Keith Harding Explained

Keith Harding
Constituency Mp:Mid Scotland and Fife
Parliament:Scottish
Term Start:6 May 1999
Term End:31 March 2003
Birth Date:1938 11, df=y
Birth Place:Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England
Death Place:Redon, Ille-et-Vilaine, France
Party:Scottish People's Alliance (2003 - 2010)
Otherparty:Scottish Conservative Party (before 2003)

Keith Harding (21 November 1938 – 15 November 2021) was a Scottish politician who served as a Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Mid Scotland and Fife from 1999 to 2003.[1]

Background

Harding was leader of Stirling Council from 1991 to 1995. After being elected to Holyrood he was the Conservative spokesman on local government and housing.

Prior to the 2003 election he was moved from first to fifth place on the Conservative's list for Mid Scotland and Fife. After parliament was dissolved he defected to the newly formed Scottish People's Alliance.[2] He subsequently fought Stirling for the SPA but came in a poor sixth place with only 642 votes (2.2%).

Harding was a member of the national policy committee of the New Party, the successor to the SPA.[3]

Keith Harding died in Redon, Ille-et-Vilaine, France on 15 November 2021, at the age of 82.[4] [5] [6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Harding, Keith . WHO WAS WHO . Bloomsbury Publishing . 24 October 2023.
  2. Web site: Senior Tory defects to new party . BBC News. 1 April 2003. 4 December 2010.
  3. Web site: The New Party – It's Time for Change . 2 November 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070224203648/http://www.newparty.co.uk/people/nationalpolicycommittee.asp . 24 February 2007 . dead .
  4. News: Monteith . Brian . Obituary: Keith Harding, unassuming politician who nationalised a bank and cleaned up our streets . 24 October 2023 . The Scotsman . 13 December 2021.
  5. News: Healey . Derek . Keith Harding: Tributes paid to former Mid Scotland and Fife MSP following his death . 24 October 2023 . The Courier . 16 November 2021.
  6. Web site: Keith Harding . MatchID . 24 October 2023.