ANGUS MSP TO STAND DOWN

ANGUS MSP TO STAND DOWN
Angus MSP Andrew Welsh is to stand down as MSP for Angus at next year’s Scottish Parliament Election after 36 years in politics.
Mr Welsh, who is 66 years old, announced his retirement to delegates at the Angus South SNP Constituency Meeting in Tealing (8 June 2010).
First elected to Westminster in October 1974 as one of the SNP Group of 11 MPs, Andrew Welsh has an outstanding record of success in local and central Government as well as holding a range of National Elected Offices in the SNP which he joined in Glasgow in 1960.
Mr Welsh served a total of 19 years in Westminster before being elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 where he has served for 11 years, firstly convening the Audit Committee and currently as Convener of the Finance Committee.  He was a Member of the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body during the first years of the Parliament when it was tasked with setting up the various systems within the Parliament.
Andrew also served as Provost of Angus from 1984 to 1987 during the first SNP Administration.
Since first being elected on 10 October 1974 Andrew’s focus has always been on creating a prosperous future for Angus and Scotland with the promotion of employment and education opportunities for all Angus citizens.
Announcing his retirement at the May 2011 election Mr Welsh stated that “whether building the essential A92 dual carriageway, saving GlaxoSmithKline from closure, the massive investment in both the Scottish Crop Research Institute and the recent £3.2million investment in Montrose Harbour the economic wellbeing and success of Angus have always been at the forefront of my work as the elected representative of Angus”.
“I thank the people of Angus and the SNP workers who have allowed me to represent them and build a strong foundation for the future of our communities”.

Biography
Andrew was elected to the Scottish Parliament for the Angus constituency in May 1999 and was re-elected in May 2003 and May 2007, but he has been active in local and national politics since the 1970s.
Before becoming an MSP, he was a local councillor (he was first elected to Stirling District Council in 1974) and served as Provost of Angus 1984-1987.
He has also been the MP for the constituencies of South Angus (1974-1979), Angus East (1987-1997) and Angus (1997-2001).
As well as having a political career, Andrew has also been a teacher of history and modern studies and, later, a lecturer in business studies and public administration in further education colleges.

Andrew was a member of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body from 1999 to January 2005, where he took the lead in promoting the Parliament and in developing internal communications. He was Convener of the Audit Committee in Session 1 of the Parliament and is currently Convener of the Finance Committee.