Pete Wishart
This article's subject is standing for re-election to the UK's House of Commons on 4 July, and has not been an MP since Parliament's dissolution on 30 May, so this article may be out of date during this period. |
Pete Wishart | |
---|---|
Tayside North (2001–2005) | |
Assumed office 7 June 2001 | |
Preceded by | John Swinney |
Majority | 7,550 (14.0%) |
Scottish National Party portfolios | |
2015–2020 | Commons Business |
2020–2021 | |
2021–2022 | Commons Business |
Personal details | |
Born | Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland | 9 March 1962
Political party | Scottish National Party |
Children | 1 |
Alma mater | Moray House College of Education |
Profession | Musician; community worker |
Website | www.petewishartmp.com |
Musical career | |
Origin | Scotland |
Instrument(s) | Keyboards |
Years active | 1981–present |
Peter Wishart (born 9 March 1962) is a
Wishart is currently the SNP Shadow Leader of the House in the House of Commons and the chair of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee. He has previously served as the SNP's Westminster Spokesperson for the Constitution and for Culture and Sport and Chief Whip. He is also a former keyboard player of the Scottish Celtic rock bands Runrig and Big Country.
He is the longest currently-serving Scottish National Party MP, and the second longest–serving of all time after Alex Salmond.[1]
Background
Born in
Music
Wishart was, for 15 years, a member of the Scottish group Runrig.
Wishart appeared on Kingfishers Catch Fire Radio Kampala with Clive Parker on the songs Bella and Battle Scars.[3]
Pete Wishart's first major band was Big Country which he joined in the early 1980s, along with his brother Alan.[4] He initially joined during a period when Big Country were a support act for Alice Cooper's tour.[4][5] The main force behind Big Country was Stuart Adamson, himself from near Dunfermline. Adamson claimed that the early Big Country were thrown off the Alice Cooper tour for "being too weird".[6]
After the departure of Richard Cherns in February 1986, Wishart joined Runrig. Wishart was a performer on seven of Runrig's studio albums, from The Cutter and the Clan (1987), to his last The Stamping Ground (2001). He also appears on several of Runrig's live albums. Wishart's tenure in the band coincided with their sign-up to the Chrysalis Records label, and their most successfully commercial period in the late eighties and early nineties. Wishart was not the only politically minded member of the band - former lead singer Donnie Munro became a Labour Party candidate.
Wishart is a founder member of the parliamentary rock group MP4. The other members are Ian Cawsey (bass guitar and vocals), Greg Knight MP (drums) and Kevin Brennan MP (lead guitar and vocals).
House of Commons
He was first elected to the
In 2003, he voted against
In the light of the reduction in the number of
In November 2010, Wishart suggested that
In August 2014, Wishart confidently predicted that Alex Salmond would beat Alistair Darling in a televised debate about Scottish independence, telling journalists that "the slaughter will be worse than the Bannockburn re-enactment”.[9] Salmond quizzed Darling, among other things, about alien invasion, while Darling questioned him about what currency an independent Scotland would use.[10] An exit poll suggested most viewers thought Darling had won the debate[11] and journalists panned Salmond's performance.[12][13]
In January 2015, Wishart secured and started a debate on the reform of the House of Lords.[14]
Politically, he is well known for campaigning to demolish the historic and listed Perth City Hall, dating from 1911, and replace it with an open square. He has described the building as "unused, unloved and increasingly unwelcome", "a building whose time has passed", and said that, "A city square will allow us to attract visitors, grow our café quarter, put on outdoor events and properly organise civic and community events. Every city needs civic space and we must ensure that we will soon have ours."[15][16]
Following the 2015 general election, it was announced in June 2015 that he would chair the Scottish Affairs Select Committee,[17] with his appointment formally announced on 19 June 2015.[18] At the snap 2017 general election, he retained his seat by a very marginal majority, beating Conservative Ian Duncan by just 21 votes.[19][20] The Daily Telegraph described Wishart's win as "a rare bright moment for the Nationalists" in an election that saw the SNP vote plummet and pro-Union parties gain 21 seats.[21]
In 2016, Wishart suggested to the House of Commons the possibility of the Palace of Westminster being turned into a tourist attraction and for Parliament to move to a more modern building.[22]
Wishart said publicly, in September 2017, that because voters were “weary of constitutional change” there should be no
In January 2018, Wishart drew media attention for holding up a placard which read "nul points" in the House of Commons, after having asked Prime Minister Theresa May how she would rate her government's handling of Brexit from one to ten. After May had answered, Wishart received a warning by Speaker of the House John Bercow for the stunt.[25][26][27][28][29]
In February 2018, he warned that the SNP risked alienating Scottish voters who had voted "Leave" in the
In March 2024, he criticised Humza Yousaf's election strategy saying he won't use any "Tory-free rhetoric" in his campaign for the 2024 general election.[34]
Discography
Singles and EPs
- Kingfishers Catch Fire
- "Radio Kampala" EP: on "Bella"/"Battle Scars" tracks, 12" vinyl EP, 1986 Furry/Rough Trade "Bella"/"Battle Scars", 12" vinyl EP, 1986 Furry/Rough Trade
- Runrig
- Alba / Worker for the Wind (1987), Chrysalis Records
- Protect and Survive (1988), Chrysalis Records
- "News from Heaven" (1989), Chrysalis Records
- "Every River" (1989), Chrysalis Records
- "Wonderful"(1993), Chrysalis Records
- "The Greatest Flame" (1993), Chrysalis Records
- "This Time of Year" (1994), Chrysalis Records
- "An Ubhal as Àirde" (1995, Released following use of track in TV advert for Carlsberg lager), Chrysalis Records
- "Things That Are" (1995), Chrysalis Records
- "Rhythm of My Heart" (1996, Cover of Rod Stewart song), Chrysalis Records
- "The Greatest Flame (1996 Remix)", Chrysalis Records
- "The Message" (1999), Chrysalis Records
- "Maymorning" (1999), Chrysalis Records
- "This Is Not a Love Song" (1999), Chrysalis Records
- "Book of Golden Stories" (2001), Chrysalis Records
- "Loch Lomond (Hampden Remix)" (2007, with Tartan Army), Chrysalis Records
- MP4
- You Can't Always Get What You Want (2016) Chrysalis Records (track released under the artist title 'The Friends of Jo Cox' and features MP4 with other artists)
EPs
- Runrig
- "Capture the Heart EP" (1990), Chrysalis Records
- "Hearthammer EP" (1991), Chrysalis Records
- "Flower of the West EP" (1991), Chrysalis Records
Studio albums
- Runrig
Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Certification | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [35] |
DEN [36] |
GER [37] | ||||
1987 | The Cutter and the Clan | 45 | — | — | Original 1987 release on Ridge Records; re-released on Chrysalis 1988 | |
1989 | Searchlight | 11 | — | — |
|
|
1991 | The Big Wheel | 4 | — | — |
|
|
1993 | Amazing Things | 2 | — | 47 |
|
|
1995 | Mara | 24 | — | 81 |
|
|
1999 | In Search of Angels | 29 | — | 26 | ||
2001 | The Stamping Ground | 64 | 33 | 20 |
- MP4
- House Music EP (2005) Busy Bee Records
- Cross Party (2010) Revolver Records
- MP4 - EP5 (2018) Revolver Records
Live albums
- Runrig
Year | Album | Peak positions | Certification | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [35] |
DEN
[36] |
GER
[37] | ||||
1988 | Once in a Lifetime | 61 | — | — | ||
1994 | Transmitting Live | 41 | — | 67 | ||
2000 | Live at Celtic Connections 2000 | 168 | — | 48 |
Note: This table shows commercial live releases. Other live audio material has been released in the "Access All Areas" series for the official Runrig Fan Club.
Compilation albums
- Big Country
- And in the Beginning [39]
- Runrig
- Alba - The Best of Runrig
- Long Distance – The Best of Runrig'
- The Gaelic Collection (1998)
- Beat The Drum (1998)
- 30 Year Journey – The Best (2005)
- 50 Great Songs
- Stepping Down The Glory Road - The Chrysalis Years
- Rarities
References
- ^ Bussey, Katrine (20 February 2018). "Wishart steps aside in SNP depute leadership contest". The Times. London. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
- ^ "Analysis: SNP bucks trend for privately educated MPs". David Leask. The Herald. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ^ "Kingfishers Catch Fire". Runrig.rocks. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Music preview: Big Country's Bruce Watson prepares to celebrate 35 years of the band's iconic debut album The Crossing at Celtic Connections". Scotsman.com.
- ^ "Big Country | Stuart Adamson". Stuart-adamson.co.uk.
- ^ "Stuart Adamson Quotes on Big Country Songs…. | Stuart Adamson". Stuart-adamson.co.uk.
- ^ "The Public Whip — Iraq — Declaration of War - 18 Mar 2003 at 22:00". www.publicwhip.org.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
- ^ "MP wants Scottish referees to declare club allegiance". BBC Sport. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
- ^ "Scottish independence: SNP confident ahead of 'charismatic' Alex". The Independent. 4 August 2014. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022.
- ^ "Sketch: Gremlins in the TV and aliens on the attack". www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Scottish independence: Salmond scores victory over Darling in fractious debate". the Guardian. 25 August 2014.
- ^ "Alex Salmond takes a pounding in Scottish independence clash". Belfasttelegraph – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
- ^ Hennessy, Mark. "Analysis: Salmond struggles badly during debate". The Irish Times.
- ^ Sheridan, Craig (16 January 2015). "Pete Wishart: The Gold-Plated Red Upholstered Narnia". Scottish Statesman. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ^ Wishart, Pete. "Blog post". Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ Burdge, Richars. "MP brands Perth City Hall move 'futile'". The Courier. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ "SNP reveal Commons committee chairs". BBC News. 10 June 2015.
- ^ "Winning candidates for select committee Chairs announced". UK Parliament. 18 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ "SNP's Pete Wishart holds Perth seat - by just 21 votes!". Evening Telegraph. 9 June 2017 – via www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk.
- ^ Mackay, Mark. "Pete Wishart retains seat by narrow margin after fighting off Tory onslaught".
- ^ Henderson, Barney; Johnson, Simon (8 June 2017). "Scotland election results: Alex Salmond defeated and SNP suffer huge losses as Tory chances boosted north of the border". The Telegraph – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Westminster 'should be tourist attraction', MP says". STV News. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ Gordon, Tom (26 September 2017). "No second referendum in this parliament, says veteran SNP MP". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ McNab, Scott (14 April 2017). "Pete Wishart under fire for 'foul-mouthed' Twitter post". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
- ^ Kidd, Patrick (11 January 2018). "The stench of decay hangs over a tired Brexit stunt". The Times. London. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ "MP Wishart in hot water for giving May 'nul points' on Brexit". The National. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ "Theresa May was asked to rate how well Brexit is going on a scale of 1-10". Metro. 10 January 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ "Theresa May says 'Government is doing well' on Brexit". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ "SNP must face the reality that Scotland is leaving the EU". iNews. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "We need a new vision for independence – with a gradual rejoining of the EU". The National. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Pete Wishart will not be standing to be next SNP depute leader". The National. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Pete Wishart MP rules himself out of SNP deputy leadership race". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Longest-serving SNP MP brands election message 'unhelpful'". BBC News. 17 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
- ^ a b "RUNRIG | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
- ^ a b
- For all albums except The Best of Runrig: Long Distance: "Runrig discography". danishcharts.dk. Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
- For The Best of Runrig: Long Distance: "Listen - Danmarks Officielle Hitliste - Udarbejdet af AIM Nielsen for IFPI Danmark - Uge 4". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Copenhagen. 26 January 1997.
- ^ a b [1] [dead link]
- ^ a b c d e f "British certifications – Runrig". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 16 December 2017. Type Runrig in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "Big Country". Runrig.rocks. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
External links
- Constituency website
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
- Pete Wishart on X
- SNP profile
- SNP Westminster Group
- BBC News Democracy Live Archived 7 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- STV News Profile
- Guardian profile
- Telegraph profile[dead link]