13 Facts About Willie Coffey

William Lynch Coffey was born on 24 May 1958 and is a Scottish National Party politician.

Willie Coffey has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley since 2011, and previously Kilmarnock and Loudoun from 2007 to 2011, before boundary changes.

Willie Coffey studied at the University of Strathclyde where he obtained a degree in Computer Science.

Willie Coffey subsequently worked as Software Development Manager and latterly as a Quality and Risk Manager with Learning and Teaching Scotland before his election to the Scottish Parliament.

Willie Coffey has been a councillor on East Ayrshire Council.

Willie Coffey was first elected to Kilmarnock and Loudoun District Council in 1992 and subsequently to East Ayrshire Council in 1999,2003 and 2007 before retiring from local government at the 2012 Local Elections.

Willie Coffey is the brother of former Provost and Cllr.

Danny Willie Coffey who came within 1,210 votes of winning the Kilmarnock and Loudoun Holyrood constituency in 2003 and died on 26 February 2006.

Willie Coffey won the Kilmarnock and Loudoun seat for the SNP in May 2007 with a vote of 14,297 and a majority of 1,342.

Willie Coffey serves on the Scottish Parliament's Audit Committee and has campaigned on numerous occasions to protect the Scotch whisky industry, particularly in his own area.

In 2017 Willie Coffey was reported to Holyrood authorities for "inappropriate language" and "unsolicited attention" by a female civil servant.

Willie Coffey denied the allegation and stated that he did not recognise the claims about his behaviour.

Willie Coffey was told to sit down by the Presiding Officer.