{{Short description|Scottish Labour politician}} {{distinguish|Martin Wingfield}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Martin Whitfield | honorific_suffix = | image = Martin_Whitfield_MSP.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2021 | office = Convener of the [[Committees of the Scottish Parliament|Standards and Procedures and Public Appointments Committee]] | term_start = 22 June 2021 | term_end = | majority = | office1 = [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] <br /> for [[South Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|South Scotland]] <br />{{nobold|(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)}} | term_start1 = 6 May 2021 | term_end1 = 9 April 2026 | majority1 = | predecessor1 = | successor1 = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1965|8|12}} | birth_place = [[Gosforth]], [[Newcastle-Upon-Tyne]], England | party = [[Scottish Labour|Labour]] | alma_mater = [[Huddersfield Polytechnic]] | children = 2 | spouse = Rachel Whitfield | office2 = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] <br /> for [[East Lothian (UK Parliament constituency)|East Lothian]] | term_start2 = 8 June 2017 | term_end2 = 6 November 2019 | deputy = [[Bob Doris]] | predecessor2 = [[George Kerevan]] | successor2 = [[Kenny MacAskill]] | predecessor = [[Bill Kidd]] | other_party = [[Labour Friends of Israel]] }} '''Martin David Whitfield'''<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=27885 |date=19 June 2017 |page=1076 |city=e}}</ref> (born 12 August 1965)<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Times guide to the House of Commons 2017|date=2017|others=Ian Brunskill|isbn=978-0-00-826333-1|location=London|pages=172|oclc=1024165015}}</ref> is a [[Scottish Labour]] politician and former lawyer and primary school teacher who was a [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] (MSP) for the [[South Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|South Scotland region]] and the [[Convener]] of the [[Committees of the Scottish Parliament|Standards and Procedures and Public Appointments Committee]] from 2021 to 2026.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Session 6 Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee|url=https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-standards-procedures-and-public-appointments-committee|access-date=2021-06-22|website=www.parliament.scot|language=en}}</ref>
Whitfield previously served as the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[East Lothian (UK Parliament constituency)|East Lothian]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/martin-whitfield/4626|title=Martin Whitfield MP|website=UK Parliament}}</ref> from the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 snap general election]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/S14000020|title=East Lothian parliamentary constituency – Election 2017|publisher=|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> when he unseated the sitting MP, [[George Kerevan]] of the [[Scottish National Party]],<ref name="bbc2017">{{cite news|title=East Lothian|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/S14000020|website=Election 2017|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=10 June 2017}}</ref> until his defeat at the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]] by the SNP candidate [[Kenny MacAskill]], who later defected to [[Alba Party|Alba]] in 2021.
== Early life, education and career == Whitfield was born in [[Gosforth]] in [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]] and achieved a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA (Hons)]] in Business Law from [[Huddersfield Polytechnic]]. He worked as a solicitor between 1989 and 2001, before leaving the law profession to retrain as a teacher at the [[University of Edinburgh]], achieving a PGCPE pass with merit in teaching in 2002.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.martinwhitfieldmp.co.uk/about/|title=ABOUT|work=Martin Whitfield MP|access-date=2017-10-17|language=en-GB|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416044722/https://www.martinwhitfieldmp.co.uk/about/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Prior to his election, Whitfield worked at Prestonpans Primary School<ref>{{Who's Who | title=Whitfield, Martin| id = U289467| volume = 2018 | edition = February 2018 online | access-date = 13 February 2018 }}</ref> and served as a council member of the General Teaching Council for Scotland as well as a member of the EIS, Scotland's largest trade union.<ref name="courier28apr" /> He was also Chair of Prestonpans Community Council and involved in a number of community groups.
== Political career == ===UK Parliament=== Whitfield was named as the official Labour Party candidate for the East Lothian constituency at the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 UK general election]],<ref>{{cite news|date=30 April 2017|title=Election 2017: Labour eyes battlegrounds|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39761870|access-date=13 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/labour-newcomer-martin-whitfield-hopes-10550005|title=Labour newcomer Martin Whitfield hopes for a polls hat-trick against the odds|first=Andy|last=Philip|date=3 June 2017|website=Daily Record|accessdate=13 February 2022}}</ref> where he unseated the sitting [[Scottish National Party]] MP, [[George Kerevan]].<ref name="courier28apr" />
Whitfield was an active opponent of [[Brexit]] and a strong supporter of a second referendum, referred to as a "[[People's Vote]]".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/martin-whitfield-people-s-vote-is-the-best-way-to-agree-a-decisive-way-forward-1-4825706|title=People's Vote is the best way to agree a decisive way forward|last=Whitfield|first=Martin|date=8 November 2018|work=Edinburgh News|language=en|access-date=23 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/why-boris-johnson-s-deal-is-gateway-to-catastrophic-hard-brexit-martin-whitfield-mp-1-5028571|title=Why Boris Johnson's deal is 'gateway to catastrophic hard Brexit'|last=Whitfield|first=Martin|date=18 October 2019|work=The Scotsman|language=en|access-date=21 October 2019}}</ref> He supported the official recognition of [[non-binary]] people in official government documentation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.equality-network.org/lgbtipledge/scotlands-new-mps-june-2017/|title=Scotland's new MPs – June 2017 — Equality Network|website=www.equality-network.org|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-07-29}}</ref> He was one of 216 general election candidates to pledge support for the [[Israel]] Election Pledge.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.webelieveinisrael.org.uk/2017/06/06/198-candidates-sign-general-election-pledge-israel/|title=Pledge – We Believe in Israel|work=We Believe in Israel|accessdate=2017-01-22}}</ref>
In June 2018, Whitfield led an adjournment debate on the challenges faced by people with 'hidden' disabilities, particularly in relation to the use of accessible toilets and cited the Grace's Sign campaign run by a young constituent, Grace Warnock.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-06-18/debates/E7883C71-7EEC-4D92-8A80-F8CACB9EB911/AccessibilityChallengesInvisibleDisabilities?highlight=disabilities#contribution-B429A4D9-4784-4D2E-A454-93127DC9F9BA|title=Accessibility Challenges: Invisible Disabilities – Hansard|website=hansard.parliament.uk|access-date=2019-01-15}}</ref> In June 2019, he led a further backbench debate on invisible disabilities and accessibility challenges, including the new Any Disability Sign.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2019-06-05/debates/299FAD6A-D09D-4104-9F8F-99416291E013/InvisibleDisabilitiesAndAccessibilityChallenges|title=Invisible Disabilities and Accessibility Challenges – Hansard|website=hansard.parliament.uk|access-date=2019-06-26}}</ref> Whitfield was a strong critic of the rollout of [[Universal Credit]] and was one of the first Labour MPs to call for the new benefit to be replaced entirely.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.martinwhitfieldmp.co.uk/2018/10/12/time-to-replace-universal-credit/|title=Time to replace Universal Credit|last=MP|first=Martin Whitfield|website=Martin Whitfield MP|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-03-01}}</ref> In October 2018, he attracted widespread praise after leading a Commons debate on World [[Menopause]] Day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-10-18/debates/3FAB27D4-5497-46BC-B65B-E3220542F799/WorldMenopauseDay?highlight=menopause#contribution-0DE7A74B-1DDB-4597-8B1D-21CA2BAA34DC|title=World Menopause Day – Hansard|website=hansard.parliament.uk|access-date=2019-01-15}}</ref>
Following the announcement that the US would impose tariffs on [[single malt Scotch whisky]] from 18 October 2019, Whitfield took a leading role in efforts to encourage the UK Government to persuade US counterparts to reconsider the move and co-ordinated a letter to the US Ambassador.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/business/cross-party-msps-wrote-to-us-over-whisky-tariff-increase-1-5022796|title=Cross-party MSPs wrote to US over whisky tariff increase|website=www.scotsman.com|language=en|access-date=2019-10-21}}</ref> Whitfield was a member of several [[All-party parliamentary group|All-Party Parliamentary Groups]], including the Timber Industries APPG, which he chaired.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cti-timber.org/content/press-release-martin-whitfield-mp-elected-new-chair-timber-industries-appg|title=Martin Whitfield MP elected new Chair of Timber Industries APPG|publisher=Confederation of Timber Industries|website=www.cti-timber.org|access-date=2019-01-15|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416030446/http://www.cti-timber.org/content/press-release-martin-whitfield-mp-elected-new-chair-timber-industries-appg|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was also a member of the Commons' Science and Technology Select Committee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/|title=Science and Technology Committee (Commons)|website=UK Parliament|language=English|access-date=2019-03-01}}</ref>
Whitfield was the Co-Chair of [[Anas Sarwar]]'s unsuccessful 2017 [[2017 Scottish Labour leadership election|Scottish Labour leadership campaign]].<ref>{{cite tweet|user=AnasSarwar|first=Anas|last=Sarwar|number=904714432479158272|title=Thank you for your support & encouragement. Delighted that @MartWhitfieldMP & @pauline4glasgow will be co-chairing my campaign for leaderhttps}}</ref> He supported MP [[Ian Murray (Scottish politician)|Ian Murray]]'s UK [[2020 Labour Party deputy leadership election|Labour deputy leadership campaign]], MSP [[Jackie Baillie]]'s [[2020 Scottish Labour deputy leadership election|Scottish Labour deputy leadership]] campaign, and Anas Sarwar's successful [[2021 Scottish Labour leadership election|2021 Scottish Labour leadership]] campaign.
He lost his seat at the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]] to the [[Scottish National Party|SNP]] candidate, [[Kenny MacAskill]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Pooran|first=Neil|date=13 February 2019|title=SNP win East Lothian from Labour as Kenny MacAskill elected|url=https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/east-lothian-results-full-snps-17412615|access-date=13 February 2022|work=Edinburgh Live|language=en}}</ref> He later became a supporter and executive committee member for the organisation [[Scientists for Labour]], providing advice and input to [[Sir Keir Starmer]]'s office on the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scientistsforlabour.org.uk/about-sfl|title=ABOUT SFL|access-date=29 March 2021|website=SfL|language=en}}</ref>
===Scottish Parliament=== Whitfield stood for election to the [[Scottish Parliament]] in the [[East Lothian (Scottish Parliament constituency)|East Lothian constituency]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/18867318.labour-names-former-east-lothian-mp-martin-whitfield-holyrood-2021-candidate/|last=Duncan|first=Emma|date=12 November 2020|title=Labour names former East Lothian MP as its Holyrood 2021 candidate|website=East Lothian Courier|language=en}}</ref> and the [[South Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|South Scotland regional list]] at the [[2021 Scottish Parliament election]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Rodgers|first=Sienna|date=1 February 2021|title=Exclusive: Scottish Labour list selection ballot votes and results revealed|url=https://labourlist.org/2021/02/revealed-scottish-labour-list-selection-ballot-results/|website=LabourList|language=en-GB}}</ref>
At the election, Whitfield finished in a close second place behind the SNP, with 16,789 votes and a share of 36.6%, but was elected on the South Scotland list vote.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/19286301.happened-snp-fall-just-short-scottish-parliament-majority-snp-win-east-lothian/|title=AS IT HAPPENED: SNP fall just short of Scottish Parliament majority after SNP win East Lothian|last=Berkeley|first=Sam|date=8 May 2021|website=East Lothian Courier|access-date=8 May 2021|language=en}}</ref>
Whitfield was Labour's Parliamentary Business Manager and spokesperson for Children and Young People in the Scottish Parliament.<ref>{{Cite web |title=At Holyrood - Scottish Labour |url=https://scottishlabour.org.uk/people/msps-2/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=scottishlabour.org.uk}}</ref>
Whitfield 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>
Whitfield stood for re-election to the [[Scottish Parliament]] at the [[2026 Scottish Parliament election]], contesting the [[East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs|East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs constituency]] and appearing on the [[Edinburgh and Lothians East (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|Edinburgh and Lothians East regional list]]. He faced [[Paul McLennan]], the [[Scottish National Party|SNP]] candidate who had previously defeated him in 2021. Whitfield was ultimately unsuccessful, narrowly losing the constituency seat to McLennan for a second time and failing to secure election via the regional list.
==Personal life== Whitfield lives in [[Prestonpans]], [[East Lothian]] with his family, he is married to Rachel; with two children.<ref name="courier28apr">{{Cite news|url=http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/15253945.Labour_confirm_candidate_for_General_Election/|title=Labour confirm candidate for General Election|date=28 April 2017|work=East Lothian Courier|access-date=9 June 2017}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == {{commons category}} * {{SP-MSP}} * [http://www.martinwhitfieldmsp.com/ Personal website] * {{UK MP links |parliament=martin-whitfield/4626 |publicwhip=Martin_Whitfield |theywork=martin_whitfield}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{s-bef|before=[[George Kerevan]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<br />for [[East Lothian (UK Parliament constituency)|East Lothian]]|years=[[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017]]–2019}} {{s-aft|after=[[Kenny MacAskill]]}} {{s-end}}
{{Former Labour MSPs}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitfield, Martin}} [[Category:1965 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Politicians from Newcastle upon Tyne]] [[Category:Scottish schoolteachers]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Huddersfield]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh]] [[Category:Scottish Labour MPs]] [[Category:UK MPs 2017–2019]] [[Category:Labour MSPs]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2021–2026]]