31 Facts About Ian Blackford

Ian Blackford was born on 14 May 1961 and is a Scottish politician and investment banker who served as leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons from 2017 to 2022.

Ian Blackford served as the Member of Parliament for Ross, Skye and Lochaber from 2015 to 2024.

Ian Blackford was the national treasurer of the SNP from 1999 to 2000.

Ian Blackford stepped down from the role in December 2022 and was replaced by Stephen Flynn.

Ian Blackford was born in Edinburgh and educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh.

Ian Blackford worked as an analyst with NatWest Securities, before moving to a managerial role.

In 2005, Ian Blackford joined the Dutch food and biochemicals company CSM as an investor relations manager.

Ian Blackford was appointed non-executive chairman of the Edinburgh-based telecommunications firm Commsworld in 2006, having joined the board as a non-executive director in 2005.

Ian Blackford is a trustee at the Golden Charter Trust.

Ian Blackford was the chairman of Commsworld plc, a telecoms company, until 2019.

Ian Blackford 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.

Ian Blackford had been a member of the FlySkye group, campaigning to bring commercial air services back to Skye.

Ian Blackford stood as the SNP candidate for the Ayr constituency at the 1997 general election, but finished in third place behind Sandra Osborne of the Labour Party.

Ian 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.

Ian Blackford was removed from the post in 2000 via a vote of no confidence, after he had tried to impose financial controls to tackle the party's overdraft.

Ian Blackford has been instrumental in getting us to where we are today.

Ian 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.

Ian Blackford has suggested that a zero rate of capital gains tax could help Scotland to attract investment.

Ian Blackford was the author of a report which had explored options for the banking sector in Scotland, had the country voted to become independent.

In January 2015, it was announced that Ian Blackford would be the SNP candidate for Ross, Skye and Lochaber at the 2015 general election.

The campaign attracted national attention because of its acrimony; Ian Blackford objected to being called a "well-funded banker" and confronted incumbent MP Charles Kennedy in his office.

Ian Blackford was re-elected in 2017 with a smaller share of the vote but an increased majority.

Ian Blackford announced his revised frontbench team on 7 January 2020, following the 2019 general election.

The man alleged that after reporting the incident, Ian Blackford invited him to an "ambush" meeting at which Grady was present, and where he claims he felt obliged to accept an apology from Grady.

Ian Blackford announced his intention to stand down from leadership of the SNP Westminster group on 1 December 2022, ahead of the group's AGM.

On 13 June 2018, Ian Blackford was ejected from the House of Commons by the then-Speaker John Bercow.

Ian Blackford was irate in asking the question and was instructed numerous times by Bercow to resume his seat so the Prime Minister could answer his question.

Ian Blackford refused to do this, claiming that "Scotland's voice [was] not being heard".

Ian Blackford refused to qualify his remarks to state that the misleading was "inadvertent".

In September 2020 Ian Blackford announced that his association with the company would end in a "timely manner" in March 2021.

Ian Blackford is a member of the Free Church of Scotland, but has had some disagreements with them by voting for abortion rights and same-sex marriage.