Margo MacDonald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margo MacDonald
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MacDonald in 2011
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| Member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothian Lothians (1999–2011) (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) |
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| In office 6 May 1999 – 4 April 2014 |
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| Depute Leader of the Scottish National Party | |
| In office 1974–1979 |
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| Leader | William Wolfe |
| Preceded by | Gordon Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Douglas Henderson |
| Member of Parliament for Glasgow Govan |
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| In office 8 November 1973 – 8 February 1974 |
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| Preceded by | John Rankin |
| Succeeded by | Harry Selby |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Margo Symington Aitken
19 April 1943 Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Died | 4 April 2014 (aged 70) Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Political party | Independent (2003–2014) Scottish National Party (1973–2003) |
| Spouses |
Peter MacDonald
(m. 1965; div. 1980) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Dunfermline College of Physical Education |
| Occupation | Politician, Teacher, Broadcaster |
Margo Symington MacDonald (born Aitken; 19 April 1943 – 4 April 2014) was an important Scottish politician. She was also a teacher and a broadcaster.
Margo was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow Govan from 1973 to 1974. She was part of the Scottish National Party (SNP). Later, she became the Deputy Leader of the SNP from 1974 to 1979.
From 1999 until she passed away, Margo was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Lothian. She first served as an SNP member, then as an Independent MSP.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Margo Symington Aitken was born in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. She grew up near East Kilbride with her two siblings.
Her mother, Jean, worked as a nurse. Margo's parents separated when she was 12 years old. She went to school at Hamilton Academy. After school, she trained to be a physical education teacher. She studied at Dunfermline College of Physical Education.
Family Life
Margo married her first husband, Peter MacDonald, in 1965. They ran a pub together in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire. Margo and Peter had two daughters, Petra and Zoe. Their marriage later ended.
In 1981, Margo married her second husband, Jim Sillars. He was also a politician and a writer. Margo's daughter, Petra MacDonald, married Craig Reid. He is a member of the famous band, the Proclaimers. Petra and Craig have four children.
Margo's Political Career
Margo MacDonald strongly supported Scottish independence. This means she believed Scotland should be an independent country. She started her political career in 1973. She won an election in Glasgow Govan for the SNP when she was 30. This was a big surprise because the area usually voted for the Labour Party.
She became the Deputy Leader of the SNP in 1974. Margo believed the SNP should focus more on helping working-class people. She thought the party should become more left-wing.
Leaving and Returning to the SNP
Margo lost her seat in the next election in 1974. She tried to win other elections but was not successful. She was a strong supporter of socialist ideas within the SNP. This led to her not being re-elected as Deputy Leader in 1979.
In 1982, Margo left the SNP because of disagreements. After leaving, she became a well-known presenter on radio and television. She also wrote for Scottish newspapers.
By the mid-1990s, Margo rejoined the SNP. In 1999, she was elected to the Scottish Parliament for the Lothians region. She was known for speaking her mind. Sometimes, she disagreed with her party's leaders.
Becoming an Independent MSP
In 2002, Margo was placed low on the SNP's list for the next election. This meant it was unlikely she would be re-elected as an SNP MSP. Because of this, she decided to run as an independent candidate. The SNP then officially removed her from the party in 2003.
Around this time, it became known that Margo had Parkinson's disease. She had known about her diagnosis for six years.
Margo was re-elected as an independent MSP in 2003, 2007, and 2011. After her 2007 re-election, she tried to become the Presiding Officer. This person leads the meetings in the Scottish Parliament. However, she lost the vote.
Later Life and Passing
Margo MacDonald passed away at her home in Edinburgh on 4 April 2014. She was 70 years old. Because she was an independent MSP, her seat stayed empty until the next election in 2016. After her death, political leaders in the Scottish Parliament held a special meeting to honor her.
See also
- List of United Kingdom MPs with the shortest service
