Calum Kerr Explained

Calum Kerr
Office:SNP Spokesperson for Environment and Rural Affairs
Leader:Angus Robertson
Term Start:20 May 2015
Term End:9 June 2017
Predecessor:Position established
Successor:Angus MacNeil
Office1:Member of Parliament
for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Term Start1:8 May 2015
Term End1:3 May 2017
Predecessor1:Michael Moore
Successor1:John Lamont
Birth Name:Calum Robert Kerr
Birth Date:5 April 1972
Birth Place:Galashiels, Scotland, UK
Party:Scottish National Party
Alma Mater:University of St Andrews

Calum Robert Kerr (born 5 April 1972) is a Scottish National Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk from 2015 to 2017. During his tenure in Parliament, he was the SNP's Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson in the House of Commons.

Early life

Kerr was born in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders.[1] He attended Peebles High School where his father was the head teacher.[2] Kerr read History at St Andrews University.[3] Prior to politics, he worked in sales for IT companies; including Avaya.

Political career

The seat, and its predecessors Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale and Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles, had been held by the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Liberal Party since 1965.[4]

Kerr was elected in the May 2015 general election,[5] unseating the Liberal Democrat incumbent Michael Moore and finishing just 328 votes ahead of John Lamont of the Conservative Party.[6] He was the SNP's Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson in the House of Commons.[7]

He stood for re-election at the 2017 general election, but was defeated by Lamont, who won a majority of 11,060 votes; the largest Conservative majority gained in a Scottish seat at that election.[8] He stood again in 2019 but was defeated, although he reduced the Conservative majority.[9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Bircham . Josh . Costello . Grant . We Are The 56: The individuals behind a political revolution . 5 November 2015 . Freight Books . 9781910449516 . 28 November 2020.
  2. News: Meet your new Scottish MPs: #31 Calum Kerr, Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk . Martin . Hannan . . 30 June 2015 . 3 October 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150703021956/http://www.thenational.scot/politics/meet-your-new-scottish-mps-31-calum-kerr-berwickshire-roxburgh-and-selkirk.4643 . 3 July 2015 . live .
  3. Web site: Calum Kerr MP. snp.org. 23 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170609005443/https://www.snp.org/calum_kerr. 9 June 2017. live.
  4. News: ELECTION: Calum Kerr comes through nailbiting recount for SNP in Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk. Mark. Entwistle. Southern Reporter. Johnston Press. 8 May 2015. 10 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150512155129/http://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/local-headlines/election-calum-kerr-comes-through-nailbiting-recount-for-snp-in-berwickshire-roxburgh-and-selkirk-1-3767183. 12 May 2015. dead.
  5. Web site: Results announced for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk . 8 May 2015 . 24 September 2015 . scotborders.gov.uk . https://web.archive.org/web/20150512160417/http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/news/article/1155/results_announced_for_berwickshire_roxburgh_and_selkirk . 12 May 2015 . dead .
  6. News: Moore is engulfed in SNP landslide as Kerr celebrates and Lamont is left to lament. 19 May 2015. Border Telegraph. 7 July 2022.
  7. Web site: Calum Kerr MP. parliament.uk. 23 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170512071928/http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/calum-kerr/4379. 12 May 2017. live.
  8. News: General Election Results 2017 - Seat: Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk. 8 June 2017. The Scotsman. 7 July 2022. en.
  9. News: General election: John Lamont retains Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk seat. Anderson. Joseph. 13 December 2019. Southern Reporter. 7 July 2022. en.