Michelle Thomson

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Michelle Thomson
MP
SNP Spokesperson for
Business, Innovation & Skills
In office
20 May 2015 – 30 September 2015
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Hannah Bardell
Member of Parliament
for Edinburgh West
Assumed office
8 May 2015
Preceded by Mike Crockart
Majority 3,210 (5.9%)
Personal details
Born Michelle Rhonda Perks
(1965-03-11) 11 March 1965 (age 59)
Bearsden, Scotland
Political party Scottish National Party
(pre-2015)
Independent (2015–present)
Alma mater Royal Scottish Academy of
Music and Drama

Michelle Rhonda Thomson is a politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Edinburgh West since May 2015. She served as the SNP Business, Innovation and Skills spokesperson in the House of Commons until her resignation from the party whip in September 2015.[1][2]

Employment

Thomson graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama in 1985.[3] She initially worked as a professional musician and she completed an MSc in IT. She worked in Financial Services for Standard Life and the Royal Bank of Scotland for over 23 years in a variety of senior roles delivering IT and business change. In 2009 she set up her own small business in property.[3][4]

Political career

Thomson joined the SNP at 16 years old in 1981.[4] She became prominent politically during the Scottish independence referendum campaign, with the Yes campaign spending two years as managing director of Business for Scotland.[3] In this role, she spoke at over 90 events, took part in high-profile debates and undertook extensive media appearances. It was later revealed that under instruction from Peter Murrell, chief executive of the SNP and husband of First Minister (although deputy to Alex Salmond at the time) Nicola Sturgeon, Thomson had been stripped of her role as a paid consultant at Business for Scotland some months before the referendum. Business for Scotland refused to continue payments for 'consultancy' work, but came to a deal that allowed her to stay on unpaid as "Managing Director" for press purposes in order to avoid discrediting BfS before the referendum.[5]

The Sunday Post described her as one of the SNP MPs to watch in the new parliament.[6][7] The National has also described Thomson as "a breath of fresh air" in light of her broad-based life experience.[8]

Controversy

In August 2015 her name appeared on a list of Ashley Madison users, following a site data breach.[9] She strongly denied ever using the site and claimed an outdated SNP campaign email address was used as part of a smear campaign.[10]

Property allegations

In September 2015 Thomson was accused by an article in The Sunday Times of having built her buy-to-let property portfolio by buying homes from indebted families for below-market prices.[11] It emerged that Thomson's solicitor for the deals, Christopher Hales, had later been struck off for professional misconduct over his role in the deals by a Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal. In particular, the Tribunal found that Hales "must have been aware that there was a possibility he was facilitating mortgage fraud, whether or not this occurred." One couple, who had sold their home to the Thomsons, announced their intent to lodge a complaint with the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission.[12] Hales acted for Thomson and the company she ran with her husband Peter, M&F Property Solutions, on 13 transactions.[13]

In late September 2015 Police Scotland announced it had launched an inquiry into "alleged irregularities" related to the property transactions which had seen Hales struck off.[14] The same day the SNP issued a statement on behalf of Thomson, announcing that she had decided to withdraw herself from the party whip whilst the investigation was ongoing. In resigning the whip, Thomson also gave up her SNP membership and her role as the SNP's business, innovation and skills spokesperson at Westminster.[2]

Solicitor Aamer Anwar was instructed to act on her behalf and confirmed that he had contacted Police Scotland on Thomson's behalf advising them of her wish to assist with their investigation, if or when they wish to speak to her.[15]

Thomson was also referred to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards in relation to her property dealings[16] but the commissioner decided not to proceed as the allegations related to before Thomson became an MP.[17]

References

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  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/oct/04/scotland-legal-bodies-to-discuss-mp-michelle-thomson-suspicious-property-deals
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Edinburgh West
2015–present		 Incumbent
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