Michael McMahon (Scottish politician)

Michael Joseph McMahon (born 18 September 1961) is a Scottish Labour politician and former Member of the Scottish Parliament 1999−2016. He was previously the member for the former constituency of Hamilton North and Bellshill 1999−2011, then for the Uddingston and Bellshill constituency 2011−2016. He is noted for attempting to abolish the not proven verdict.

Family

Married to Margaret, with three children.

His daughter Siobhan McMahon was controversially employed as his parliamentary researcher and became an MSP in 2011.

McMahon also employed his wife Margaret, as his parliamentary assistant.

Career

He went to Our Lady's High School, Motherwell (1973-1977). Worked as a welder at Terex Equipment Ltd, Motherwell (1977-1992). McMahon has been a trade union activist since school, and was Chair of the GMB and the STUC Youth Committees. He was also the branch Equality Officer in the GMB and a member of the trade union's Racial Advisory Committee.

In 1992, went to Glasgow Caledonian University and graduated in 1996 with a BA (Hons) in Social Sciences (Politics and Sociology).

Then worked as a political researcher (1996-1999), before being elected to parliament. He is an adviser to the Irish Diaspora in Scotland Association

McMahon is a supporter of faith schools and has publicly defended them, claiming there is no evidence they contribute to sectarianism.