Annabel Goldie

Annabel MacNicoll Goldie (born 27 February 1950) is a Scottish Conservative politician and the Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party in the Scottish Parliament, a post she has held since 2005. She is a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the West of Scotland Region.

Leader of the Scottish Conservatives

On 31 October 2005, Goldie became acting leader after David McLetchie resigned as leader of the Scottish Conservatives following adverse publicity created by the publishing of details of expenses he claimed for taxi journeys.

Goldie put herself forward as a leadership candidate on 2 November 2005—a joint nomination with Murdo Fraser as her proposed deputy. Their nomination was unopposed and Goldie was appointed leader on 8 November 2005, the first woman to lead the Scottish Conservative Party. In her maiden speech as leader, she promised to act against "disloyalty and disobedience" in the party and in a reference to Margaret Thatcher she said, "I think you may take it matron's handbag will be in hyper-action. There could be worse precedents to follow.

At her first party conference in March 2006, Goldie set out her plans to make the Scottish Conservatives the "principal party of opposition in Scotland". However her second conference as party leader was overshadowed by a leaked memo by David Mundell, the only Scottish Conservative MP in the British House of Commons, and Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, in which he criticised Goldie's leadership.

Background and personal life

Goldie was born in Glasgow, Scotland but has lived in nearby Renfrewshire all of her life. Previously living in the countryside between Kilmacolm and Lochwinnoch, she has been a resident of the nearby village of Bishopton for the past forty years. First educated at Kilmacolm Primary School and Greenock Academy, she went on to study at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, graduating with an LL.B in 1971. She has been a solicitor and partner with Glasgow law firm Donaldson, Alexander, Russell & Haddow since 1978. She is also an Elder in the Church of Scotland and sits on the West of Scotland Advisory Board of the Salvation Army. She is unmarried and is a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Renfrewshire.

Member of the Scottish Parliament

Goldie was elected to the Scottish Parliament in the 1999 election as an additional member for the West of Scotland electoral region, and subsequently became deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives. She retained this seat in the 2003 election and again in 2007.

In addition to her appearance on the regional list ballots, she has also stood as a candidate in the West Renfrewshire constituency for the Scottish Parliament in 1999, 2003 and 2007. While increasing the Conservative share of the vote each time, she has yet to be elected although raised her position from third to second place in 2007 with a reduced Labour majority.