Peter Duncan (politician)
Encyclopedia
Peter John Duncan is a British
politician
. He was the Conservative
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
from 2001
to 2005
.
, Duncan attended the Ardrossan Academy in Ardrossan
, North Ayrshire
and was educated at the University of Birmingham
where he obtained a BCom
in 1985. He later worked as a business and communications consultant for Mackays Stores Ltd from 1985-88 in addition to running the family textile
business - John Duncan & Son from 1988-2000. In September 1997, he appeared as a member of the audience during a Scottish Television
debate about the devolution referendum, and spoke opposing the establishment of a Scottish Parliament. Duncan later stood for election to the very parliament he initially opposed.
, taking the Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
seat from the Scottish National Party
. This made him the sole Conservative
MP for the whole of Scotland
. In November 2003 he was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
by new party leader Michael Howard
and he was later named as Chairman of the Scottish Conservative Party.
His constituency was abolished for the 2005 general election
and replaced by Dumfries and Galloway
. However he failed to win the seat, losing to Labour
's Russell Brown
.
In the 2007 local elections
, the first to take place under the Single Transferable Vote
system, he was one of several new Conservative councillors elected to Dumfries and Galloway
council.
He stood as the Conservative candidate for the Dumfries and Galloway seat at the 2010 general election. He was defeated by the incumbent Russell Brown again, with a -3.7% swing against.
in Dumfries and Galloway
.
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
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 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale was a county constituency which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
from 2001
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
to 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....
.
Early life
Born in AyrshireAyrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
, Duncan attended the Ardrossan Academy in Ardrossan
Ardrossan
Ardrossan is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in south-western Scotland. The name "Ardrossan" describes its physical position — 'ard' from the Gaelic àird meaning headland, 'ros' a promontory and the diminutive suffix '-an' - headland of the little promontory...
, North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland with a population of roughly 136,000 people. It is located in the south-west region of Scotland, and borders the areas of Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire to the north-east and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the East and South...
and was educated at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
where he obtained a BCom
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
in 1985. He later worked as a business and communications consultant for Mackays Stores Ltd from 1985-88 in addition to running the family textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
business - John Duncan & Son from 1988-2000. In September 1997, he appeared as a member of the audience during a Scottish Television
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
debate about the devolution referendum, and spoke opposing the establishment of a Scottish Parliament. Duncan later stood for election to the very parliament he initially opposed.
Parliamentary career
He was elected to the House of Commons at the 2001 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, taking the Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale was a county constituency which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
seat from the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
. This made him the sole Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP for the whole of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. In November 2003 he was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
by new party leader Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
and he was later named as Chairman of the Scottish Conservative Party.
His constituency was abolished for 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....
and replaced by Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway (UK Parliament constituency)
Dumfries and Galloway is a county constituency of in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was first used in the 2005 general election, and replaced Galloway and Upper Nithsdale and part of Dumfries, and it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post...
. However he failed to win the seat, losing 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...
's Russell Brown
Russell Brown
Russell Leslie Brown is a Scottish Labour Party politician. He is Member of Parliament for Dumfries and Galloway.-Early years :Russell Brown was born in Annan, Scotland, and attended the local Annan Academy...
.
In the 2007 local elections
Scottish local elections, 2007
The Scottish local elections, 2007 were held on 3 May 2007, the same day as Scottish Parliament elections and local elections in parts of England...
, the first to take place under the Single Transferable Vote
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
system, he was one of several new Conservative councillors elected to Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
council.
He stood as the Conservative candidate for the Dumfries and Galloway seat at the 2010 general election. He was defeated by the incumbent Russell Brown again, with a -3.7% swing against.
Personal life
He married Lorna Anne and they have a son and daughter and, as of 2007, now lives in DalbeattieDalbeattie
Dalbeattie is a town in Dumfries and Galloway , Scotland.Dalbeattie is situated in a wooded valley on the Urr Water east of Castle Douglas and south west of Dumfries...
in Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
.
External links
- Official Website
- Peter Duncan - Scottish Conservatives website biography
- BBC Profile 2001