{{Short description|Scottish independent politician}} {{Use British English|date=May 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Colin Smyth | honorific_suffix = | image = ColinSmythMSP.png | caption = Smyth in 2017 | office = [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]]<br />for [[South Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|South Scotland]]<br />{{nobold|(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)}} | term_start = 6 May 2016 | term_end = 9 April 2026 | office1 = Scottish Labour portfolios | suboffice1 = [[Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity|Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity]] | subterm1 = 2017–2021 | suboffice2 = [[Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs|Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs]] | subterm2 = 2021–2025 | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1972|11}} | birth_place = [[Dumfries]], Scotland | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] (2025–present)<ref name="BBC suspension">{{cite web |date=2025-08-20 |title=Labour MSP Colin Smyth charged over indecent images |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy08309kxw6o |access-date=2025-08-20 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> | other_party = [[Scottish Labour]] & [[Co-operative Party|Co-operative]] (until 2025) | alma_mater = University of Glasgow | website = {{URL|http://www.colinsmythmsp.com/|Official website}} }}
'''Colin Smyth''' (born November 1972) is an [[Independent (politician)|independent]], previously [[Labour Co-operative|Scottish Labour and Co-operative]], politician who served as a [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] (MSP) for the [[South Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|South Scotland]] region from [[2016 Scottish Parliament election|2016]] to [[2026 Scottish Parliament election|2026]]. A member of [[Scottish Labour]], he served as its general secretary from 2008 to 2012. The whip was withdrawn from him on 20 August 2025, following his being charged with possession of indecent images of children.<ref name="BBC suspension" />
== Early life and career == Smyth was born in 1972.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Colin SMYTH – Personal Appointments|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/aYNTvavg5T6UvOHdaaB0kR3gjJk/appointments|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Companies House}}</ref> He is partly of [[People of Northern Ireland|Northern Irish]] descent.<ref name=":1" /> He was raised in [[Dumfries]], where he attended [[Maxwelltown High School]].
Prior to entering politics, he was a [[modern studies]] teacher.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|last=Shannon|first=Kate|date=2019-10-04|title=Getting to know you: Colin Smyth MSP|url=https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,getting-to-know-you-colin-smyth-msp_8350.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215004548/https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,getting-to-know-you-colin-smyth-msp_8350.htm |archive-date=15 February 2021 |access-date=2021-02-09 |website=Holyrood Website}}</ref>
== Political career == [[File:Colin Smyth MSP.jpg|thumb|Official parliamentary portrait, 2016|left]] Smyth became a Labour party organiser in 2003.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7227017.stm |title=Labour unveils new top official |publisher=BBC News |date=4 February 2008}}</ref> In 2008, he was appointed general secretary of the Scottish Labour Party, succeeding Lesley Quinn.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-19636041 |title=Scottish Labour's Colin Smyth to step down as general secretary |publisher=BBC News |date=18 September 2012}}</ref> In September 2012, Scottish Labour announced that Smyth would step down from the position at the party's conference in the following month.
In [[2007 Dumfries and Galloway Council election|2007]], Smyth was elected to [[Dumfries and Galloway Council]], representing Nith Ward. He was re-elected to this position in [[2012 Dumfries and Galloway Council election|2012]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://egenda.dumgal.gov.uk/aksdumgal/users/public/admin/main.pl?op=MemberDetails&keyid=42 |title=Member and Committee Information |publisher=[[Dumfries and Galloway Council]] |accessdate=7 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602054347/http://egenda.dumgal.gov.uk/aksdumgal/users/public/admin/main.pl?op=MemberDetails&keyid=42 |archive-date=2 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In October 2013, a Labour/SNP coalition was formed on Dumfries and Galloway Council<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-24335475|title=Labour join SNP at council helm|date=2013-10-01|access-date=2019-08-18|language=en-GB}}</ref> and Smyth was appointed Chair of the Planning, Housing and Environment Committee.
===Member of the Scottish Parliament=== In the [[2016 Scottish Parliament election]], Smyth was elected as an [[additional-member system|additional member]], representing the [[South Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|South Scotland region]].<ref name=":0">{{cite news|date=6 May 2016|title=Election 2016: South Scotland. Scottish Parliament region|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/scotland-regions/S17000015}}</ref>
He served as [[Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity|Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity]] under [[Richard Leonard]] from 2017 to 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://scottishlabour.org.uk/people/msps/|title=MSPs|website=Scottish Labour|access-date=2019-08-18}}</ref>
Smyth nominated [[Anas Sarwar]] in the [[2021 Scottish Labour leadership election]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Scottish Leadership Election 2021 – Nominations|url=http://scottishlabour.org.uk/people/2021-leadership-election/nominations/|access-date=2021-01-26|website=Scottish Labour}}</ref> After the leadership election, Sarwar appointed Smyth as [[Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs|Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Rodgers|first=Sienna|date=1 March 2021|title=Sarwar unveils new 'campaign cabinet' to lead Scottish Labour into election|url=https://labourlist.org/2021/03/sarwar-unveils-new-campaign-cabinet-to-lead-scottish-labour-into-election/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-11|website=LabourList|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301142143/https://labourlist.org/2021/03/sarwar-unveils-new-campaign-cabinet-to-lead-scottish-labour-into-election/ |archive-date=1 March 2021 }}</ref>
At the [[2021 Scottish Parliament election]], Smyth was supported as a [[Labour Co-operative]] candidate for the first time.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://party.coop/scottish-parliament-2021 |title=Introducing your Scottish Parliament candidate |publisher=[[Co-operative Party]] |access-date=16 July 2024}}</ref> He contested the constituency seat of [[Dumfriesshire (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Dumfriesshire]], where he came a distant third with 4,671 votes (11.4%).<ref>{{cite news|title = Dumfriesshire - Scottish Parliament constituency|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2021/scotland/constituencies/S16000097|work = BBC News|access-date = 23 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Scottish Parliamentary election results|url = https://www.dumfriesandgalloway.gov.uk/council-elections/elections-voting/election-results/scottish-parliamentary-election-results/scottish-parliamentary-election-results-6-may-2021|website = Dumfries and Galloway Council|access-date = 23 August 2025}}</ref> Smyth was returned on the regional list for South Scotland.<ref>{{cite news|title = Scottish Parliament election results 2021|url = https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/election-results/scottish-parliament-election-results/3|website = Scottish Borders Council|access-date = 23 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = SCOTTISH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION|url = https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/Resources/PDF/E/ElectionResults/SouthScotlandRegionResultNotice.pdf|website = East Ayrshire Council|access-date = 23 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = 2021 Scottish Parliament election results|url = https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/education/election-results-2021-english.pdf|website = Scottish Parliament|access-date = 23 August 2025}}</ref>
Smyth backed the UK Government’s decision to introduce means-testing for the [[Winter Fuel Payment]], voting in the Scottish Parliament against calls to reverse the decision.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-08 |title=How every MSP voted as Holyrood rejected the UK's Winter Fuel Payment cut |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/24639083.winter-fuel-payment-cuts-full-list-labour-msps-oppose/ |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref>
Smyth was selected in April 2025 as the Labour candidate for Dumfriesshire at the [[2026 Scottish Parliament election]].<ref>{{cite web|title = Scottish Labour Party - Facebook|url = https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1222986859223729&id=100045372791993&set=a.503408954514860|website = Facebook|date = 4 April 2025|access-date = 23 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = SP26: South Scotland Region Preview - Ballot Box Scotland|url = https://ballotbox.scot/sp26-south-region-preview/|website = Ballot Box Scotland|access-date = 31 August 2025}}</ref>
====Criminal charges and suspension from Labour==== Smyth was suspended from the Labour Party on 20 August 2025, after being charged with possession of indecent images of children, following the search of a property in Dumfries on 5 August.<ref name="BBC suspension" /><ref name=telegraph-20250820>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/08/20/labour-msp-colin-smyth-arrested-over-indecent-images/ |title=Labour MSP arrested over indecent images of children |last=Johnson |first=Simon |website=The Telegraph |location=London |url-access=subscription |date=20 August 2025 |access-date=21 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Brooks|firsy=Libby|title=Labour MSP Colin Smyth charged over indecent images|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/aug/20/labour-msp-colin-smyth-charged-over-indecent-images|work=The Guardian|date=20 August 2025|access-date=31 August 2025}}</ref>
On 28 August, the ''Daily Record'' reported that Smyth would also be charged with placing a hidden camera in a toilet of the Scottish Parliament and has had his parliamentary pass deactivated.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hutcheon |first=Paul |last2=McGivern |first2=Mark |date=2025-08-28 |title=Labour MSP Colin Smyth "put secret camera in parliament toilet" |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/labour-msp-colin-smyth-put-35810787 |access-date=2025-08-28 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-28 |title=MSP locked out of parliament after secret toilet camera claims |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wy40rxrvxo |access-date=2025-08-28 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> He denied the allegations.<ref>{{Cite news|title = MSP denies hiding camera in Scottish Parliament toilet|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9qyzlqvjnwo|work = BBC News|date = 29 August 2025|access-date = 31 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title = MSP denies placing secret camera in Scottish parliament toilets|url = https://news.sky.com/story/msp-denies-placing-secret-camera-in-scottish-parliament-toilets-13420867|work = Sky News|date = 29 August 2025|access-date = 31 August 2025}}</ref>
Smyth was granted bail in October 2025. Whilst on bail, he was charged with drink driving; his trial was delayed on 6 May 2026.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy92djdl5gno|title=Former south of Scotland MSP's drink-driving case delayed|date=6 May 2026|website=BBC News}}</ref>
== Personal life == Smyth is married to Victoria, a teacher of English; they have two daughters.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Smyth|first=Colin|date=2020-05-19|title=Comment: Colin Smyth MSP on lockdown with a young family|url=https://www.holyrood.com/comment/view,comment-colin-smyth-msp-on-lockdown-with-a-young-family_15525.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922035949/https://www.holyrood.com/comment/view,comment-colin-smyth-msp-on-lockdown-with-a-young-family_15525.htm |archive-date=22 September 2020 |access-date=2021-02-09|website=Holyrood Website|language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{SP-MSP}}
{{Scottish Labour}} {{Former Labour MSPs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smyth, Colin}} [[Category:1972 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Scottish Labour councillors]] [[Category:Labour MSPs]] [[Category:Labour Co-operative MSPs]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2016–2021]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2021–2026]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow]] [[Category:Modern studies teachers]] [[Category:Independent MSPs]]