19 Facts About Andy Wightman

Andrew Dearg Wightman was born on 1963 and is a Scottish Independent politician, who served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Lothian region from 2016 to 2021.

Andy Wightman was elected as a member of the Scottish Greens, but resigned from the party in 2020 and served out the rest of his term as an independent.

Andy Wightman is a writer and researcher best known for his work on land ownership in Scotland.

Andy Wightman is the author of Who Owns Scotland and The Poor Had No Lawyers.

Andy Wightman graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 1985 with a degree in forestry.

Andy Wightman was a co-founder of Reforesting Scotland, an environmental charity dedicated to substantial reforestation and the promotion of a sustainable forest culture.

Andy Wightman began his career as a scientist working on renewable energy at the University of Aberdeen and then as a Projects Officer with Central Scotland Countryside Trust.

Andy Wightman was appointed as the first development officer of Reforesting Scotland in 1991.

Andy Wightman became a self-employed writer and researcher in 1993.

Andy Wightman appeared in the documentary You've Been Trumped, which dealt with Donald Trump's controversial golf course development at Balmedie, Aberdeenshire where he advised Michael Forbes on his land dispute with Trump, as well as the 2016 sequel You've Been Trumped Too.

Andy Wightman was coordinator of the Land Action Scotland campaign.

In February 2015, Andy Wightman was announced as being a member of the Commission on Local Tax Reform.

Andy Wightman became a member of the Scottish Greens in 2009.

In March 2015, the Scottish Greens balloted their members to select candidates for the 2016 election, and Andy Wightman was placed second on their Lothian list.

Andy Wightman was one of a group of Scottish politicians who instituted proceedings against HM Government to clarify, through a judgment of the European Court of Justice, whether the Article 50 notice that formally started the Brexit process could be revoked unilaterally by the United Kingdom.

On 18 December 2020, Andy Wightman announced his resignation from the Scottish Greens following a vote on an amendment to the Forensic Medical Services Bill, alleging that the party was intolerant to discussion of potential clashes between transgender and women's rights.

Andy Wightman stated in his resignation letter that voting for the amendment would have resulted in "complaints and disciplinary action leading to possible suspension, deselection or expulsion".

Andy Wightman later stood unsuccessfully as an independent candidate for the Highlands and Islands region in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

In November 2022, Andy Wightman announced that he would not support a second Scottish independence referendum "until there is sustained support for it".