ELECTION 2010: Argyll and Bute's candidates so far . . .

Published 8 Apr 2010 11:13

Liberal Democrat Alan Reid will be hoping to retain his Argyll and Bute seat.

An MP in Westminster since 2001, Alan was a computer project manager at Glasgow University before entering Parliament. A member of the Association of University Teachers, he was a Renfrew District Councillor from 1988-96.

Alan has been Shadow Northern Ireland and Scotland Minister since 2007, and was previously a member of the Select Committees on Broadcasting and Scottish spokesperson on Common Fisheries Policy Reform.

Educated at University of Strathclyde and Bell College Alan was brought up in Ayr. His interests include chess, walking and reading.

Conservative Gary Mulvaney has been a local councillor in Helensburgh Central since 2003.

A qualified accountant and fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, he is currently centre principal of Toyota in Helensburgh having worked for the company for 13 years. He lives with Janet, his wife who he married last year and her daughter Sammy-Jo.

Gary enjoys the cinema and spending time with family watching Britain's Got Talent or the X Factor. Other activities include leading the Conservative group in Argyll and Bute Council and member of its Executive Committee. He also chairs the Helensburgh Town Centre and Waterfront Project Board.

SNP parliamentary candidate Mike MacKenzie was born in Oban and has lived on Easdale Island since 1980.

Although moving to Glasgow in his childhood, Mike spent his school and university holidays working as a salmon fisherman around Easdale and Mull.

Married to Lynn, a lecturer in special needs, Mike has two children - Michael, a doctor working in an aids clinic in South Africa, and Hazel in her final year of studying for a PhD in English literature.

Establishing his own building business in 1983, he trained Argyll and Bute's first female joiner, who now lectures in joinery at college. He was a founding director of Eilean Eisdeal, Easdale Islands community development company and does occasional consultancy work for other communities.

An avid reader, Mike's interests include keeping fit, sailing and making furniture.

David Graham is Scottish Labour's candidate for Argyll and Bute. He lives and works in Dunoon as a community learning worker liaising with young people. Married to Valerie, the couple have three grown-up children - Andy plays football for Stirling Albion, Fiona is currently doing a probationary year as a primary teacher in East Renfrewshire and Carol who left school with seven highers but has still to decided on a career.

Elaine Morrison is the Scottish Green Party's candidate. A freelance consultant and researcher based in Argyll, Elaine has 15 years of experience on issues such as housing, poverty and renewable energy. She is working for an EU funded transnational project which is allied to her PhD studies on sustainable energy planning. Among other posts, she is non-executive Director of the Claverhouse Group.

A surprise contender in the election is John Black who says he is to fight for the Scottish Jacobite Party which he leads. Born in Fife, John attended Hermitage Academy and Vale of Leven Academy before studying philosophy at Glasgow University. After graduation, John moved to North America, living in Vancouver for three years and Portland, Oregon, for 33 years. He returned to Helensburgh in 2000.

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