15 Facts About Mark Ballard

Mark Ballard was born on 27 June 1971 and is a former Scottish Green Party politician.

Mark Ballard was a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Lothians region from 2003 to 2007, and co-convener of the Edinburgh Green Party from 2007 to 2010.

Mark Ballard was Lord Rector of the University of Edinburgh from 2006 to 2009, and now works for the National Deaf Children's Society.

Mark Ballard attended Lawnswood School in Leeds before going on to the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated with an MA in Economic and Social History.

Mark Ballard is a life member of the Edinburgh University Union, part of the Edinburgh University Students Association.

Mark Ballard joined the youth wing of the Labour Party when he was 15 and remained a member until 1991.

Mark Ballard ran as a candidate for this party in the 1995 council elections, the 1999 Scottish Parliamentary election and a 2001 council by-election.

Mark Ballard was first elected in the 2003 Holyrood election, as the second Green MSP in the Lothians.

Mark Ballard was a member of the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee and was substitute member of the Enterprise and Culture Committee.

Mark Ballard committed substantial time to promoting social enterprises and co-operatives, as a Green alternative to the current system.

Mark Ballard used the position to call for sustainable procurement guidelines, support ethical investment campaigns, and make the case for Scottish utilities being in public ownership.

Mark Ballard has been involved in direct action campaigning, most notably against British nuclear weapons on the River Clyde at Faslane.

Mark Ballard's Parliamentary Register of Interests indicated that he held membership of several organisations, including: Friends of the Earth, Sustrans, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Democratic Left Scotland, Reforesting Scotland, Water of Leith Conservation Trust, Friends of Inverleith Park, SSPCA, Advocates for Animals and Scottish Education and Action for Development.

Mark Ballard was formally installed on 9 June 2006 in a ceremony in the university's Old College.

Mark Ballard was succeeded as Rector in 2009 by journalist Iain Macwhirter, whose campaign drew on many of Ballard's supporters.