Pamela Nash Explained

Pamela Nash
Honorific-Suffix:MP
Office:Member of Parliament
for Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke
Term Start:4 July 2024
Majority:7,085 (18.1%)
Predecessor:Marion Fellows
Office2:Member of Parliament
for Airdrie and Shotts
Term Start2:6 May 2010
Term End2:30 March 2015
Predecessor2:John Reid
Successor2:Neil Gray
Birth Date:24 June 1984[1]
Birth Place:Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland
Nationality:British
Party:Labour
Signature:Pam Nash Signature.png

Pamela Ann Catherine Nash (born 24 June 1984)[2] [3] is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke since 2024. She is currently the Chief Executive of Scotland in Union, a campaign group launched in March 2015 to help keep Scotland within the United Kingdom. Between 2010 and 2015 she was the Labour MP for Airdrie and Shotts.

Early life and career

Pamela Nash was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, and educated locally at St Margaret's High School, Airdrie and Chapelhall. Nash lost her mother and stepfather when she was 17.[4] [5]

She spent her first summer after high school volunteering at a school in Nyeri, Kenya, and followed this up with a placement in Uganda during her time at university.[6] She studied politics at the University of Glasgow, specialising in human rights and international development.[6]

Nash was the parliamentary officer for the Young Fabians and a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, where she served on the executive committee and was the convenor of the External Affairs Committee. She interned for John Reid for one year as his constituency assistant and subsequently was employed for a period of three years as his parliamentary assistant.[6]

Political career

Nash was selected as the Labour Party candidate from an all-women shortlist which, at the time, proved to be a contentious issue.[7] The constituency chairman, Brian Brady resigned over the issue. Nevertheless, 80% of the constituency Labour Party took part in the selection process.[8] She was elected as the Member of Parliament for Airdrie and Shotts in 2010, taking over from John Reid. She had a majority of 12,408 votes over the SNP candidate, and at the age of 25,[1] was the youngest MP in the House of Commons, also called Baby of the House.[9] Then-Scottish Labour Party leader, Iain Gray said she had a "big future in Scottish politics".[10]

Nash was the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the then Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, Jim Murphy. She was previously Parliamentary Private Secretary to Margaret Curran as Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland and to Vernon Coaker as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. She served on the Finance Bill 2011 Public Bill Committee.[11] Nash was a member of the Science and Technology Select Committee,[12] the Scottish Affairs Select Committee and the Parliamentary Space Committee.

Following the death of the MP for Inverclyde, David Cairns, she was elected as the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for HIV and AIDS.[13] She was also the Treasurer of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Multiple Sclerosis[14] and the Secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sustainable Housing.[15] Nash also founded and chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Youth Unemployment.[16]

In September 2010, Nash decided to support David Miliband in the Labour Party leadership election.[17] On 2 December 2010, Nash took part in a BBC debate on age differences in politics and the wider society with the Conservative MP Bill Cash.[18] Nash pledged to oppose the repeal of the Hunting Act 2004 which banned hunting of wild mammals with hounds.[19]

Nash has campaigned on issues such as Blacklisting in employment,[20] breaches of the National Minimum Wage, closure of local police stations and the Bedroom tax.[21] [22]

Nash was narrowly reselected by the Airdrie and Shotts CLP to contest her seat at the 2015 UK general election. A total of 55 members voted for her to be reselected, out of 101 members who attended the October 2013 ballot, with 37 opposed.[23] [24] At the 2015 general election however, Nash lost her seat to Neil Gray of the Scottish National Party, who won by a majority of 8,779 votes.[25]

In August 2017, it was announced that Nash would be the next Chief Executive of Scotland in Union, in succession to Graeme Pearson.[26]

In 2021, Nash attempted to be selected as the Labour candidate for the Airdrie and Shotts parliamentary by-election; however, she was unsuccessful, losing the nomination to Kenneth Stevenson.[27] Despite a swing towards Labour, the SNP retained the seat.[28] [29]

On 20 April 2023, Nash was announced as the official Scottish Labour prospective parliamentary candidate for Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke at the 2024 general election.[30]

External links

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Notes and References

  1. The Week in Westminster, BBC Radio 4, 26 June 2010
  2. Web site: Youngest Members of Parliament since 1979 . 5 May 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121005064249/http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons/lib/research/briefings/snpc-04416.pdf . 5 October 2012 .
  3. https://commonsbusiness.parliament.uk/Document/88152/Pdf?subType=Standard House of Commons, Votes and Proceedings, Tuesday 9 July 2024.
  4. Web site: Airdrie's Pamela is UK's youngest MP – Evening Times | News | Editor's Picks . Evening Times . 7 May 2010 . 16 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120921002222/http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/editor-s-picks/airdrie-s-pamela-is-uk-s-youngest-mp-1.1026044 . 21 September 2012 . live .
  5. Web site: Pamela Nash, 17; I feel like telling teen pals to be grateful when their mums make demands...no one is waiting for me . Thefreelibrary.com . 28 August 2002 . 16 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121023104529/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/firstperson:+Pamela+Nash,+17%3B+I+feel+like+telling+teen+pals+to+be...-a090813878 . 23 October 2012 . live .
  6. Web site: Pamela Nash personal web site | Biog . Pamela Nash . 22 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120325172642/http://pamelanash.com/?page_id=2 . 25 March 2012 . live .
  7. Web site: Tom . Gordon . Labour rebels may defy all-woman list to succeed Reid . Herald Scotland . 29 March 2009 . 16 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121006084950/http://www.heraldscotland.com/labour-rebels-may-defy-all-woman-list-to-succeed-reid-1.826570 . 6 October 2012 . live .
  8. Web site: Holyrood magazine . Holyrood.com . 16 May 2011 . 16 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110719163605/http://www.holyrood.com/index.php?option=com_holyrood&func=article&edition=234&brick=1&artid=3753 . 19 July 2011 . dead .
  9. News: General Election 2010: Pamela Nash, 25, becomes the Baby of the House. Howarth. Angus. 8 May 2010. The Scotsman. 10 May 2010. Edinburgh.
  10. Web site: General Election 2010: 'Big future' for Scotland's youngest MP – Edinburgh Evening News . Edinburghnews.scotsman.com . 7 May 2010 . 5 November 2013.
  11. Web site: Public Bill Committee on the Finance Bill 2010 2011 | Membership . House of Commons . 23 August 2011 .
  12. Web site: Science and Technology Committee | Membership . House of Commons . 23 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110826100701/http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/membership/ . 26 August 2011 . live .
  13. Web site: All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS | Pamela Nash elected as chair . APPG on HIV and AID . 23 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120331032007/http://www.appghivaids.org.uk/updates/press/pamela.html . 31 March 2012 . dead .
  14. Web site: Multiple Sclerosis Society Website – Welcome to the MS Society – APPG . Mssociety.org.uk . 16 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110807102217/http://www.mssociety.org.uk/get_involved/policy_campaigns/policy_parliamentary_work/appg/index.html . 7 August 2011 . dead .
  15. Web site: Membership . Appg-sustainablehousing.org.uk . 16 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110904053604/http://www.appg-sustainablehousing.org.uk/membership/?&print . 4 September 2011 . live .
  16. Web site: House of Commons – Register Of All-Party Groups as at 24 October 2013: Youth Unemployment . Publications.parliament.uk . 5 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131105111226/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/youth-unemployment.htm . 5 November 2013 . live .
  17. Web site: We're campaigning for every vote. 14 February 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100916211748/http://www.davidmiliband.net/2010/09/13/were-campaigning-for-every-vote/ . 16 September 2010 .
  18. News: The Age Debate: Tory Bill Cash vs Labour MP Pamela Nash . BBC News . 2 December 2010 . 20 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181110165553/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11900668 . 10 November 2018 . live .
  19. Web site: SAVE ME 2010 | How mps stand – Is your MP FOR or AGAINST a repeal of the Hunting Act? . Save-me.org.uk . 16 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160131014604/http://www.save-me.org.uk/how-mps-stand/ . 31 January 2016 . dead .
  20. Web site: Robert . Mitchell . Shotts MP Pamela Nash fears constituents could be victims of construction industry blacklisting scandal . Daily Record . 6 February 2013 . 5 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131114023943/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/shotts-mp-pamela-nash-fears-2539884 . 14 November 2013 . live .
  21. Web site: Judith . Tonner . MP calls for bedroom tax to be abandoned – Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser . Acadvertiser.co.uk . 5 November 2013 .
  22. Web site: Graham . Miller . Westminster diary: Airdrie and Shotts MP Pamela Nash slams bedroom tax . Daily Record . 6 March 2013 . 5 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131113222244/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/westminster-diary-airdrie-shotts-mp-2538446 . 13 November 2013 . live .
  23. Web site: Airdrie and Shotts MP Pamela Nash dodges bullet after Labour selection row. Judith. Tonner. 3 October 2013. 9 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20170821172113/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/airdrie-shotts-mp-pamela-nash-2333688. 21 August 2017. live.
  24. News: Whitaken. Andrew. How MP Pamela Nash escaped Labour selection battle. 28 March 2015. Scotsman. 29 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402144217/http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/how-mp-pamela-nash-escaped-labour-selection-battle-1-3117295. 2 April 2015. live.
  25. Web site: Airdrie & Shotts parliamentary constituency – Election 2015 – BBC News. 9 December 2016. www.bbc.co.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20161230154539/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/S14000003. 30 December 2016. live.
  26. News: MacNab. Scott. Nash to lead pro-UK campaign group. The Scotman. 21 August 2017. 21 August 2017.
  27. Web site: 2023-04-21 . 'Tory-backing' former Labour MP selected to fight next general election . 2024-05-26 . The Herald . en.
  28. AirdrieShottsLP. Airdrie & Shotts Labour. Tonight, Airdrie and Shotts CLP selected @shottsman7 to be our candidate in the upcoming Westminster by-election. Congratulations Kenny, and thank you to @pamela_nash for her hard work also during the selection process.. 1375207725488078850. 25 March 2021.
  29. Web site: Scotland in Union boss fails in bid to win back job as a Labour MP. 2021-03-26. The National. en.
  30. Web site: Scotland in Union boss chosen as Scottish Labour General Election candidate . 2023-04-24 . The National . en.

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