Hello, I’m Graham Simpson and I am one of the Scottish Conservative MSPs for Central Scotland.
Central Scotland goes from East Kilbride – where I live - across to Falkirk and takes in Hamilton and all of North Lanarkshire.
I have been your MSP for the region along with two other Conservative colleagues since 2016 and before that I was a councillor in East Kilbride for 10 years from 2007.
Since August, I have been the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity. Before that I covered housing, local government and social security.
Every day that I have been your MSP, I have fought hard for everyone in the region. Here’s what I have already gotten done for our communities:
● In East Kilbride the railway is now being electrified and twin-tracked and construction is underway, which I successfully fought for.
● I stopped the plans to dual Stewartfield Way.
● In North Lanarkshire I have fought and campaigned to stop development on greenbelt land near Calderbank.
● In Falkirk I have worked with the UK government to deliver on its green buses pledge to support the Alexander Dennis factory, while working closely with the union reps at the plant - because I will always support Scotland’s workers first.
● In Grangemouth I am working with the port operator and the UK government to help fight for its bid for freeport status to boost jobs, wages, and opportunities in Grangemouth. Shamefully, the SNP Government oppose the Grangemouth freeport job-creating campaign. I will continue to fight against the SNP’s job-killing policies, and I will keep fighting for the working people of Grangemouth to win freeport status.
● I have led the party on key pieces of legislation. For example, I led and delivered on common-sense reforms to the planning system, making it less confrontational by introducing a mediation procedure.
For my entire career I have fought hard for the people of Central Scotland, and I have delivered results for our communities. I have stood up against the job-killing, anti-business policies of this SNP Government that leave working Scots behind. But the fight is not over, and there is more work to be done.