Ian Blackford

Blackford worked as an analyst with NatWest Securities,[3] before moving to a managerial role. The company was bought by BT Alex. Brown, and Blackford became the managing director.[4] After further integration into Deutsche Bank AG in 1999, Blackford ran Deutsche Bank's equity operations in Scotland and the Netherlands.[5] Following 20 years in the financial industry, he left to do independent consultancy work, forming an investor relations company called First Seer in 2002.[6]

In 2005, Blackford joined the Dutch food and biochemicals company CSM as an investor relations manager.[7] He was appointed non-executive chairman of the Edinburgh-based telecommunications firm Commsworld in 2006,[8] having joined the board as a non-executive director in 2005.[6][9] He is a trustee at the Golden Charter Trust.[10] In 2013, he helped explain the business case for not closing a primary school in Milngavie when East Dunbartonshire Council had proposed closure.[11] Blackford is the chair of Commsworld plc, a telecoms company, and a millionaire.[12] He is a supporter of Hibernian F.C.[13]

He was previously the chairman of the Glendale Trust, an organisation responsible for a community-owned estate on Skye, which made an approach to Highland Council to bring a historic pier under community control.[14] Under his chairmanship, support was secured for establishing a heritage centre in 2010.[15] He had also been a member of the FlySkye group, campaigning to bring commercial air services back to Skye.[16][17]

Blackford stood as the SNP candidate for the Ayr constituency at the 1997 general election, but lost to Sandra Osborne of the Labour Party.

Later during the same year, he stood as the Scottish National Party (SNP) candidate in the Paisley 1997 by-election[18] but again he was unsuccessful; the contest had the lowest turnout at a by-election in Scotland for thirty years.

Blackford had been treasurer of the SNP and during this time he began to be viewed as a critic of the party leader, Alex Salmond.[19] Blackford was removed from the post in 2000, after he had tried to impose financial controls to tackle the party's overdraft.[20] However, the limits for expenditure which he set were not adhered to.[21] Blackford's reputedly hard line over financial matters had led to a breakdown of trust between him and the national executive.[22]

Blackford has argued for better telecommunication infrastructure for rural areas, noting that video-conferencing is one way of overcoming travel time and in the absence of air links.[23] Following the financial crisis of 2007–08 he has made calls for Scotland to have its own financial regulator, to protect society from irresponsible practices.[24][25] Blackford has also suggested that a zero rate of capital gains tax could help Scotland to attract investment.[26]

Following the electorate's decision to reject independence at the referendum on 18 September 2014, Blackford argued that Scotland should consider the constitutional change offered by the main unionist parties.[27] He was the author of a report which had explored options for the banking sector in Scotland, had the country voted to become independent.[28]

In January 2015, it was announced that Blackford would be the SNP candidate for Ross, Skye and Lochaber at the 2015 general election.[29] He received 20,119 votes and 48.1% of the vote, defeating the former Liberal Democrat party leader and incumbent MP, Charles Kennedy, by 5,124 votes.[30]

He was re-elected at the 2017 general election. On 14 June 2017, he was elected as leader of the SNP Westminster Group, succeeding Angus Robertson who had lost his seat.[31] On 19 July he was appointed a member of the Privy Council.[32] Additionally, he has served as a member of the secret Intelligence and Security Committee, which scrutinises the work of the UK intelligence agencies. On 25 April 2019 it was reported that he had "stood down" from this role, to be "replaced by Stewart Hosie".

During the 13 June 2018 session of Prime Minister's Questions, Blackford, along with almost all sitting Scottish National Party MPs, walked out of the House of Commons after Blackford raised a question to Prime Minister Theresa May regarding both no Scottish MP being given time to debate the Scotland-related areas of the EU Withdrawal Bill the previous night (when an English MP filibustered to prevent Scottish MPs from speaking) and wanting the chamber to immediately have a vote on the motion to sit in private. Blackford was irate in asking the question and was instructed numerous times by Speaker John Bercow to resume his seat so the Prime Minister could answer his question. Blackford refused to do this, claiming that "Scotland's voice not being heard". Eventually, Bercow used Standing Order 42 to eject Blackford from the chamber, which Blackford complied with, followed by almost every SNP MP. This was the first time that any such incident as this had ever occurred during Prime Minister's Questions as well as the House of Commons. The incident was broadcast on live television on the BBC and Sky News.[33][34][35]