Education
Born and brought up in Cumbernauld, he attended Kildrum Primary School and Cumbernauld High School from 1981 until 1993.
Born and brought up in Cumbernauld, he attended Kildrum Primary School and Cumbernauld High School from 1981 until 1993.
He read History at the University of Glasgow, graduating in 1997, the year when he was also chair of Scottish Labour Students, before winning the Thouron Scholarship to study at the University of Pennsylvania. Returning to Britain, he wrote a doctoral thesis in modern British history at Street John"s College, Oxford. Subsequently, he became a tutorial fellow at Street Hugh"s College, Oxford, where he taught until May 2010.
He was selected to replace outgoing Labour Member of Parliament Rosemary McKenna to fight the seat of Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East at the 2010 general election.
In parliament, McClymont sat on the House of Commons select committees on science and technology, and business, innovation and skills. And held the post of Parliamentary Private Secretary to shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Ann McKechin.
In early 2011, he moved on to the Labour front bench as an assistant whip, before becoming the Shadow Pensions Minister for the Department of Work and Pensions in October 2011. As Shadow Pensions Minister McClymont described proposals to reform annuities as a "good thing", but argued the coalition"s plans "lacked clarity." He also claimed that changes to pension cr schemes would see many pensioners getting a rise in pensions of just 87p.
McClymont has been a strong critic of the British Government"s economic policy.
He has argued repeatedly in parliament for stronger safeguards for post offices following the privatization of the Royal Mail. He has also sought to highlight the impact changes to housing benefit will have on his constituents in Cumbernauld, as well as campaigning for compensation for victims of terror attacks overseas.
"Socialism, Puritanism and Hedonism: The Parliamentary Labour Party"s Attitude to Gambling, 1923-1931" Twentieth Century British History, Volume(s) 19, Issue 3 (2008) 288-313
"The Cultural Politics of Tory Socialism: The Clarion in the Labour Movement during the 1890s" in Griffiths, Nott and Whyte (eds) Classes, Cultures and Politics: Essays on British History for Ross McKibbin (Oxford, 2011).
55th United Kingdom Parliament.