# Martin Whitfield

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Scottish Labour politician

Not to be confused with [Martin Wingfield](/source/Martin_Wingfield).

Martin Whitfield Official portrait, 2021 Convener of the Standards and Procedures and Public Appointments Committee Incumbent Assumed office 22 June 2021 Deputy Bob Doris Preceded by Bill Kidd Member of the Scottish Parliament for South Scotland (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) In office 6 May 2021 – 9 April 2026 Member of Parliament for East Lothian In office 8 June 2017 – 6 November 2019 Preceded by George Kerevan Succeeded by Kenny MacAskill Personal details Born (1965-08-12) 12 August 1965 (age 60) Gosforth, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England Party Labour Other political affiliations Labour Friends of Israel Spouse Rachel Whitfield Children 2 Alma mater Huddersfield Polytechnic

**Martin David Whitfield**[1] (born 12 August 1965)[2] is a [Scottish Labour](/source/Scottish_Labour) politician and former lawyer and primary school teacher who was a [Member of the Scottish Parliament](/source/Member_of_the_Scottish_Parliament) (MSP) for the [South Scotland region](/source/South_Scotland_(Scottish_Parliament_electoral_region)) and the [Convener](/source/Convener) of the [Standards and Procedures and Public Appointments Committee](/source/Committees_of_the_Scottish_Parliament) from 2021 to 2026.[3]

Whitfield previously served as the [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)) for [East Lothian](/source/East_Lothian_(UK_Parliament_constituency))[4] from the [2017 snap general election](/source/2017_United_Kingdom_general_election),[5] when he unseated the sitting MP, [George Kerevan](/source/George_Kerevan) of the [Scottish National Party](/source/Scottish_National_Party),[6] until his defeat at the [2019 general election](/source/2019_United_Kingdom_general_election) by the SNP candidate [Kenny MacAskill](/source/Kenny_MacAskill), who later defected to [Alba](/source/Alba_Party) in 2021.

## Early life, education and career

Whitfield was born in [Gosforth](/source/Gosforth) in [Newcastle](/source/Newcastle_upon_Tyne) and achieved a [BA (Hons)](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) in Business Law from [Huddersfield Polytechnic](/source/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](/source/University_of_Edinburgh), achieving a PGCPE pass with merit in teaching in 2002.[7]

Prior to his election, Whitfield worked at Prestonpans Primary School[8] 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.[9] 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 UK general election](/source/2017_United_Kingdom_general_election),[10][11] where he unseated the sitting [Scottish National Party](/source/Scottish_National_Party) MP, [George Kerevan](/source/George_Kerevan).[9]

Whitfield was an active opponent of [Brexit](/source/Brexit) and a strong supporter of a second referendum, referred to as a "[People's Vote](/source/People's_Vote)".[12][13] He supported the official recognition of [non-binary](/source/Non-binary) people in official government documentation.[14] He was one of 216 general election candidates to pledge support for the [Israel](/source/Israel) Election Pledge.[15]

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.[16] In June 2019, he led a further backbench debate on invisible disabilities and accessibility challenges, including the new Any Disability Sign.[17] Whitfield was a strong critic of the rollout of [Universal Credit](/source/Universal_Credit) and was one of the first Labour MPs to call for the new benefit to be replaced entirely.[18] In October 2018, he attracted widespread praise after leading a Commons debate on World [Menopause](/source/Menopause) Day.[19]

Following the announcement that the US would impose tariffs on [single malt Scotch whisky](/source/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.[20] Whitfield was a member of several [All-Party Parliamentary Groups](/source/All-party_parliamentary_group), including the Timber Industries APPG, which he chaired.[21] He was also a member of the Commons' Science and Technology Select Committee.[22]

Whitfield was the Co-Chair of [Anas Sarwar](/source/Anas_Sarwar)'s unsuccessful 2017 [Scottish Labour leadership campaign](/source/2017_Scottish_Labour_leadership_election).[23] He supported MP [Ian Murray](/source/Ian_Murray_(Scottish_politician))'s UK [Labour deputy leadership campaign](/source/2020_Labour_Party_deputy_leadership_election), MSP [Jackie Baillie](/source/Jackie_Baillie)'s [Scottish Labour deputy leadership](/source/2020_Scottish_Labour_deputy_leadership_election) campaign, and Anas Sarwar's successful [2021 Scottish Labour leadership](/source/2021_Scottish_Labour_leadership_election) campaign.

He lost his seat at the [2019 general election](/source/2019_United_Kingdom_general_election) to the [SNP](/source/Scottish_National_Party) candidate, [Kenny MacAskill](/source/Kenny_MacAskill).[24] He later became a supporter and executive committee member for the organisation [Scientists for Labour](/source/Scientists_for_Labour), providing advice and input to [Sir Keir Starmer](/source/Sir_Keir_Starmer)'s office on the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic).[25]

### Scottish Parliament

Whitfield stood for election to the [Scottish Parliament](/source/Scottish_Parliament) in the [East Lothian constituency](/source/East_Lothian_(Scottish_Parliament_constituency))[26] and the [South Scotland regional list](/source/South_Scotland_(Scottish_Parliament_electoral_region)) at the [2021 Scottish Parliament election](/source/2021_Scottish_Parliament_election).[27]

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.[28]

Whitfield was Labour's Parliamentary Business Manager and spokesperson for Children and Young People in the Scottish Parliament.[29]

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.[30]

Whitfield stood for re-election to the [Scottish Parliament](/source/Scottish_Parliament) at the [2026 Scottish Parliament election](/source/2026_Scottish_Parliament_election), contesting the [East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs constituency](/source/East_Lothian_Coast_and_Lammermuirs) and appearing on the [Edinburgh and Lothians East regional list](/source/Edinburgh_and_Lothians_East_(Scottish_Parliament_electoral_region)). He faced [Paul McLennan](/source/Paul_McLennan), the [SNP](/source/Scottish_National_Party) 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](/source/Prestonpans), [East Lothian](/source/East_Lothian) with his family, he is married to Rachel; with two children.[9]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["No. 27885"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/27885/page/1076). *[The Edinburgh Gazette](/source/The_Edinburgh_Gazette)*. 19 June 2017. p. 1076.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** *The Times guide to the House of Commons 2017*. Ian Brunskill. London. 2017. p. 172. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-00-826333-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-00-826333-1). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [1024165015](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1024165015).{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher)) CS1 maint: others ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_others))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Session 6 Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee"](https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-standards-procedures-and-public-appointments-committee). *www.parliament.scot*. Retrieved 22 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Martin Whitfield MP"](http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/martin-whitfield/4626). *UK Parliament*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["East Lothian parliamentary constituency – Election 2017"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/S14000020) – via www.bbc.co.uk.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-bbc2017_6-0)** ["East Lothian"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/S14000020). *Election 2017*. BBC News. Retrieved 10 June 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["ABOUT"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190416044722/https://www.martinwhitfieldmp.co.uk/about/). *Martin Whitfield MP*. Archived from [the original](http://www.martinwhitfieldmp.co.uk/about/) on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Whitfield, Martin"](https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U289467). *[Who's Who](/source/Who's_Who_(UK))*. Vol. 2018 (February 2018 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 13 February 2018. (Subscription or [UK public library membership](https://www.ukwhoswho.com/page/subscribe#public) required.)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-courier28apr_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-courier28apr_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-courier28apr_9-2) ["Labour confirm candidate for General Election"](http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/15253945.Labour_confirm_candidate_for_General_Election/). *East Lothian Courier*. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Election 2017: Labour eyes battlegrounds"](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39761870). BBC News. 30 April 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Philip, Andy (3 June 2017). ["Labour newcomer Martin Whitfield hopes for a polls hat-trick against the odds"](http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/labour-newcomer-martin-whitfield-hopes-10550005). *Daily Record*. Retrieved 13 February 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Whitfield, Martin (8 November 2018). ["People's Vote is the best way to agree a decisive way forward"](https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/martin-whitfield-people-s-vote-is-the-best-way-to-agree-a-decisive-way-forward-1-4825706). *Edinburgh News*. Retrieved 23 February 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Whitfield, Martin (18 October 2019). ["Why Boris Johnson's deal is 'gateway to catastrophic hard Brexit'"](https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/why-boris-johnson-s-deal-is-gateway-to-catastrophic-hard-brexit-martin-whitfield-mp-1-5028571). *The Scotsman*. Retrieved 21 October 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Scotland's new MPs – June 2017 — Equality Network"](http://www.equality-network.org/lgbtipledge/scotlands-new-mps-june-2017/). *www.equality-network.org*. Retrieved 29 July 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Pledge – We Believe in Israel"](http://www.webelieveinisrael.org.uk/2017/06/06/198-candidates-sign-general-election-pledge-israel/). *We Believe in Israel*. Retrieved 22 January 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Accessibility Challenges: Invisible Disabilities – Hansard"](https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-06-18/debates/E7883C71-7EEC-4D92-8A80-F8CACB9EB911/AccessibilityChallengesInvisibleDisabilities?highlight=disabilities#contribution-B429A4D9-4784-4D2E-A454-93127DC9F9BA). *hansard.parliament.uk*. Retrieved 15 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Invisible Disabilities and Accessibility Challenges – Hansard"](https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2019-06-05/debates/299FAD6A-D09D-4104-9F8F-99416291E013/InvisibleDisabilitiesAndAccessibilityChallenges). *hansard.parliament.uk*. Retrieved 26 June 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** MP, Martin Whitfield. ["Time to replace Universal Credit"](https://www.martinwhitfieldmp.co.uk/2018/10/12/time-to-replace-universal-credit/). *Martin Whitfield MP*. Retrieved 1 March 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["World Menopause Day – Hansard"](https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-10-18/debates/3FAB27D4-5497-46BC-B65B-E3220542F799/WorldMenopauseDay?highlight=menopause#contribution-0DE7A74B-1DDB-4597-8B1D-21CA2BAA34DC). *hansard.parliament.uk*. Retrieved 15 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Cross-party MSPs wrote to US over whisky tariff increase"](https://www.scotsman.com/business/cross-party-msps-wrote-to-us-over-whisky-tariff-increase-1-5022796). *www.scotsman.com*. Retrieved 21 October 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Martin Whitfield MP elected new Chair of Timber Industries APPG"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190416030446/http://www.cti-timber.org/content/press-release-martin-whitfield-mp-elected-new-chair-timber-industries-appg). *www.cti-timber.org*. Confederation of Timber Industries. Archived from [the original](http://www.cti-timber.org/content/press-release-martin-whitfield-mp-elected-new-chair-timber-industries-appg) on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** ["Science and Technology Committee (Commons)"](https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/). *UK Parliament*. Retrieved 1 March 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** Sarwar, Anas [@AnasSarwar] (4 September 2017). ["Thank you for your support & encouragement. Delighted that @MartWhitfieldMP & @pauline4glasgow will be co-chairing my campaign for leaderhttps"](https://twitter.com/AnasSarwar/status/904714432479158272) ([Tweet](/source/Tweet_(social_media))) – via [Twitter](/source/Twitter).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** Pooran, Neil (13 February 2019). ["SNP win East Lothian from Labour as Kenny MacAskill elected"](https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/east-lothian-results-full-snps-17412615). *Edinburgh Live*. Retrieved 13 February 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** ["ABOUT SFL"](https://www.scientistsforlabour.org.uk/about-sfl). *SfL*. Retrieved 29 March 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** Duncan, Emma (12 November 2020). ["Labour names former East Lothian MP as its Holyrood 2021 candidate"](https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/18867318.labour-names-former-east-lothian-mp-martin-whitfield-holyrood-2021-candidate/). *East Lothian Courier*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-27)** Rodgers, Sienna (1 February 2021). ["Exclusive: Scottish Labour list selection ballot votes and results revealed"](https://labourlist.org/2021/02/revealed-scottish-labour-list-selection-ballot-results/). *LabourList*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-28)** Berkeley, Sam (8 May 2021). ["AS IT HAPPENED: SNP fall just short of Scottish Parliament majority after SNP win East Lothian"](https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/19286301.happened-snp-fall-just-short-scottish-parliament-majority-snp-win-east-lothian/). *East Lothian Courier*. Retrieved 8 May 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-29)** ["At Holyrood - Scottish Labour"](https://scottishlabour.org.uk/people/msps-2/). *scottishlabour.org.uk*. Retrieved 27 August 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-30)** ["How every MSP voted as Holyrood rejected the UK's Winter Fuel Payment cut"](https://www.thenational.scot/news/24639083.winter-fuel-payment-cuts-full-list-labour-msps-oppose/). *The National*. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Martin Whitfield](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Martin_Whitfield).

- Scottish Parliament profiles of MSPs: [Martin Whitfield](https://www.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps/martin-whitfield)

- [Personal website](http://www.martinwhitfieldmsp.com/)

- [Profile](https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/martin-whitfield/4626) at [Parliament of the United Kingdom](/source/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom)

- [Contributions in Parliament](https://hansard.parliament.uk/search/MemberContributions?memberId=4626) at *[Hansard](/source/Hansard)*

- [Voting record](https://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=Martin_Whitfield) at [Public Whip](/source/Public_Whip)

- [Record in Parliament](https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/martin_whitfield) at [TheyWorkForYou](/source/TheyWorkForYou)

- [Profile](https://www.opensanctions.org/entities/Q30167357) on OpenSanctions, an open database of sanctions and persons of interest

Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded by George Kerevan Member of Parliament for East Lothian 2017–2019 Succeeded by Kenny MacAskill

v t e Former Labour Party MSPs By date first representing Scottish Labour in the Scottish Parliament 1999 Wendy Alexander Scott Barrie Sarah Boyack Rhona Brankin Bill Butler Malcolm Chisholm Cathie Craigie Margaret Curran Susan Deacon Donald Dewar Helen Eadie Patricia Ferguson Sam Galbraith Karen Gillon Trish Godman Rhoda Grant Iain Gray Hugh Henry John Home Robertson Janis Hughes Gordon Jackson Sylvia Jackson Cathy Jamieson Margaret Jamieson Andy Kerr Johann Lamont Marilyn Livingstone Jack McConnell Lewis Macdonald Angus MacKay Kate Maclean Ken Macintosh Maureen Macmillan Paul Martin John McAllion Frank McAveety Tom McCabe Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale Henry McLeish Michael McMahon Duncan McNeil Des McNulty Alasdair Morrison Bristow Muldoon Mary Mulligan Elaine Murray Irene Oldfather Peter Peacock Cathy Peattie Richard Simpson Elaine Smith Elaine Thomson Mike Watson Ian Welsh Karen Whitefield Allan Wilson 2001 Brian Fitzpatrick 2003 Richard Baker Marlyn Glen Christine May 2005 Charlie Gordon 2007 Baron Foulkes of Cumnock James Kelly John Park David Stewart David Whitton 2011 Claudia Beamish Kezia Dugdale Mary Fee Neil Findlay Hanzala Malik Jenny Marra Margaret McCulloch Margaret McDougall Siobhan McMahon Anne McTaggart Graeme Pearson John Pentland Drew Smith 2012 Jayne Baxter 2013 Cara Hilton 2014 Alex Rowley 2016 Lesley Brennan Monica Lennon Richard Leonard Colin Smyth 2021 Foysol Choudhury Pam Duncan-Glancy Paul O'Kane Mercedes Villalba Martin Whitfield 2025 Davy Russell

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Martin Whitfield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Whitfield) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Whitfield?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.