Martin Docherty-Hughes | |
---|---|
SNP Defence Spokesperson in the House of Commons | |
Assumed office 4 September 2023 | |
Leader | Stephen Flynn |
Preceded by | Dave Doogan |
Chief Whip of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons | |
In office 7 December 2022 – 17 January 2023 | |
Leader | Stephen Flynn |
Preceded by | Owen Thompson |
Succeeded by | Brendan O'Hara |
Member of Parliament for West Dunbartonshire | |
Assumed office 7 May 2015 | |
Preceded by | Gemma Doyle |
Majority | 9,553 (21.2%) |
Personal details | |
Born | Martin John Docherty 21 January 1971 Clydebank, Scotland |
Political party | Scottish National Party |
Alma mater |
Glasgow Metropolitan College University of Essex Glasgow School of Art |
Website |
martindocherty |
Martin John Docherty-Hughes (born 21 January 1971) [1] is a Scottish National Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for West Dunbartonshire since 2015. He has served as SNP Defence Spokesperson since 2023. [2]
Docherty-Hughes was raised by his parents in Clydebank, and began working from the age of 16. [3] He studied at the Glasgow College of Food Technology, now City of Glasgow College, graduating with an HND in Business Administration in 1997. [3] He subsequently obtained a degree in Politics from the University of Essex and attended the Glasgow School of Art for his master's degree. [3] On finishing his studies Martin returned to Clydebank and worked for a decade for the West Dunbartonshire Community and Volunteering Services (WDCVS). [3]
He joined the Scottish National Party in 1991, and was elected the following year as Scotland's youngest councillor to the-then Clydebank District Council in May 1992, at the age of 21, until 31 March 1996. [4] He was elected to the third seat of the Anderston/City ward of the Glasgow City Council on 3 May 2012 polling 1,057 votes and 19.9% and exceeding the quota on the second count, becoming a Bailie until 14 May 2015.
In February 2015, he was selected as the SNP candidate for the West Dunbartonshire constituency in the 2015 UK general election. [5] He defeated incumbent Gemma Doyle, winning 30,198 votes and 59% of the vote. [6] [7] As a consequence of his election to Parliament, he stepped down from his position on Glasgow City Council.
He changed his name from Docherty to Docherty-Hughes after getting married in January 2016. [8]
The descendant of a woman from Ballinglen, County Mayo and a man from Stralongford in County Donegal, he is also a relative of Ian McGarvey and has many relatives scattered around Philadelphia and New York. [9]
He was appointed as Chief Whip following the 2022 SNP Westminster Group Leadership contest by new leader, Stephen Flynn. [10]
Next to his feet was Martin Docherty-Hughes (Dunbartonshire West) of the Scottish National Party. As someone with probably one of the longest Irish names in history - Máirtín Seán Ó Dochartaigh-Aodha - it would, he insisted, have been remiss of him not to have participated in the debate... 'I was delighted to be there to welcome the then Mayor of Letterkenny' - Councillor Ian McGarvey - 'who was related which was great'.Speaking during the House of Commons debate on the Irish Diaspora in Britain, promoted by Rochdale Labour MP Tony Lloyd, on 17 March 2022.