Tom Arthur (Scottish politician)

Tom Arthur
MSP
Official Portrait, 2021
Minister for Employment and Investment
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 May 2024
First MinisterJohn Swinney
Preceded byRichard Lochhead (2023)
Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance[a]
In office
20 May 2021 – 8 May 2024
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Humza Yousaf
Preceded byBen Macpherson
Succeeded byIvan McKee
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Renfrewshire South
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2016
Preceded byHugh Henry
Majority7,106 (20.5%)
Personal details
Born1985 (age 38–39)
Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Political partyScottish National Party
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow
Websitehttp://www.tomarthur.scot/

Thomas Compton Arthur MSP (born 1985) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He is the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the constituency of Renfrewshire South, having been first elected in 2016[1] and re-elected in 2021.[2] He has served as Minister for Employment and Investment since 2024.[3]

Background

Arthur was born in 1985 in Paisley, Renfrewshire and raised in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, where he was educated at Cross Arthurlie Primary and Barrhead High School. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music then later Master of Music from the University of Glasgow. Before entering politics, he worked as a company director, freelance piano teacher and keyboardist.[4]

Political career

Arthur joined the Scottish National Party in 2009.[4] He was elected as the first SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Renfrewshire South constituency at the 2016 Scottish Parliament election. He made his maiden speech in the Scottish Parliament on 26 May 2016.[5]

He was re-elected in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election with a 50.5% vote share in the constituency and gained an increased majority of 7,106 votes or 20.5% over the nearest challenger.[2] In May 2021 he was appointed Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth in the Scottish Government.[6] In March 2023, Humza Yousaf re-appointed him to his ministerial role as Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Election 2016: Renfrewshire South". BBC News. 6 May 2016. Archived from the original on 10 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Renfrewshire South – Scottish Parliament constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Full ministerial team confirmed". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b Mann, Graham (15 January 2016). "SNP man has sights set on Holyrood glory". Greenock Telegraph. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  5. ^ Sim, Philip [@bbcphilipsim] (26 May 2016). "New SNP MSP Tom Arthur's first speech also going down well at Holyrood. The length of his tie less so" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 May 2021 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth - gov.scot". www.gov.scot.
  7. ^ "Full ministerial team confirmed". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  1. ^ Known as Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth until 29 March 2023.
Scottish Parliament
Preceded by Member of the Scottish Parliament for Renfrewshire South
2016–present 		Incumbent