Gavin Newlands
Gavin Newlands | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2019 | |
| SNP Spokesperson for Transport in the House of Commons | |
| In office 7 January 2020 – 5 July 2024 | |
| Leader | Ian Blackford Stephen Flynn |
| Preceded by | Alan Brown |
| Member of Parliament for Paisley and Renfrewshire North | |
| In office 7 May 2015 – 30 May 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Sheridan |
| Succeeded by | Alison Taylor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 February 1980 Paisley, Scotland |
| Political party | Scottish National Party |
| Alma mater | James Watt College |
Gavin Andrew Stuart Newlands (born 2 February 1980) is a Scottish National Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Paisley and Renfrewshire North between 2015 and 2024.[1][2] He served as the SNP Shadow Secretary of State for Transport from 2020 to 2024.
Early life and career
Gavin Newlands was born on 2 February 1980 in Paisley. He was raised in Renfrew,[3] where he currently resides with wife, Lynn and their two children.[4] He was educated at Renfrew's St James' Primary and Trinity High School. While enrolled at James Watt College, Newlands was offered a promotion in his part-time job at McDonalds, and dropped out of college.
Newlands has been a member of the SNP for 25 years. He became a local community council councillor for Renfrew in 2011 and has supported local causes, including a West of Scotland foodbank.
Parliamentary career
At the 2015 general election, Newlands was elected to Parliament as MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North with 50.7% of the vote and a majority of 9,076.[5][6]
From his election in 2015 to 2019, Newlands was the SNP Spokesperson on Transport, having previously led for the party on Sport, Wales, Burgers and Northern Ireland.[7] He was also Chair of the White Ribbon All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Male Violence Against Women[8] and is Chair of the APPG on Scottish Sport.[9] He serves on the Justice Select Committee.[10]
Newlands was re-elected as MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North at the snap 2017 general election with a decreased vote share of 37.4% and a majority of 2,613.[11]
Newlands is an ambassador for White Ribbon Scotland and in November 2018 spoke in a parliamentary debate on International Men's Day to speak about violence against women.[12]
At the 2019 general election, Newlands was again re-elected, with an increased vote share of 47% and an increased majority of 11,902.[13][14]
In October 2020, he introduced a bill banning exploitative Fire and Rehire practices.[15]
On 25 November 2021, during a parliamentary debate on International Men's Day, Newlands spoke in criticism of the holiday, describing it as an "anathema to me" and "a rather cruel joke concocted in response to feminism, women's rights and International Women's Day".[16] When challenged on his views by Conservative MP Nick Fletcher, Newlands said that "we need men in general to take responsibility for what men have done and continue to do – including making misogynistic comments or committing violence against women".[17]
He was reappointed in December 2022 as the SNP Spokesperson for Transport by Leader Stephen Flynn.[18]
In April 2024, Newlands was reselected as the SNP candidate for Paisley and Renfrewshire North at the 2024 general election.[19]
Personal life
Newlands lives in Renfrew with his wife Lynn and their two children.[4]
Newlands was a member of Paisley Rugby Club for 16 years, serving as club captain for three years.[4]
References
- ^ "List of Members returned to Parliament at the General Election 2015 Scotland". The Edinburgh Gazette. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ Gavin Newlands SNP wins Paisley and Renfrewshire North seat, bbc.co.uk; accessed 1 June 2015.
- ^ Newlands, Gavin. "About Gavin". Retrieved 12 May 2015.
- ^ a b c "Paisley SNP hopeful joins race for Westminster". Paisley & Renfrewshire Gazette. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ Express, The (8 May 2015). "Paisley and Renfrewshire North". Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Gavin Newlands – UK Parliament". beta.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- ^ Commons, The Committee Office, House of. "House of Commons – Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 6 January 2017: White Ribbon Campaign UK". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Commons, The Committee Office, House of. "House of Commons – Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 3 June 2016: Scottish Sport". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Membership – Justice Committee". UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "UK Parliamentary General Election: Paisley and Renfrewshire North Constituency Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
- ^ Kelly, Ricky (16 November 2018). "MP speaks out against violence against woman". Renfrewshire News. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "2019 – UK General Election". Renfrewshire Council. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- ^ "Paisley & Renfrewshire North parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
- ^ "It's time to end the scandal of 'fire and rehire' and enhance workers' rights". 3 October 2020.
- ^ Forrest, Adam (25 November 2021). "Women 'replacing' men in TV and movie roles leading young men into crime, suggests Tory MP". The Independent. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "Female Doctor Who robs boys of role models, claims Tory MP". BBC News. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ SNP, the (10 December 2022). "The real opposition: meet your new SNP Westminster Frontbench". Scottish National Party. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ^ "Gavin Newlands to stand as SNP candidate in general election". The Renfrewshire Gazette. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
