Wikipedia

Colin Smyth

Colin Smyth
MSP
Smyth in 2017
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for South Scotland
(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2016
Scottish Labour portfolios
2017–2021Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity
2021–2025Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs
Personal details
BornNovember 1972 (age 52)
Dumfries, Scotland
Political partyIndependent (2025–present)[1]
Other political
affiliations		Scottish Labour & Co-operative (until 2025)
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow
WebsiteOfficial website

Colin Smyth (born November 1972) is an independent, previously Scottish Labour and Co-operative, politician who has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the South Scotland region since 2016. A member of Scottish Labour, he served as its general secretary from 2008 to 2012. The whip was withdrawn from him on 20 August 2025, following his being charged with possession of indecent images of children.[1]

Early life and career

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Smyth was born in 1972.[2] He is partly of Northern Irish descent.[3] He was raised in Dumfries, where he attended Maxwelltown High School.

Prior to entering politics, he was a modern studies teacher.[3]

Political career

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Official parliamentary portrait, 2016

Smyth became a Labour party organiser in 2003.[4] In 2008, he was appointed general secretary of the Scottish Labour Party, succeeding Lesley Quinn.[5] In September 2012, Scottish Labour announced that Smyth would step down from the position at the party's conference in the following month.

In 2007, Smyth was elected to Dumfries and Galloway Council, representing Nith Ward. He was re-elected to this position in 2012.[6] In October 2013, a Labour/SNP coalition was formed on Dumfries and Galloway Council[7] and Smyth was appointed Chair of the Planning, Housing and Environment Committee.


Member of the Scottish Parliament

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In the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Smyth was elected as an additional member, representing the South Scotland region.[8]

He served as Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity under Richard Leonard from 2017 to 2021.[9]

Smyth nominated Anas Sarwar in the 2021 Scottish Labour leadership election.[10] After the leadership election, Sarwar appointed Smyth as Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs.[11]

At the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, Smyth was supported as a Labour Co-operative candidate for the first time.[12] He contested the constituency seat of Dumfriesshire, where he came a distant third with 4,671 votes (11.4%).[13][14] Smyth was returned on the regional list for South Scotland.[15][16][17]

Smyth backed the UK Government’s decision to introduce means-testing for the Winter Fuel Payment, voting in the Scottish Parliament against calls to reverse the decision.[18]

Smyth was selected in April 2025 as the Labour candidate for Dumfriesshire at the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.[19][20]

Criminal charges and suspension from Labour

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Smyth was suspended from the Labour Party on 20 August 2025, after being charged with possession of indecent images of children, following the search of a property in Dumfries on 5 August.[1][21][22]

On 28 August, the Daily Record reported that Smyth would also be charged with placing a hidden camera in a toilet of the Scottish Parliament and has had his parliamentary pass deactivated.[23][24] He denied the allegations.[25][26]

Personal life

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Smyth is married to Victoria, a teacher of English; they have two daughters.[3][27]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Labour MSP Colin Smyth charged over indecent images". BBC News. 20 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Colin SMYTH – Personal Appointments". Companies House. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Shannon, Kate (4 October 2019). "Getting to know you: Colin Smyth MSP". Holyrood Website. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Labour unveils new top official". BBC News. 4 February 2008.
  5. ^ "Scottish Labour's Colin Smyth to step down as general secretary". BBC News. 18 September 2012.
  6. ^ "Member and Committee Information". Dumfries and Galloway Council. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  7. ^ "Labour join SNP at council helm". 1 October 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Election 2016: South Scotland. Scottish Parliament region". BBC News. 6 May 2016.
  9. ^ "MSPs". Scottish Labour. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Scottish Leadership Election 2021 – Nominations". Scottish Labour. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  11. ^ Rodgers, Sienna (1 March 2021). "Sarwar unveils new 'campaign cabinet' to lead Scottish Labour into election". LabourList. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Introducing your Scottish Parliament candidate". Co-operative Party. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Dumfriesshire - Scottish Parliament constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  14. ^ "Scottish Parliamentary election results". Dumfries and Galloway Council. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Scottish Parliament election results 2021". Scottish Borders Council. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  16. ^ "SCOTTISH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION" (PDF). East Ayrshire Council. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  17. ^ "2021 Scottish Parliament election results" (PDF). Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  18. ^ "How every MSP voted as Holyrood rejected the UK's Winter Fuel Payment cut". The National. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Scottish Labour Party - Facebook". Facebook. 4 April 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  20. ^ "SP26: South Scotland Region Preview - Ballot Box Scotland". Ballot Box Scotland. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  21. ^ Johnson, Simon (20 August 2025). "Labour MSP arrested over indecent images of children". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  22. ^ "Labour MSP Colin Smyth charged over indecent images". The Guardian. 20 August 2025. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  23. ^ Hutcheon, Paul; McGivern, Mark (28 August 2025). "Labour MSP Colin Smyth "put secret camera in parliament toilet"". Daily Record. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  24. ^ "MSP locked out of parliament after secret toilet camera claims". BBC News. 28 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  25. ^ "MSP denies hiding camera in Scottish Parliament toilet". BBC News. 29 August 2025. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  26. ^ "MSP denies placing secret camera in Scottish parliament toilets". Sky News. 29 August 2025. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  27. ^ Smyth, Colin (19 May 2020). "Comment: Colin Smyth MSP on lockdown with a young family". Holyrood Website. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
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