William Kidd (born 24 July 1956) is aScottish National Party (SNP) politician, andMember of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for theGlasgow Anniesland constituency since 2011, having previously represented theGlasgow region from 2007 to 2011.
Bill Kidd | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Scottish Parliament forGlasgow Anniesland | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Butler |
| Majority | 6,588 (19.9%) |
| Member of the Scottish Parliament forGlasgow | |
| In office 3 May 2007 – 5 May 2011 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1956-07-24)24 July 1956 (age 68) |
| Political party | Scottish National Party |
| Occupation | Member of the Scottish Parliament |
| Profession | Politician |
He is currently the convenor of the Cross Party Group onNuclear Disarmament and deputy convenor of the Cross Party Group on Human Trafficking. He previously served as chief whip from 2012 to 2018 and as senior deputy whip from 2007 to 2012.
Outside of Holyrood, Kidd also serves as co-president of the international organisation Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non Proliferation and Disarmament (PNND). He has represented PNND at theUnited Nations, including delivering PNND's address to the 10th NPT Review Conference in August 2022. In 2016 Kidd was named, in his capacity as co-president, in a nomination of PNND for theNobel Peace Prize. He was singled out for his dedicated work campaigning against nuclear weapons.[1]
Early life
editHe was a clerk at theClydebank District Council, before enrolling as a mature student. Before entering politics, Kidd also worked as a clerk at the Western Infirmary and Glasgow Dental Hospital for many years.[2]
Political career
editKidd was the SNP candidate at the1987 general election forGlasgow Hillhead but finished in fourth place with 2,713 votes, losing toGeorge Galloway of theLabour Party. Shortly afterwards, he left the SNP to become a founding member of the Scottish Socialist Party (unrelated to thecurrent party of that name).[2] He stood for the SSP at the1989 Glasgow Central by-election,[2] but later re-joined the SNP.
He stood again for the SNP atCunninghame South at the2001 general election but finished in second place with 5,194 votes toBrian Donohoe of the Labour Party. At the2003 and2007 Scottish Parliament elections, he was the SNP candidate forGlasgow Anniesland, finishing in second place on both occasions. In 2007, he was elected as an MSP for theGlasgow region. The following day, he was also elected as acouncillor for theDrumchapel/Anniesland ward ofGlasgow City Council.[3] In 2009, he decided to concentrate on his Holyrood role and stood down as a Glasgow City councillor.[4]
In2011, he was elected as MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, defeating the Labour candidate by only seven votes.[5] In the2016 election, Kidd retained the seat, this time with a majority of 6,153 votes. He Kidd won the seat for Anniesland again in 2021, this time winning 17,501 seats ahead of second-placed Scottish Labour candidate Eva Murray's 10,932.
On 12 March 2025, he announced he would stand down at thenext Scottish Parliament election.[6]
He is a past convenor of the SNP's Glasgow Regional Association.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^"People of today: William (Bill) KIDD".Debrett's. Retrieved24 June 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^abcWilson, Iain (1 May 1989)."SNP defector to stand for new party".The Glasgow Herald. Retrieved30 December 2016.
- ^Councillor William Kidd, Ward 14Glasgow City CouncilArchived 11 October 2007 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Glasgow MSP steps down from council".Evening Times. 24 April 2009.
- ^Fraser, Graham (6 May 2011)."Glasgow Anniesland won by SNP in astonishing result".STV News. Archived fromthe original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved2 January 2016.
- ^"Nobel Peace Prize Nominee MSP to Stand Down from Scottish Parliament".Holyrood. 12 March 2025. Retrieved12 March 2025.