Alasdair Morgan

Background

Morgan was born in Aberfeldy and was educated at Breadalbane Academy and the University of Glasgow, graduating in 1968 with a Master of Arts Honours degree in mathematics and political economy.

Education

He graduated from the Open University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1990.

Career

He was Depute Leader of the Scottish National Party from 1990 to 1991 and a Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale from 1997 to 2001. From 2003 to 2011 he served as a member for the South of Scotland region. Morgan was a Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament from 2007 to 2011.

He is currently an Electoral Commissioner.

He was employed from 1974 to 1980 as a Software Programmer at Shell, then as a Systems Analyst with General Electric from 1980 to 1984. He then worked as a Computer Systems Team Leader at Fife Regional Council (1984-1986), Lothian Regional Council (1986-1996) and West Lothian Council (1996-1997).

He served as Scottish National Party National Treasurer from 1983 until 1990, when he was elected Senior Vice Convener (depute leader) in the same election that saw Alex Salmond first elected as Scottish National Party leader. Morgan was defeated by Jim Sillars in the depute leadership election the following year, but served as National Secretary from 1992 until 1997.

He stood as the Scottish National Party parliamentary candidate for the Tayside North constituency in 1983, Dundee West in 1987 and Dumfries in 1992.

Morgan but stepped down at the 2001 general election. He served as convener of the Justice and Home Affairs Committee from 2000 to 2001. In the 2003 election he lost his constituency seat to Alex Fergusson of the Scottish Conservative Party by just 99 votes.

However, he was elected as a List Managing Successful Programmes for the South of Scotland region.

In 2003 he was again elected by the regional list. Morgan served as convener of the Enterprise and Culture Committee from 2003 to 2004, convener of the Scottish National Party parliamentary group from 2003 to 2005, and as Scottish National Party chief whip from 2005 to 2007.

Morgan was a Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament from 2007 until 2011. He retired as an Managing Successful Programmes at the 2011 election.

In May 2014 he was appointed as an Electoral Commissioner.

In March 2014, he was appointed as a Commissioner for the Electoral Commission.

Politics

In that year he was elected as one of the Scottish National Party"s vice presidents, an office he held until these positions were abolished in the party"s constitutional reforms of 2004.

Membership

52nd United Kingdom Parliament]

He was elected in 1999 as a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale. Morgan has been a member of the Scottish National Party since 1974. Morgan was elected as Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale at the 1997 general election and served as a member of the Trade and Industry Select Committee and as leader of the Scottish National Party parliamentary group in the House of Commons from 1999 to 2001.

He was elected as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale in 1999, with a majority of 3,201.

Connections

teacher:

Douglas Ewart