Paul Martin (Scottish politician)


Paul Martin is a Scottish Labour Party politician, who served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Provan from 2011 until his defeat in 2016, and for Glasgow Springburn from 1999 to 2011.

Early life and education

Paul Martin was born in 1967 in Glasgow, the son of Michael Martin, a sheet metal worker, and Mary Martin, an assembly worker. His parents had married the previous year. Michael was a member of the Labour Party and would go on to become a Member of Parliament, Speaker of the House of Commons and life peer. Paul was educated at All Saints Roman Catholic Secondary School and Barmulloch College in Glasgow.

Political career

At the age of 26, Martin became a Glasgow District Councillor for the Royston ward following a council by-election in December 1993. He was first elected to the Scottish Parliament in May 1999 as MSP for Glasgow Springburn. He served as parliamentary aide to the Lord Advocate from 2001 to 2007 and to the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice from 2007 to 2009. Following the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, he was appointed as Scottish Labour's spokesperson for community safety, and as parliamentary business manager in November 2009.
In 2016, Martin sought re-election to a fifth term in the Scottish Parliament but lost his seat to the Scottish National Party's Ivan McKee by 4,783 votes. After losing his seat, he took up the role of general manager and collector at the Merchants House of Glasgow.

Personal life

Martin is married to Marie and has two daughters.