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Tam Laird | |
---|---|
Leader of the Scottish Libertarian Party | |
Assumed office 2017 | |
Deputy | Stef Johnstone Caz Paul |
Deputy leader of the Scottish Libertarian Party | |
In office 2012–2017 | |
Preceded by | Office created |
Succeeded by | Stef Johnstone |
Personal details | |
Born | Bellshill,Lanarkshire,Scotland |
Political party | Scottish Libertarian Party |
Other political affiliations | SNP (1990s) |
Tam Laird is a Scottish politician and activist,serving as leader of the Scottish Libertarian Party since 2017. He is a Founding member of the party,and previously served as Deputy Leader of the party. [1]
Laird was an infantry soldier in the British Army,with which he served five years in Northern Ireland. [2] [3]
Originally a member of the Scottish National Party (SNP),(which he has been highly critical of), [4] Laird is a life-long supporter of Scottish Independence,a position endorsed by the Scottish Libertarian Party. His departure from the SNP was spurred on by what he saw as a change in emphasis within the party platform;from a focus on Scottish Nationalism,to a more conventional left-wing position. [1] [5]
Tam has been a strong critic of Scotland's pandemic restrictions, [6] and has taken a monarchist and anti-abortion position on other debates within libertarianism. [7]
Laird has described an early association with hard right politics,which he had become disillusioned with by his late 20s. [7] Laird is a regular contributor to the Scottish Liberty Podcast.
In 2016 Laird failed to win a parliamentary seat in Edinburgh Central. [8] Laird also attempted to win election in a 2019 Edinburgh council by-election. [9]
In the 2021 Scottish Parliament election,Laird stood again as the Scottish Libertarian candidate for Edinburgh Central,as well as a regional list candidate on the Lothian Region;he was unsuccessful in getting elected,gaining only 137 votes and 0.3% of the vote for the constituency,while the party gained 689 votes and 0.2% of the vote on the regional list.
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