Kenneth Gibson MSP |
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Convener of the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee |
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Assumed office 15 June 2011 |
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Preceded by | Andrew Welsh |
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Cunninghame North |
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Assumed office 3 May 2007 |
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Preceded by | Allan Wilson |
Majority | 6117 (20.7%) |
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow |
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In office 6 May 1999 – 31 March 2003 |
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Personal details | |
Born |
Paisley, Scotland |
8 September 1961
Political party | Scottish National Party |
Spouse(s) | Patricia Gibson MP |
Alma mater | University of Stirling |
Kenneth 'Kenny' James Gibson (born 8 September 1961 in Paisley) is a Scottish National Party politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Cunninghame North.
Gibson served as an SNP councillor in Glasgow for Mosspark from 1992 to 1999, becoming the first ever SNP councillor in the city to serve successive terms. In his second term he secured the biggest majority of Scotland's 1,245 councillors. He was then the sole SNP councillor in Glasgow. Following the defection of three Labour councillors and a by-election win, Kenneth became Leader of the Opposition on Glasgow City Council from January 1998 until being replaced on Glasgow City Council by his mother Iris in the election of 1999.
Within the SNP, Gibson was a Shadow Cabinet front bencher from 1997 to 2003. As SNP Local Government Convenor from 1997 to 1999, Gibson was responsible for writing and producing the SNP manifesto and co-ordinating the parties campaign for the 1999 local government elections.
Gibson was first elected to the Scottish Parliament at the 1999 Scottish Parliament election as a list member for Glasgow electoral region. In Parliament he served on many cross party group, and raised many issues for the first time, such as Scotland's population decline, lack of Olympic representation, and high levels of suicide. Gibson instigated work on a Regulation of Smoking Bill, however no bill was ever produced during Gibson's time at Holyrood but in 2004, the Scottish Executive were forced to concede support for a smoking ban which was implemented in 2006.