Alex Johnstone

Alex Johnstone (born 31 July 1961 in Stonehaven) is a British Scottish Conservative and Unionist politician.

Politics

Johnstone has been Member of the Scottish Parliament for the North East Scotland electoral region since 1999. He fought the West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine constituency in the 2005 General Election, finishing second. He also finished second in Angus North and Mearns in the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections, but was re-elected as an additional member on the party list.

In Holyrood he has served as Chief Whip and rural affairs spokesman for the Scottish Conservative Party and is currently the Shadow Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change.

Personal life

He has been married to Linda since 1981 and they have two children grown up and 6 grandsons. Johnstone was educated at Mackie Academy in Stonehaven before working as a dairy and arable farmer.

Johnstone, a Church of Scotland elder, made the public comments against a proposal to let individual congregations select gay clergy for their church. He told the Press and Journal newspaper a move to allow gay clergy would "ultimately weaken" the church. Johnstone was one of 18 MSPs who voted against same-sex marriage when, in February 2014, the Scottish Parliament backed same-sex marriage.

External links

• Akex Johnstone MSP personal site profile
• Alex Johnstone MSP profile at Scottish Parliament site
• Alex Johnstone MSP profile at the site of the Scottish Conservative Party
• Alex Johnstone MSP profile at the site of the Conservative Party