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David Linden (politician)

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David Linden
Official portrait, 2019
SNP Spokesperson for Social Justice in the House of Commons
In office
10 December 2022 – 5 July 2024
LeaderStephen Flynn
Preceded byKirsty Blackman
SNP Spokesperson for Work and Pensions in the House of Commons
In office
1 February 2021 – 29 March 2022
LeaderIan Blackford
Preceded byNeil Gray
Succeeded byKirsty Blackman
SNP Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government in the House of Commons
In office
7 January 2020 – 1 February 2021
LeaderIan Blackford
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byPatricia Gibson
Member of Parliament
for Glasgow East
In office
8 June 2017 – 30 May 2024
Preceded byNatalie McGarry
Succeeded byJohn Grady
Personal details
Born
David Melvyn Linden

(1990-05-14) 14 May 1990 (age 34)[1]
Glasgow, Scotland
Political partyScottish National Party

David Melvyn Linden[2] (born 14 May 1990) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow East from the 2017 General Election until May 2024.[3] He served as the SNP Spokesperson for Work and Pensions from 2021 to 2022 and the Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government in the House of Commons from 2020 to 2021.

Early life and education

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David Linden was born on 14 May 1990 in Glasgow, Scotland.[4] He grew up in Cranhill and Garrowhill,[5] and was educated at Milncroft Primary School, Garrowhill Primary School and then Bannerman High School in Baillieston.[6][7][8] He left school at the age of 16 and undertook an apprenticeship in Business Administration with Glasgow City Council.[9] He worked for Glasgow Credit Union for two years.[10]

Political career

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Linden was the national convenor for the youth wing of the Scottish National Party, SNP Youth and campaigned for Scottish independence in the 2014 independence referendum. Linden worked as a researcher for John Mason MSP.[11] Between 2015 and 2017, he worked as a parliamentary assistant for Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central.[12]

At the 2017 general election, Linden was elected as MP for Glasgow East with 38.8% of the vote and a majority of 75 votes.[12][13][14][15]

Linden voted for the United Kingdom to remain within the EU during the 2016 UK EU membership referendum. In the indicative votes on 27 March 2019, he voted for a referendum on a Brexit withdrawal agreement.[16]

At the 2019 general election, Linden was re-elected as MP for Glasgow East with an increased vote share of 47.7% and an increased majority of 5,566.[17][18][19][20]

During his time in Parliament, Linden chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Premature and Sick Babies as well as the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nutrition for Growth.[21]

In November 2020, Linden was reprimanded for using taxpayer's money to send 200 birthday cards to children turning 18, using prepaid envelopes embossed with a Westminster logo. A parliamentary inquiry said he had used them to promote himself and ordered him to pay back £147.34 in postage. Linden admitted he had breached the parliamentary code of conduct.[22]

In November 2021, the defence secretary, Ben Wallace, accused a delegation of MPs, including Linden, of conduct that "put military personnel in a difficult position" after drinking in an airport departure lounge and once in the air during a visit to Gibraltar-based soldiers. They were also accused of being impolite to airport staff. An SNP spokesman denied the allegations, describing them as "false".[23]

In October 2023, Linden was re-selected as the SNP candidate for Glasgow East at the 2024 general election.[24] He was defeated in his bid for re-election, and lost his seat to John Grady of the Labour Party.

Personal life

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Linden is the father to two children with his first wife, Roslyn, whom he married in 2012.[25] As of September 2021, Linden is in a relationship with Labour Party MP Cat Smith.[26]

In his spare time, Linden enjoys fishing, and is a fan of Airdrieonians Football Club.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "Members' Names Data Platform query". UK Parliament. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  2. ^ "No. 27885". The Edinburgh Gazette. 19 June 2017. p. 1077.
  3. ^ Kathleen Speirs (9 June 2017). "Glasgow's two new MPs – everything you need to know". Glasgow Live. MGN. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  4. ^ Linden, David. A & C Black. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U289519. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  5. ^ "Glasgow's two new MPs – everything you need to know". Glasgow Live. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  6. ^ "GE2017 Essential Candidates" (PDF). DeHavilland. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  7. ^ Sim, Philip (16 June 2017). "First week at work for Scotland's new MPs". BBC News. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Primary Schools". Cranhill Primary School. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  9. ^ Paterson, Kirsteen (20 June 2017). "New SNP MP David Linden: Vote count was as nerve-wracking as my son's birth". The National.
  10. ^ "Welfare Reform and Work Act". Hansard. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  11. ^ Currie, Brian (3 November 2011). "New smear tactics claim against SNP". The Herald. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  12. ^ a b Rodger, Hannah (10 June 2017). "Election 2017: Meet Glasgow's new boys in town". The Herald. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  13. ^ Glasgow Young Scot, 20 Trongate (11 May 2017). "General Election 2017 – Glasgow candidates announced".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Glasgow East parliamentary constituency – Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  15. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
  16. ^ "How MPs voted on May's withdrawal deal defeat". Financial Times. 29 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019.
  17. ^ "Glasgow East parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  18. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll".
  19. ^ "Glasgow East parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  20. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis" (PDF). London: House of Commons Library. 28 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Biography". David Linden MP. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  22. ^ "Rectification" (PDF). 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Three MPs accused of drunken conduct on armed forces Gibraltar trip". the Guardian. 11 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  24. ^ "SNP MP David Linden beats Alison Thewliss to win Glasgow East nomination". 12 October 2023.
  25. ^ "Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  26. ^ Rodger, Hannah (13 September 2021). "SNP MP finds love on Labour benches". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Glasgow East
2017–2024 		Succeeded by
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