Labour Party parliamentary candidates in East Fife / North East Fife
(since 1983 when fought on new boundaries excluding Leven)

Never in its history so far has this Constituency been able to return a Labour MP. However there is no doubt that the contribution of this Party and this Constituency to the Labour movement has been very significant indeed. North East Fife has given opportunity and first class training to aspiring Labour candidates who have gone on to make their mark in Parliament and public life.

Why this constituency should provide such a good experience for a candidate has been the subject of much speculation. We would suggest that one logical explanation lies in the sheer diversity of the constituency. A candidate in North East Fife will gain experience of dealing with subjects such as Universities; Fishing; Agriculture; Defence; Manufacturing; Transport; Tourism; Electronics.

These are all issues with an important political dimension and a number of previous candidates will acknowledge that experience gained in this constituency was a great asset in their future career.

The history of Labour Parliamentary candidates is reproduced with acknowledgement and thanks to Willie Russell of N E Fife:

1929 W Ross Garson - Edinburgh lawyer and first Labour candidate

1933 (byelection) Joe Westwood future Secretary of State for Scotland

1935 Alex Kerr Davidson miner

1945 & 1950: Sam McLaren Shipyard worker and patternmaker

1951: J. McGowan
Agricultural Worker (later a lecturer)

1959: John Nicoll shipyard worker, Storekeeper and Provost of Burntisland

1961 (byelection) & 1964 John Smith
Lawyer (later became MP and Leader of the Labour Party)

1966 Harold Peaker
Colliery Maintenance Engineer

1970 Harry Ewing
Post Office Worker became MP and member of House of Lords now Lord Ewing of Kirkford

1974 (Feb) Bashir Maan
Company Director First Asian candidate for Labour in Scotland. later a councillor and JP etc in Glasgow

1974 (Oct) Helen Liddell
Economist later Secretary of Scottish Labour Party: MP, Cabinet minister and now High Commissioner to Australia

1979 Henry McLeish
Planning Officer Later Leader of Fife Regional Council, MP, MSP and First Minister of Scottish Parliament

1983 David Caldwell
University Administrator in Aberdeen currently Director of Universities Scotland

1987 Tony Gannon
mature student

 

1992 Lynda Clark
Advocate Later MP and Solicitor General for Scotland. House of Lords and Judge

1997 Charles Milne
Lawyer (from Cupar)

2001 Claire Brennan political advisor

2005 Tony King
Postgraduate student and researcher for Labour Party in Scottish Parliament