Liam McArthur
Encyclopedia
Liam McArthur MSP
(born 8 August 1967) is a Scottish
Liberal Democrat
politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Orkney
.
. He is married to Tamsin and they have two sons, Calum and Tom.
to Jim Wallace
in the House of Commons and as Special Adviser
to the Deputy First Minister in 2002. He was elected in the 2007 Parliament election to replace the retiring Jim Wallace
, also a Liberal Democrat.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(born 8 August 1967) is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Liberal Democrat
Scottish Liberal Democrats
The Scottish Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties within the federal Liberal Democrats; the others being the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England...
politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
for Orkney
Orkney (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Orkney is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
.
Background
He was brought up on the Orkney Island of SandaySanday, Orkney
Sanday is one of the inhabited islands in the Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland. With an area of , it is the third largest of the Orkney Islands. The main centres of population are Lady Village and Kettletoft. Sanday can be reached by Orkney Ferries or plane from Kirkwall on the...
. He is married to Tamsin and they have two sons, Calum and Tom.
Political career
McArthur had previously worked as an aideAide
Aide may refer to:* A person who assists another; an assistant. In military contexts; an officer who acts as assistant to a more senior one; an aide-de-camp.* Aide , a purported Basque deity....
to Jim Wallace
Jim Wallace
The Rt. Hon. James Robert Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness, PC, QC , is a British politician, currently a life peer in the House of Lords and the Advocate General for Scotland...
in the House of Commons and as Special Adviser
Special adviser
Special adviser may refer to:*Special advisers *Special advisers *Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation*United Nations Special Advisers, see Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations...
to the Deputy First Minister in 2002. He was elected in the 2007 Parliament election to replace the retiring Jim Wallace
Jim Wallace
The Rt. Hon. James Robert Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness, PC, QC , is a British politician, currently a life peer in the House of Lords and the Advocate General for Scotland...
, also a Liberal Democrat.
Career timeline
- 1987-1990: Edinburgh University, Politics (MA)
- 1990-1992: Researcher, Jim WallaceJim WallaceThe Rt. Hon. James Robert Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness, PC, QC , is a British politician, currently a life peer in the House of Lords and the Advocate General for Scotland...
MP (Orkney and ShetlandOrkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency)Orkney and Shetland is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
), House of Commons - 1992-1993: Trainee, European CommissionEuropean CommissionThe European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
(External Affairs DirectorateDirectorate-General for External Relations (European Commission)The Directorate-General for the External Relations was a Directorate-General of the European Commission, responsible for the external policy...
) - 1993-1996: Account Executive, various European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
public affairs consultancies - 1996-2002: Associate Director, APCO WorldwideAPCO WorldwideAPCO Worldwide is an independent communications consultancy. With more than 600 employees in 29 worldwide locations, it is the second largest independently-owned PR firm in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., APCO was founded in 1984 by Margery Kraus, who is now the firm’s global...
and APCO Europe - 2002-2005: Special Adviser to Deputy First Minister of ScotlandDeputy First Minister of ScotlandThe Deputy First Minister of Scotland is the deputy to the First Minister of Scotland.The post is not recognised in statute , and its holder is simply an ordinary member of the Scottish Government...
, Jim WallaceJim WallaceThe Rt. Hon. James Robert Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness, PC, QC , is a British politician, currently a life peer in the House of Lords and the Advocate General for Scotland...
MSP (OrkneyOrkney (Scottish Parliament constituency)Orkney is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
) - 2005-2006: Director, Greenhaus Communications
- 2006-2007: Self-employed political consultant
- 2007–present: Member of the Scottish Parliament for OrkneyOrkney (Scottish Parliament constituency)Orkney is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
- 2007-2008: Shadow Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism
- 2008-2011: Scottish Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Environment, Rural Development and Energy
- 2011–present: Scottish Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Education and Energy