Natalie McGarry

Natalie McGarry
MP
Member of Parliament
for Glasgow East
Assumed office
8 May 2015
Preceded by Margaret Curran
Majority 10,387 (24.5%)
Personal details
Born (1981-09-07) 7 September 1981
Inverkeithing, Scotland
Political party Scottish National Party
(Before 2015)
Independent (2015–present)
Alma mater University of Aberdeen

Natalie McGarry (born 7 September 1981) is a Scottish politician who was elected the Member of Parliament for Glasgow East in the 2015 UK general election. Before resigning the SNP whip and sitting as an independent, McGarry was a Scottish National Party (SNP) activist and convener of the party's Glasgow Regional Association.[1][2]

McGarry is a co-founder of the Women for Independence group,[3] and was a prominent figure in the SNP, appearing on several current affairs programmes as a commentator, including STV's Scotland Tonight.

In November 2015, following allegations of financial misconduct, McGarry withdrew from the party whip while the matter was investigated.[4] In September 2016, McGarry was charged with a number of fraud offences relating to apparent discrepancies in the finances of the SNP Glasgow Regional Association and Women for Independence.[4]

Early life and education

Born and raised in Inverkeithing in Fife, McGarry was educated at St. Columba's R.C. High School in Dunfermline, before studying law at the University of Aberdeen, and worked as a policy adviser for a voluntary sector organisation.[5][6][7]

Political career

At the SNP's annual conference in 2012, McGarry argued on the anti-NATO side of the NATO debate in the Scottish National Party, stating that opposition "is not merely about nuclear weapons" and calling for the SNP to retain its opposition to NATO membership.[8]

McGarry, was among activists who set up Women for Independence in 2012. She told the Glasgow Herald the group was created "over a glass of wine" with former SSP MSP Carolyn Leckie as its main driving force.[9] Explaining the decision, she said: "We came together because a group of us arrived at the conclusion, individually, that women's voices were missing from both sides of the referendum debate."[10]

Already a well-known activist, McGarry's profile in the SNP increased when she was selected as the party's candidate for the 2014 Cowdenbeath by-election. She had previously sought selection as an SNP candidate in the 2014 European Parliament election, but failed.[11] McGarry failed to win the by-election, gaining 5,704 votes (28.4%).[12] A year later, she was selected to contest Glasgow East in the 2015 General Election.[13]

McGarry became the MP for the Glasgow East Constituency on 8 May 2015, taking the seat from former Labour MP Margaret Curran which was part of a historic election result that saw the SNP win 56 out of Scotland's 59 seats at Westminster. McGarry took the mandatory oath of allegiance to the monarch, despite having reservations.[14]

In January 2016, McGarry and author J. K. Rowling were involved in a Twitter spat. McGarry had accused the author of supporting an anonymous Twitter user with "misogynistic views". McGarry later deleted some tweets and Rowling accepted her apology.[15] In March, McGarry became embroiled in another row after she claimed on Twitter that the organisation Scotland in Union was "headed by an internet troll and a outed holocaust denier". The organisation said that this was false and offensive. McGarry deleted her tweet and tweeted an apology.[16] The matter was later settled out of court with McGarry issuing a formal apology and paying around £10,000 in damages.[17]

In February 2016, McGarry was briefly detained for questioning by Turkish security forces for using a mobile phone near a security checkpoint in the south-east Turkey. She stated she was "recording the sound of bombs" falling on a nearby Kurdish area.[18][19]

Prosecution

Women for Independence alerted police in September 2015 after noticing apparent discrepancies in its accounts,[4] prompting an investigation into campaign funds, which was publicly reported for the first time in November 2015.[20] On 24 November, it was announced that she had resigned the SNP whip and was automatically suspended from the party.[21]

In September 2016, McGarry gave a voluntary interview with Police Scotland.[22] Following this interview, McGarry was charged with a number of fraud offences (including embezzlement of funds, breach of trust and an offence under the Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013) relating to apparent discrepancies in the finances of the SNP Glasgow Regional Association and Women for Independence.[4][22] McGarry is represented by solicitor Aamer Anwar.[22] She denies all wrongdoing.[22][4]

Personal life

In May 2016, McGarry married David Meikle, a Conservative councillor on Glasgow City Council representing the Pollokshields ward.[23] The couple had been together since 2011[24] and announced their engagement shortly after she was elected as a MP.[25]

McGarry's mother, Alice McGarry, was the SNP candidate for Dunfermline East in 1987 and has been a SNP councillor on Fife Council, representing Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay since 1986. Her aunt is Tricia Marwick, the former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament[26][27] and SNP MSP.

References

  1. ↑ "Natalie McGarry: Time for female views to be heard". The Scotsman. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Glasgow SNP - Scottish Independence - SNP in Glasgow". Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  3. ↑ Martin, Kate (11 December 2013). "Why is the Scottish independence debate dominated by men?". New Statesman. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "MP Natalie McGarry charged over fraud allegations". BBC News. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  5. ↑ Leask, David (1 June 2015). "Analysis: SNP bucks trend for privately educated MPs". The Herald. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  6. ↑ Dinwoodie, Robbie (9 December 2013). "Labour goes for experience to rebuild party base in Falkirk". The Herald. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "Gordon Brown: independence threatens future of Rosyth dockyard". The Herald. 8 January 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  8. ↑ 19 SNP Conference 2012 NATO - Natalie McGarry. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  9. ↑ Allan, Vicky (6 September 2014). "You know what? I've made up my mind. This advert is rubbish". The Herald. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  10. ↑ Hutcheon, Paul; Gordon, Tom (11 August 2012). "New women's group aims to close gender gap and boost support for Yes campaign". The Herald. p. 4. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "Natalie for Europe" (PDF). Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "Labour wins Cowdenbeath seat in by-election". The Targe. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  13. ↑ "SNP and Tory candidates revealed". Evening Times. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  14. ↑ Gray, Michael (20 May 2015). "New SNP MPs swear oath to the crown in Westminster allegiance ceremony". Common Space. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  15. ↑ "JK Rowling 'may sue MP' Natalie McGarry over Twitter row". BBC News. 29 January 2016.
  16. ↑ "Natalie McGarry MP facing legal action over holocaust tweet". Telegraph.co.uk. 7 March 2016.
  17. ↑ Brooks, Libby (9 May 2016). "Suspended SNP MP pays damages over 'Holocaust denier' Twitter row". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  18. ↑ Libby Brooks (25 February 2016). "Scottish MP Natalie McGarry detained by Turkish security forces". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "Natalie McGarry: Turkey experience was 'terrifying'". BBC News. 27 February 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  20. ↑ Brooks, Libby (23 November 2015). "SNP MP Natalie McGarry linked to missing donations claim". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  21. ↑ "Natalie McGarry withdraws from SNP whip over campaign fund probe". BBC News. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Libby Brooks, Glasgow East MP Natalie McGarry charged with embezzlement, The Guardian (September 27, 2016).
  23. ↑ Paterson, Stewart (30 May 2016). "MP Natalie McGarry weds Councillor David Meikle". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  24. ↑ McIver, Brian (12 June 2013). "Meet the couple on opposite sides of the debate in Scotland's independence referendum". Daily Record. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  25. ↑ Wilson, Fraser. "She said YES! SNP independence campaigner Natalie McGarry set to wed TORY councillor". Daily Record. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  26. ↑ "Ken Macintosh elected as presiding officer of Scottish parliament". The Guardian. 12 May 2016.
  27. ↑ "Nat for Europe!". Dunfermline Press. 31 January 2013.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Margaret Curran		 Member of Parliament
for Glasgow East
2015–present 		Incumbent
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