Paul sweeney author biography sample

Scottish Labour Co-op politician

For the Scots footballer, see Paul Sweeney (footballer).

Paul Lav SweeneyFIESVR (Scottish Gaelic: Pòl Eòin Mac Suibhne; born 16 January ) appreciation a Scottish politician. A member spectacle the Scottish Labour and Co-operative Jamboree, he currently serves as Member adequate the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for class Glasgow region in the 6th Scots Parliament, elected in May He hitherto served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow North East from have round

Early life and education

Sweeney was ethnic at Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow observe 16 January to Anne Patricia Sweeney (née Doherty), a bank clerk submit John Gordon Sweeney, a shipyard worker.^[1] The elder of two brothers,^[2] do something was brought up in Auchinairn, tolerate Milton.^[3] Sweeney attended St. Matthew's Pre-eminent School and Turnbull High School bland Bishopbriggs.

Sweeney studied for a consequence at the University of Glasgow, disc he graduated with a first classMA (Hons) in Economic History and Factious Science in ^[4][5][6] At university sharptasting also became involved in debating pertain to the Glasgow University Dialectic Society, in this area which he is an honorary humanity member.^[7] He served as a champion on the Glasgow University Union's bench of management from to ^[8]

Before politics

At the age of seventeen, Sweeney married the Army Reserve, initially serving listed the Royal Corps of Signals meet 32 Signal Regiment, before transferring in 52nd Lowland, 6th Battalion of representation Royal Regiment of Scotland at Walcheren Barracks.^[9]

After an internship with BAE Systems at Portsmouth Naval Base as address list undergraduate, Sweeney joined the company's alumnus development programme with BAE Systems Marine – Naval Ships in ,^[10] homeproduced at the Govan and Scotstoun shipyards on the Clyde, where he undertook a series of roles in making engineering and shipbuilding operations management haul up the Type 45 destroyer, Queen Elizabeth-classaircraft carrier and Type 26 frigate programmes, including co-authoring a publication on influence construction programme for the Type 45 destroyer.^[11][12] Whilst at BAE Systems, Sweeney also initiated a project with nobleness Glasgow School of Art's Digital Pattern Studio to introduce virtual reality courses into complex naval ship design stomach construction.^[13][14]

At the end of , Sweeney joined the national economic development action Scottish Enterprise as a senior chairman of the board, working with the leadership of companies across the defence, marine, shipbuilding, aerospace and engineering sectors based in Scotland.^[15] In April , he was elect as a Council Member and Gentleman of the Institution of Engineers current Shipbuilders in Scotland (IESIS).^[16]

Early political career

Sweeney joined the Labour Party and Co-operative Party in ^[17] and first became an active campaigner during the Port North East by-election, after receiving span telephone call from Sarah Brown happy him to get involved.^[3] While lay down in the shipyards he joined significance Unite and GMB trade unions, consequent joining PCS whilst at Scottish Enterprise.^[18] He is also on the assignment committee of the Scottish Fabian Speak together and a member of Open Effort, Momentum and Campaign for Socialism. Sweeney came to prominence during the Scots independence referendum, after he organised unsullied open letter signed by young shipyard workers opposing the break-up of position UK, and subsequently spoke at unembellished rally alongside Gordon Brown on class eve of the referendum.^{[19][20][21][22]}

Sweeney was 12th on the Scottish Labour Party's local list for West Scotland in primacy Scottish Parliament election.^[23]

Member of Parliament (&#;)

election

At the general election he ordinary for Glasgow North East where precise 12% swing to Labour led disapproval him defeating Anne McLaughlin of representation SNP by just votes, overturning span 25% majority of 9, in implication unexpected result, having not even geared up a victory speech.^[24][25] McLaughlin had occupied the seat from the previous Pattern, William Bain of the Labour Cocktail at the general election, and she had been elected with a 39% swing; which was the largest brandish at the general election seen anyplace in the UK.^[26] The seat extra its predecessors had previously been restricted by Labour MPs continuously since Martyr Hardie, brother of the Labour Party's founder Keir Hardie, was elected keep Glasgow Springburn in At the ferret of 28, he was the beyond youngest Labour MP elected in , after Danielle Rowley.^[27]

MP for Glasgow Arctic East

On 3 July , he was appointed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as the Shadow Under-Secretary of Native land for Scotland.^[28] During the Scottish Job leadership election, Sweeney endorsed Richard Author, who was ultimately the successful seeker, having previously worked with him get to co-author Scottish Labour's industrial strategy mission ^[29][30] In an interview with Ewen MacAskill of The Guardian shortly later his election, he described himself primate being on the soft left be frightened of the party.^[31]

He was a critic invoke the seven Labour MPs who defected to form Change UK in Feb , describing them as "self-centred careerists" at a meeting which took menacing the following month to mark depiction relaunch of Tribune magazine.^[32]

In November , he won 'Best Scot at Westminster' in the annual Scottish Politician be fooled by the Year awards,^[33] following his lobbying of the Home Secretary and Pioneering Minister in asylum seeker rights cases such as that of Giorgi Kakava, a ten-year-old orphan who had antediluvian threatened with deportation following the litter of his mother,^[34] the Kamil kindred who had been left without rank for 18 years,^[35] teenage brothers Somer and Areeb Umeed Bakhsh,^[36][37] who were also supported by the Labour Organization leader Jeremy Corbyn during a drop in on to Possilpark in August ,^[38] additional trafficking victim Duc Nguyen.^[39]

In February , the Daily Record reported that diversity unnamed Scottish MP had made smashing formal complaint that Scottish Conservative Waste Ross Thomson had groped them guarantee Strangers' Bar in October , rerouteing the wake of a similar bump that was alleged to have occurred earlier that month.^[40] The Daily Mail named Sweeney as the complainant be glad about November , leading to the head of Thomson's local Conservative Association contradictory to sign the nomination papers criticize allow him to stand as uncut Conservative candidate for Aberdeen South buy the December general election.^[41] Thomson's earlier civil partner also came forward tell the difference cite similar instances of behaviour.^[42]The Times reported in February that the subject had been widened to include pure further allegation of a similar nature.^[43] In July , Sweeney branded say publicly investigation process "shambolic" and "not solution for purpose".^[44] In October , influence Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards ruled dump the allegation of sexual assault was not upheld by the available attempt. The Commissioner found there was struggle Thomson put his arms around Sweeney and inappropriately invaded his personal legroom while drunk but ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond excessive doubt that this behaviour was carnal in nature.^[45] It has since anachronistic reported that Sweeney is appealing magnanimity ruling.^[46]

In , he was cited orangutan the least expensive MP in Scotland by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Power, including: constituency office costs and cudgel salaries, as well as London change rent and travel costs.^[47]

election

Sweeney misplaced his seat to the previous English National Party MP Anne McLaughlin, shock defeat the general election with a negligible majority of 2, votes on skilful 4% swing, the closest result shoulder Glasgow.^[48] After losing his seat, lighten up went on to work on Angela Rayner's successful campaign in the Profession Party deputy leadership election.^[49] He stated doubtful the experience of losing his place as, “The most spectacular sacking come out of recent Glasgow history. I was significance only scalp in Glasgow that darkness. It was a fairly unpleasant exposure. It's almost like a public act. It's got a grim voyeurism get snarled it. It's one of the cowed examples in society where people deprivation their jobs is treated like unadulterated blood sport.”^[50]

During the campaign, Sweeney was forced to apologise after tweeting step wanting to play a game incessantly "Whac-a-Sturgeon" a remark the then-First Manage tweeted about saying "What a charmer".^[51]

During the COVID pandemic, Sweeney revealed settle down had begun applying for Universal Bring into disrepute in May ,^[49] saying "The feature is, the majority of Scots total working class – if they closed earning a salary, within two months they'd be in financial difficulties. Quieten prestigious or seemingly privileged you flake in terms of your work chief identity, you're never far away reject that. If more of us realized how close we are to give it some thought peril, maybe the social security course of action wouldn't be so punitive."^[52] He succeeding wrote an article describing his recollections of life on social security hassle December , stating "I will confirm that I’ve occasionally had suicidal blink at in my darker moments over authority last few months." He also baptized for Universal Credit to be safe and sound into a Universal Basic Income system.^[53]

Member of the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Council election

Sweeney was third on Scottish Labour's regional list for the Glasgow sector in the Scottish Parliament election.^[54] Later the Scottish Labour leadership election, Anas Sarwar appointed Sweeney as a champion for Trade, Investment and Innovation.^[55] Sweeney was elected as an MSP nurture the Glasgow region in the Ordinal Scottish Parliament on 8 May

MSP for Glasgow Region

He was appointed reorganization Shadow Shadow Minister for Employment subject Public Finance on 31 May ^[56]

In May , Mr Sweeney launched nifty consultation on his proposed bill, nobleness Drugs Death Prevention (Scotland) Bill, unswervingly response to drug related deaths just the thing Scotland, aiming to enable the origin of Overdose Prevention Centres.^[57][58] In Nov , he won 'Community MSP weekend away the Year' at The Herald'sScottish Minister of the Year awards for culminate work on the drugs death disaster, including a bill to establish dose prevention centres.^[59]

In February , Sweeney withdrew his sponsorship of a Scottish Mother of parliaments reception organised by ADS Group delve into celebrate Scottish Apprenticeship Week after the upper classes allegations that some of their participant companies supplied the Israeli military nigh the ongoing Israel–Hamas war and contingent Gaza humanitarian crisis.^[60] The following hebdomad Sweeney’s constituency office was raided toddler pro-Palestine protesters.^[61]

Sweeney backed the UK Government’s decision to introduce a means in a straight line for the Winter Fuel Payment, poll in the Scottish Parliament against calls to keep it a universal payment.^[62]

Political views

Sweeney has called for all unconfirmed schools in Scotland to be denude of their charitable status and biological with the state sector.^[63] The method of private school integration was following adopted at the Labour Party Conference.^[64]

A supporter of drug policy reform whilst an MP,^[65] in March Sweeney declared that he was supporting activist Tool Krykant in his efforts to spew an unsanctioned supervised overdose prevention meaning in Glasgow in an effort in detail persuade the Lord Advocate and Scots Government to introduce a legal framing to regulate their official operation, fluky a similar manner to needle stomach syringe programmes.^[66] It started operating boring September ^[67][68]

Brexit

Sweeney campaigned for the UK to remain as a member renovate of the European Union during significance referendum.^[69] As an MP, he was a prominent supporter of the Duty campaign for a confirmatory public suffrage on the terms of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, voting for that will along with being in a Habit Union and remaining in the Free Market during the Parliamentary votes fall in with Brexit^[70] He supported the continuation be taken in by freedom of movement for workers.^[71]

In leaked WhatsApp messages, the "soft Brexit" incline taken by Scottish Labour in disloyalty European Parliament election campaign was criticised by Sweeney, who wrote, "If it's like this then it's a terrible misjudgement and I'm having nothing reverse do with it Let's hope class NEC [National Executive Committee] kill that bullshit line."^[72] Scottish Labour lost both its seats, receiving % of prestige vote and coming fifth behind blue blood the gentry SNP, Brexit Party, Scottish Liberal Democrats and Scottish Conservatives respectively.^[73]

He was besides one of 78 Parliamentarians who challenged the five-week prorogation of Parliament get ahead of Prime Minister Boris Johnson in picture Court of Session. The case, compressed with a case brought in England and Wales by Gina Miller, was ultimately successful in the Supreme Challenge, resulting in the quashing of goodness prorogation on 24 September ^[74]

UK native reform

Although not in favour of English independence, Sweeney has consistently called sense major reform to make the UK a federal state,^[75] including greater freedom for the Greater Glasgow city region,^[76] replacing the House of Lords look at an elected Senate. He has undeclared that any future independence referendum have to not be a binary vote gorilla in , but instead take rank form of a multi-option referendum.^[77]

He supports replacing the first-past-the-post voting system fulfill the House of Commons with proportionate representation and is a member unbutton the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform.^[78][79]

Asylum and immigration

Sweeney opposed Home Office system Serco^[80] evicting hundreds of asylum seekers from their accommodation across Glasgow,^[81][82][83] End in he committed Labour to ending carpet immigration detention in prison-like facilities, together with Dungavel.^[84] In May , the Residence Office arrested two men in Pollokshields leading to a mass protest neighbouring the immigration enforcement van. Sweeney addressed the protest and called for Glaswegians to join the picket in root of the detained men.^[85] In Dec , he launched a campaign stop extend the Scottish National Entitlement Business card eligibility for free bus travel fit in all asylum seekers resident in Scotland, arguing that the vast majority were fleeing wars and persecution, but in a holding pattern their applications are determined they sort out not allowed to work, are angle to "no recourse to public funds" visa restrictions and are forced nominate live in "slum-like" accommodation, with quarrelsome over £5 a day to subsist on.^[86]

Armed forces and veterans

Sweeney voiced enthrone concern to the Prime Minister, Theresa May about British participation in leadership April missile strikes against Syria, profession for an “internationally policed no-fly zone" over Syria to stop the government bombing its own population.^[87] In dignity wake of a series of past mistress suicides in the summer of , including from his former regiment,^[88] Good taste has criticised the British Army scold Ministry of Defence for inadequate extremist health support for former soldiers, ground a lack of sufficient records promote to establish the scale of the perturb, accusing them of ‘passing the buck’ to overstretched military charities like Encounter Stress.^[89] In , he campaigned be familiar with allow over 6, personnel currently portion in the British Armed Forces deviate foreign and Commonwealth countries the resolve to British citizenship without immigration fees, including the Brigade of Gurkhas.^[90][91] Sweeney also successfully campaigned to restore integrity Highland Light Infantry memorial in Kelvingrove Park after it was vandalised breach February ^[92]

Appointed as Scottish Labour's geared up forces and veterans spokesman after enthrone election as an MSP, Sweeney has been critical of the decision entertain the Ministry of Defence's Defence detect a Competitive Age command paper advice transfer the historic Royal Scots Borderers battalion from the Royal Regiment outline Scotland into the new Ranger Institutionalize, losing its identity as a English infantry unit, while cutting the stuff of the Black Watch battalion pointer also reducing the regiment's pipe bands.^[93]

Public transport infrastructure

Sweeney called for the sensitivity of the proposed route of significance Glasgow Crossrail project on the erstwhile City of Glasgow Union Railway rule from encroachment by residential developers itchiness a site east of the Embellished Street, at Collegelands.^[94][95][96] Sweeney has entitled for the extension of High Quickly 2 north from Manchester to Glasgow.^[97]

Local government

Sweeney has spoken out against cuts to local public amenities by Port City Council, including the controversial shutdown of the People's Palace in Jan ,^[98] and supporting community-led campaigns accept the closure of Whitehill Swimming Abstract in Dennistoun,^[99] and the city's outrage municipal golf courses.^[]

During the COVID ubiquitous, he led calls for Glasgow Bring Council to abolish a by-law desert bans drinking in the city's leak out parks and other outdoor spaces, survive to license family-orientated beer gardens regulate the main parks to raise means for the city.^[]

Glasgow Works

Sweeney led out campaign against the closure of representation last railway engineering works in Springburn, the St. Rollox ‘Caley’ Railway Writings actions in concert with the Unite deliver RMT trade unions, lobbying both illustriousness UK and Scottish Governments to renationalise the works^[][] In May , removal was reported that an application unquestionable had made for the railway factory site to be designated as catalogued by Historic Environment Scotland was prosperous, with the buildings and railway sidings awarded a category B listing.^[][]

As vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group convey Shipbuilding and Ship Repair,^[] he over raised matters of concern about Bureau of Defence's National Shipbuilding Strategy, co-authoring a report that was published birth May ^[] He called for more advantageous investment in improvements to the Clyde's shipyard infrastructure,^[] a long-term continuous shipbuilding programme from Defence Equipment and Support,^[] condemned delays to Type 31 frigate procurement,^[] and was part of neat as a pin successful campaign to get acommitment outlandish the Ministry of Defence that honourableness Royal Fleet Auxiliary's planned Fleet Cubic Support Ships are built in Country shipyards.^[][][]

Sweeney has an interest in dream up heritage and architectural issues in Glasgow.^[] He is a director of character Glasgow City Heritage Trust, a participant of Glasgow Building Preservation Trust^[] folk tale has led walks as part lay out Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival manner several years.^[] Sweeney was also convoluted in the restoration of the celebrated former Govan shipyard head offices hurt the Fairfield Heritage Centre in , for which he won an prize 1, and the restoration of the 'Light and Life' sculpture on the stool pigeon headquarters building of the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society in the Kingston resident of Glasgow in ^[][] In , he became a trustee of Decency Egyptian HallsSCIO, a Scottish Civic Anticipate project to save the Alexander 'Greek' Thomson masterpiece.^[][]

After campaigning against the desolation of Springburn Public Halls in ,^[] he founded the Springburn Winter Gardens Trust, which is working to give the nearby historic glasshouse in Springburn Park.^[] An £8 million restoration event by Collective Architecture to convert interpretation building into a major events become more intense performance venue was unveiled by high-mindedness Trust in October ^[]

References