Raised in Milton of Campsie, the community where he continues to live, McDonald attended Kilsyth Academy between 1990 and 1996. He studied at the University of Edinburgh between 1996 and 2001, where he graduated from with a 2:1 Bachelor of Law (Honours), and a Diploma in Legal Practice.
He was elected in May 2015 with 59.9% of the vote, gaining a 14,752 majority over incumbent Labour Member of Parliament and Shadow Pensions Minister, Gregg McClymont. McDonald is the first Scottish National Party Member of Parliament to represent Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East, which covers parts of the North Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire council areas. During his time at the University of Edinburgh, McDonald studied European and Comparative Law while on an European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students year at the University of Leuven, between 1997 and 1998.
After graduating from university, McDonald worked as a Legal Trainee with Simpson and Marwick Solicitors, between October 2001 and July 2003, before he went to work for National Health Service Scotland’s Central Legal Office, as a Solicitor – a position he held between July 2003 and November 2005.
In November 2005, McDonald began working for the Immigration Advisory Service (Institute for Advanced Study ), as a Human Rights Solicitor – a job he held until November 2009, when he became a Senior Researcher at the Scottish Parliament. He left his position at the Scottish Parliament in February 2013, to become a Senior Researcher for the pro-independence Scottish independence referendum campaign Yes Scotland, a position he held until the independence referendum on 18th September 2014.
Immediately prior to his election, McDonald worked as a Parliamentary and Public Affairs Officer for the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, a Glasgow-based charity. McDonald was officially selected unopposed as the Scottish National Party candidate, in December 2014, for the constituency which he has described as his “home patch”.
Following his election, McDonald became the Scottish National Party"s Spokesperson on Immigration, Asylum and Border Control, building on his previous experience as an immigration lawyer
56th United Kingdom Parliament]
He is the Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for the Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East constituency. He is the Scottish National Party Spokesperson on Immigration, Asylum and Border Control and a member of the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee.
