Marilyn Livingstone MSP

Kirkcaldy first elected 1999

I was very lucky to be born into a family with a long history within the Labour and Cooperative movement. My greatgrandfather was agent to Tom Hubbard MP and he was also a member of the Board of Dysart Co-operative Society. A few years ago I was presented with a minute book belonging to the Dysart Labour Party Women’s Section from 1937 which both my grandmothers featured.

I became active in politics during the miner’s strike as like most within the community I felt a great sense of anger and injustice at what was happening and decided that I would no longer sit back but would actively campaign for Labour’s values of equality and social justice.

I was firstly elected as a member of Kirkcaldy District Council then Fife Council after reorganisation. In 1999 I was selected by Party members to stand for the Scottish Parliament I cannot express my feeling but I felt very proud and, yes very privileged. Party members wi thin the Constituency had been supporting the Campaign for a Scottish Parliament for many years, and within just two years of a Labour Government in Westminster, Labour delivered the Scotland Act. This was history in the making and I was determined to win the seat as a Labour and Cooperative Party candidate. With a very strong team behind me we campaigned relentlessly and when the votes were counted on 6 May, we had won with a majority of 4475. In 2003 we increased our majority to 4824 against the national trend. I believe that this increase in our majority was because of the very strong constituency focus which has very much been my priority. I have and will continue to work very hard for the constituents I represent.

I have been very lucky to have shared a Constituency Office with Lewis Moonie and now Gordon Brown.

I very much believe in working as part of a team and without all those who have helped we would not have been able to achieve our ambitions.

I remain very aware of the past, a past which has developed my strong sense of community. My passion for fairness and social justice remains my driving force and I feel very privileged to be able to serve the community and Party that I love and strongly believe in.