Dennis Canavan
| Dennis Canavan | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Scottish Parliament for Falkirk West |
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In office 6 May 1999 – 2 April 2007 |
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| Preceded by | New parliament |
| Succeeded by | Michael Matheson |
| Member of Parliament for Falkirk West West Stirlingshire (Oct 1974–1983) |
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In office 10 October 1974 – 21 November 2000 |
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| Preceded by | William Baxter |
| Succeeded by | Eric Joyce |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Dennis Andrew Canavan 8 August 1942 Cowdenbeath, Scotland |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Political party | Independent (1999–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Labour (1974–1999) |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
Dennis Andrew Canavan (born 8 August 1942) is a Scottish politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Falkirk West from 1974 to 2000 (known as West Stirlingshire from 1974 to 1983), first as a member of the Labour Party, and then as an Independent. He then served as an Independent Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Falkirk West from 1999 to 2007.
In 2014, he was the chair of the Advisory Board of Yes Scotland, the campaign for a Yes vote in the Scottish independence referendum, 2014.
Born in Cowdenbeath, Canavan was educated at St. Bride's and St. Columba's Schools, Cowdenbeath, St Andrew's College, Drygrange, and at the University of Edinburgh. He worked as a schoolteacher from 1968 until 1974 and was Assistant Head of Holy Rood High School Edinburgh at the time of his first election to Parliament. Canavan was also head of the maths department at St Modans High in Stirling.
He was leader of the Labour Party Group on Stirling District Council in 1974 and, in October of that year, was elected as Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for West Stirlingshire. Following boundary changes, he was MP for Falkirk West from 1983 to 2000. He was Chair of the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Group, 1980 – 1981. In 1975, he tried introducing a bill to abolish corporal punishment in schools and his efforts formed part of the case presented to the European Commission of Human Rights which led eventually to abolition. He voted against the Blair Government's proposals to cut benefits for children of lone parents, abolish Student Grants and introduce tuition fees.
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