Mark Ballard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Ballard
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| Lord Rector of the University of Edinburgh | |
| In office 16 February 2006 – 12 February 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Tam Dalyell |
| Succeeded by | Iain Macwhirter |
| Member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothians (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) |
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| In office 1 May 2003 – 2 April 2007 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 June 1971 Leeds, England |
| Political party | Scottish Green Party |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
Mark Ballard (born 27 June 1971) is a former politician from the Scottish Green Party. He served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Lothians area from 2003 to 2007.
He was also the Lord Rector of the University of Edinburgh from 2006 to 2009. Today, he works for the National Deaf Children's Society, helping deaf children and young people.
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Early Life and Global Experiences
Mark Ballard was born in Leeds, England, on June 27, 1971. As a child, he lived in different countries. From 1973 to 1975, he lived in Punjab, India. Later, from 1984 to 1985, he lived in Islamabad, Pakistan. These experiences likely gave him a wide view of the world.
Education and Early Career Path
Mark attended Lawnswood School in Leeds. After school, he went to the University of Edinburgh. There, he earned a degree in Economic and Social History. He is still a lifelong member of the Edinburgh University Union, which is part of the Edinburgh University Students Association (EUSA).
From 1994 to 1998, Mark worked for European Youth Forest Action. This group helps young people get involved in environmental issues. He worked for them in both Edinburgh and Amsterdam.
Later, from 1999 to 2001, he was an editor for the journal Reforesting Scotland. After that, he started his own company. This company focused on environmental communication until 2003.
Mark Ballard's Political Journey
Mark Ballard first got involved in politics when he was 15. He joined the youth group of the Labour Party. He stayed a member until 1991. After that, he became part of the Scottish Green Party's student movement.
He ran as a candidate for the Scottish Green Party several times. He ran in local council elections in 1995 and the Scottish Parliamentary election in 1999. He was finally elected in the 2003 Holyrood election. He became the second Green MSP for the Lothians area.
Key Roles in Parliament
As an MSP, Mark was a member of the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee. He also served as a substitute member on the Enterprise and Culture Committee. He spent a lot of time supporting social enterprises and co-operatives. These are businesses that aim to help society, not just make a profit.
He also pushed for rules that would make government buying more sustainable. He supported ethical investments and argued that Scottish utilities, like water and energy, should be publicly owned.
Transport and Community Support
As the Green Party's spokesperson on transport, Mark supported several campaigns. He was against new bypasses and motorways. Instead, he supported the development of trams in Edinburgh. He also wanted a better and cheaper public transport system for everyone.
As an MSP for the Lothians, he helped local community groups. For example, he supported efforts to stop a large superstore from being built in Portobello. He also backed plans for congestion charging in Edinburgh. This means charging drivers to enter busy city areas to reduce traffic.
Mark also helped universities switch to Fairtrade products. He was strongly against tuition fees for students. This stance helped him gain a lot of support from students in Edinburgh.
Advocating for Important Causes
Mark Ballard has been involved in many campaigns for change. He notably protested against British nuclear weapons at Faslane on the River Clyde. He was part of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) 'Big Blockade'.
He also participated in a protest related to genetically modified crops. This involved a field of rapeseed at the Roslin Institute near Dalkeith in 1999.
Mark was a member of several organizations that work for good causes. These included:
- Friends of the Earth (an environmental group)
- Sustrans (promotes sustainable transport)
- Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)
- Reforesting Scotland (works to restore Scotland's native woodlands)
- Water of Leith Conservation Trust (protects a local river)
- SSPCA (helps animals)
- Advocates for Animals (supports animal rights)
He also served as a director for the UK charity Seeds for Change. He was treasurer of the Scottish Environmental Festivals association. He was also on the editorial board of the Scottish Left Review, a journal about Scottish politics.
Serving as Rector of the University of Edinburgh
In February 2006, Mark Ballard ran for election as Rector the University of Edinburgh. The Rector is an important person who represents the students and staff of the university. They help make sure their voices are heard.
He ran against some well-known people, including Boris Johnson and journalist John Pilger. The election had a very high turnout, with almost 8,000 votes. Mark Ballard won the election using a system called Single Transferable Vote. He received 3,597 votes in the final round.
He officially started his role on June 9, 2006, at a ceremony. Important people like Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the university's Vice-Chancellor were there. As Rector, Mark worked on issues important to students and staff. He played a big part in the movement that led to student tuition fees being completely removed in Scotland in 2008.
In 2009, journalist Iain Macwhirter took over as Rector. Many of Mark's supporters also backed Iain Macwhirter.
Career After Parliament
After the 2007 election, Mark Ballard continued his work in the non-profit sector. He became the head of communications at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. This group supports charities and voluntary organizations in Scotland.
He then worked as an assistant director for Barnardo's in Scotland for eight years. Barnardo's is a charity that helps vulnerable children and young people. After that, he became the Director of Strategy at Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland. This charity helps people with chest, heart, and stroke conditions.
In November 2017, he became the Head of Save the Children in Scotland. This organization works to improve the lives of children around the world. Currently, he works for the National Deaf Children's Society.
Personal Life
Mark Ballard has two children.
