus Robertson
Angus Struan Carolus Robertson is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Moray and is the SNP's Parliamentary Group Leader and spokesperson for foreign affairs and defence.Robertson was the Election Co-ordinator for the Scottish National party's successful 2007 and 2011 Scottish...
, to the Speaker of the House.
At the next session of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee on 26 October, Davidson made a public apology "for any offense that might have been caused" by his remarks; simultaneously denying that the remarks had been in any way threatening..
Committee members present had suggested that "Davidson may have apologised to Dr Whiteford for the other members of the committee “giving her a doing” over independence". However, the remarks were allegedly regarded by another committee member at the time as being sufficiently inappropriate to warrant a note, expressing such concerns, to be passed to Davidson..
However Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative committee members all stated that no threats were made. With fellow committee member Fiona Bruce
Fiona Bruce (politician)
Fiona Claire Bruce is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for Congleton, elected at the 2010 general election....
stating that she did not hear any threats, merely a political debate and Alan Reid stating that he also did not hear any threats being made and was surprised that the issue was raised six days later. After an investigation the Labour Party stated that it amounted to a "smear campaign" against Davidson due to the forthcoming investigations chaired by Davidson into the SNP's referendum proposal. Several equality campaigners and academics have criticised Davidson for using inappropriate language, although Sandra Osborne
Sandra Osborne
Sandra Currie Osborne is a Scottish Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock since 2005. She was first elected in 1997, and resigned from a government job in 2003 over the Iraq War. She was a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee from 2005–10...
, a Labour MP and former Womens Aid counsellor, criticised Whiteford for equating political debating with violence against women.
A member of the SNP politican Joan McAlpine
Joan McAlpine
Joan McAlpine MSP is a Scottish journalist and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South of Scotland...
's staff, Gail Lythgoe, was found to have emailed a Women's equality group, supporting Whiteford and alleging that Davidson has a history of bullying Women and called on them to demonstrate against him whilst asking them not to reveal SNP involvement in it's instigation. The email was later leaked and Lythgoe publicly apologised for making unsubstantiated allegations, with the Labour Party alleging that this was a result of an SNP "dirty tricks campaign" against Davidson and called for an investigation.
Expenses scandal
During the 2009-10 Expenses Scandal, it emerged that Davidson claimed £87,699 in the four years to 2007; only £30 below the maximum permitted. He has since admitted that he wished he had a larger mortgage on his London flat to allow him to claim more in allowances.External links
- ePolitix - Ian Davidson official site
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Ian Davidson MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Ian Davidson MP