Gordon Matheson

Gordon Matheson CBE is a former Scottish Labour Party politician and a former leader of Glasgow City Council.[1]

Councillor
Gordon Matheson
CBE
Leader of Glasgow City Council
In office
May 2010 – 10 September 2015
Preceded byJim Coleman (interim)
Succeeded byFrank McAveety
Personal details
Political partyScottish Labour Party
Domestic partnerStephen Wallace
ResidenceGlasgow
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow
University of Strathclyde

Career

Educated at Glasgow and Strathclyde universities, he was first elected to the city council in 1999. Re-elected in 2003, 2007 and 2012, he represented the Anderston/City ward. He served as Bailie, Justice of the Peace, Executive Member for Education and City Treasurer, before being elected leader in May 2010.[2]

In the May 2012 local government elections, he led the Scottish Labour Party to victory, increasing the share of the vote by 3.4% and securing an overall majority in Glasgow. This was despite predictions that Labour would lose control of Glasgow to the SNP.[3]

As leader, led Glasgow during the acclaimed 2014 Commonwealth Games, has established the Commonwealth Jobs and Graduate Funds; committed Glasgow to bid for the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics; signed Scotland's first City Deal; approved a scheme to reduce Glasgow's landfill by 90%; introduced winter fuel payments to pensioners; and embarked on the refurbishment or rebuild of every school in the city. In November 2012, and again in 2014, Matheson was named Local Politician of the Year at The Herald's Scottish Politician of the Year Awards.[4]

Matheson was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to local government and the community.[5][6]

In June 2015, Matheson announced he would stand in the 2015 Scottish Labour Party deputy leadership election, following a rule change allowing councillors to stand for the position, although he was unsuccessful.[7] After losing the deputy leadership election in August 2015, he announced that he would stand down as leader of Glasgow City Council.[8] Matheson has subsequently taken up a position as a visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde's Institute for Future Cities – part of its economics department.[9]

Honors and awards

2015 – CBE – Commander of the Order of the British Empire from HM The Queen for services to local government and the community[10]

2014 – Scottish Local Politician of the Year from The Herald[11]

2012 – Scottish Local Politician of the Year from The Herald [12]

2004 – Fellow (FRSA) from Royal Society of Arts[13]

Personal life

Matheson is gay,[14] and lives in Glasgow with his partner, Stephen Wallace.

References
  1. "Institute for Future Cities".
  2. "Gordon Matheson chosen as Glasgow City Council leader". BBC. 10 May 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  3. Edward, Debi (7 May 2012). "SNP expected to 'snatch Glasgow from Labour' in Scottish elections". ITV. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  4. Dinwoodie, Robbie (16 November 2012). "Sturgeon crowned The Herald Scottish politician of 2012". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  5. "No. 61092". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2014. p. N9.
  6. "2015 New Year Honours List" (PDF). Gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 January 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  7. Whitaker, Andrew (15 June 2015). "Gordon Matheson in Scottish Labour leadership bid". The Scotsman. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  8. Nicoll, Vivienne (18 August 2015). "Gordon Matheson to step down as Glasgow City Council leader". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  9. "Ex-leader to leave Glasgow City Council". BBC News. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  10. Watson, Linzi. "Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson awarded CBE". Evening Times. Evening Times. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  11. "Glasgow Business Club Biography". Glasgow Business Cub. Glasgow Business Club.
  12. "Biography Details – Councillor Gordon Matheson CBE, Leader of the Council, Glasgow City Council". Glasgow City Council.
  13. "Cllr. Gordon Matheson – Glasgow Economic Leadership". Glasgow Economic Leadership. 18 July 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  14. Freeman, Tom. "Gordon Matheson on an emotional year for Glasgow". Holyrood. Holyrood.
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