Gail Ross

Gail Elizabeth Ross is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who is civic leader of Caithness. She is a councillor on the Highland Council since 2011. She is a candidate in the Scottish Parliament election, 2016.

Early life

Ross grew up in Reiss and Wick, Caithness.[1] She studied in Glasgow, first a combination of advertising and PR, later English and psychology.[2]

Political career

She joined the SNP in 1997.[2] She was first elected to Highland council in a by-election in 2011.[3] At the time her success was considered a breakthrough for the SNP.[4][5] She was re-elected in May 2012.[6]

Civic leader

In May 2012, following re-election to Highland Council, she became the civil leader of Caithness.[7]

In August 2015, Ross spoke out against the Grindadráp, a Faroese traditional celebration of whaling, suggesting that on account of this that Wick should reconsider their twinning arrangement with the town of Klaksvík.[8] Ross wrote to the mayor of Klaksvík to raise her concerns that the whaling was not something that Wick should be associated with.[9] In January 2016 the matter was brought to the Highland Council,[10] which led to an intervention from Klaksvík's mayor.[11] The council deferred making a decision.[12]

In August 2015 she was named as the SNP candidate in the 2016 election.[13] She has called for increased provision of ambulances in Caithness.[14] She has highlighted the need for affordable housing in the Highlands.[2]

She is a member of the board of North Highland College.[15]

Personal life

She is married to a teacher and they have a son together.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Wick's Gail Ross confirms re-election bid". John O'Groat Journal. 9 March 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Spowart, Nan (2 May 2016). "Affordable housing at very top of the agenda for SNP hopeful Gail Ross". The National. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "SNP wins Highland Council by-election for Wick ward". BBC News. 8 April 2011.
  4. ↑ "By-election victory ‘a major breakthrough’ for SNP". STV News. 8 April 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "Wick by-election: SNP’s ‘major breakthrough’ in Lib Dem heartlands". newsnet.scot. 10 April 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  6. ↑ "Highland Council election results". 4 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "Civic leader role 'a tremendous honour’". John O'Groat Journal. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  8. ↑ Ross, David (20 August 2015). "Wick leaves Faroese twin over whales". The Herald (Glasgow). Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  9. ↑ Vidal, John (21 August 2015). "Scottish town cuts twinned link to Faroe Islands over whale killings". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "Whaling row could end Wick's twinning link with Klaksvik". BBC News. 8 January 2016.
  11. ↑ "Mayor offers talks to resolve Klaksvik-Wick twinning row". BBC News. 11 January 2016.
  12. ↑ "Councillors defer a decision on Wick's twinning link with Klaksvik". BBC News. 13 January 2016.
  13. ↑ "SNP select candidate intent on replacing Rob Gibson as Ross MSP". Ross-shire Journal. 31 August 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  14. ↑ "Call for increased ambulance provision in Caithness". BBC News. 11 December 2015.
  15. ↑ "about us: governance: board of management". North Highland College. Retrieved 2 May 2016.

External links

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