Annabel Goldie MSP
Leader of the Scottish Conservatives
Incumbent
Assumed office  7 May 2003
Preceded by	David McLetchie
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Member of the Scottish Parliament for West of Scotland
Incumbent
Assumed office  06 May 1999
Born	February 27, 1950 (1950-02-27) (age 57) Glasgow, Scotland
Political party	Conservative
Website	Conservative Profile

Annabel Goldie (born 27 February 1950, Glasgow) is a Scottish politician, the leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party in the Scottish Parliament, and chairwoman of the party's Shadow Cabinet. Before you can upload images you will need to register an account Only use this if you hold the copyright on the image. ... The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (128th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... David McLetchie (born 6 August 1952) is a Scottish politician. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... West of Scotland is one of the eight electoral areas for the Scottish Parliament through which 7 of the 56 Additional Members System MSPs are elected. ... The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Scotland. ... Glaswegian redirects here. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic)1 Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II... The party logo since September 2006. ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Glaswegian redirects here. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic)1 Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II... The Politics of Scotland forms a distinctive part of the wider politics of the United Kingdom, with Scotland one of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic)1 Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II... The Conservative Party is one of the two largest political parties in the United Kingdom and the most successful party in political history based on election victories. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... The Shadow Cabinet (also called the Shadow Front Bench) is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition (or the leader of other smaller opposition parties) form an alternative cabinet to the governments, whose...

She is a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the West of Scotland Region. Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) (Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba (BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament. ... West of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. ...

Education and early career

Goldie was educated at Kilmacolm Primary School and Greenock Academy, Inverclyde, and the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, graduating with an LLB in 1971, and has been a solicitor with Glasgow law firm Donaldson, Alexander, Russell & Haddow since 1978. ^[1] Kilmacolm is a village in Inverclyde, Scotland. ... Inverclyde (Inbhir Chluaidh in Gaelic) is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. ... The Law School was established in 1964 and now operates within the faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Strathclyde. ... The degree of Bachelor of Laws is the principal academic degree in law in most common law countries other than the United States, where it has been replaced by the Juris Doctor degree. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... A solicitor is a type of lawyer in many common law jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, but not the United States (in the United States the word has a quite different meaning—see below). ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ...

She first stood for election to the British House of Commons in the 1992 general election for the West Renfrewshire and Inverclyde constituency, coming second with 32.9% of the vote.^[2] The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992. ...

Member of the Scottish Parliament

Goldie was elected to the Scottish Parliament in the 1999 election as an additional member for the West of Scotland electoral region, and subsequently became deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives. She retained this seat in the 2003 election and again in 2007. For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... The Scottish parliamentary election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on May 6, 1999. ... The Additional Member System (AMS) is a voting system in which some representatives are elected from geographic constituencies and others are elected under proportional representation from party lists. ... West of Scotland is one of the eight electoral areas for the Scottish Parliament through which 7 of the 56 Additional Members System MSPs are elected. ... The Scottish parliamentary election, 2003, was the second general election of the Scottish Parliament. ...

Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

On 31 October 2005, Goldie became acting leader after David McLetchie resigned as leader of the Scottish Conservatives following adverse publicity created by the publishing of details of expenses he claimed for taxi journeys.^[3] October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 61 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... David McLetchie (born 6 August 1952) is a Scottish politician. ...

Goldie put herself forward as a leadership candidate on 2 November 2005 - a joint nomination with Murdo Fraser as her proposed deputy. ^[4]. Their nomination was unopposed and Goldie was appointed leader on 8 November 2005, the first woman to lead the Scottish Conservative Party. In her maiden speech as leader, she promised to act against "disloyalty and disobedience" in the party and in a reference to Margaret Thatcher she said "I think you may take it matron's handbag will be in hyper-action. There could be worse precedents to follow".^[5] November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Murdo Fraser (born 5 September 1965, Inverness) is a Scottish Conservative politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Mid Scotland and Fife Region since 2001. ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in office from 1979 to 1990. ...

At her first party conference in March 2006, Goldie set out her plans to make the Scottish Conservatives the "principal opposition party in Scotland", with policies to reduce centralisation and increase the powers of local authorities.^[6]. Other proposals raised by the party under Goldie's leadership include the reduction of council tax by 50% and the mutualisation of Scottish Water.^[7] Mutual describes a form of business enterprise which is owned by those who do business with it. ... Scottish Water is a state-owned company in Scotland that provides water and sewer facilities. ...

However her second conference as party leader was overshadowed by a leaked memo by David Mundell, the only Scottish Conservative MP in the British House of Commons, and Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, in which he criticised Goldie's leadership.^[8] David Gordon Mundell (born 27 May 1962 in Dumfries) is a Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party MP and former Member of the Scottish Parliament. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

References

1. ^ Scottish Parliament Biography
2. ^ Guardian- Annabel Goldie profile
3. ^ BBC News-"McLetchie resigns as Tory leader"
4. ^ BBC News- "Top Tories make deal over leader"
5. ^ Guardian- "Goldie to lead Scottish Tories"
6. ^ BBC News- "Goldie sets out Tory way forward
7. ^ BBC News- "Goldie makes Council tax pledge
8. ^ Scotsman.com- "Mundell heaps praise on Goldie"

External links

• Scottish Parliament biography
• Goldie 'ready to wield handbag', BBC News, 8 November 2005