Jim Mather | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the Scottish Parliament forArgyll and Bute | |
| In office 3 May 2007 – 22 March 2011 | |
| Preceded by | George Lyon |
| Succeeded by | Mike Russell |
| Majority | 815 (2.8%) |
| Member of the Scottish Parliament forHighlands and Islands (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) | |
| In office 1 May 2003 – 3 May 2007 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Stuart Mather (1947-03-06)6 March 1947 (age 78) Lochwinnoch, Scotland |
| Political party | Scottish National Party |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
| Profession | Accountant |
James Stuart Mather (born 6 March 1947) is a formerScottish National Party (SNP) politician. He was theMinister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism from 2007 to 2011 and aMember of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) from 2003 to 2011. Mather was the SNP's treasurer for four years. Since leaving parliament he has held various non-executive posts and academic roles.
Mather was born inLochwinnoch and was educated atPaisley Grammar School and Greenock High School before attending theUniversity of Glasgow. Prior to his election to Holyrood he worked as achartered accountant and ran his own business.[1]
He joined the SNP in 1996 and was the SNP's National Treasurer from 2000.
He is credited with making and presenting the economic case forScottish Independence, having taken the argument to the media, boardrooms and committee rooms across Scotland between 2001 and 2007.
He was the SNP candidate in the2000 Ayr by-election and was their candidate forArgyll and Bute at the2003 election. That latter election saw him elected to the Scottish Parliament as a regional list member for theHighlands and Islands. In opposition he was the SNP's Shadow Enterprise and Economy Minister.
Mather contested Argyll and Bute again at the2007 Scottish Parliament Election and was successful, winning the seat fromGeorge Lyon of theScottish Liberal Democrats.
After the SNP's victory at the 2007 Scottish Parliament Election, Mather was appointedMinister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism and held that post for 4 years until the end of the 2011 parliament.
Jim Mather stood down as an MSP at the2011 election.[2]
In 2014, he chaired the Scottish Government's Working Together Review, tasked with producing a report with recommendations that would facilitate the establishment of numerous progressive and collaborative workplaces in Scotland. That report was positively received and contributed to the establishment of a Cabinet position covering Fair Work and a Fair Work Convention.
In December 2014 he was announced as chairman of the trade body Homes for Scotland, formally taking up the three-year part-time position in May 2015.[3] He stood down by mutual agreement on 12 May 2017.[4]
Mather is currently[when?] a visiting professor with theUniversity of Strathclyde andHeriot-Watt University and fulfils other consultancy and speaking roles.
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Treasurer of theScottish National Party 2000–2004 | Succeeded by |
| Scottish Parliament | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the Scottish Parliament forArgyll and Bute 2007–2011 | Succeeded by |