Two days ago I noted that family reasons had forced Mark Jones to step down as our candidate in Aberdeen South. The Scottish Party has moved quickly to replace him.
I've just received this press release:
Former Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce and Scottish Financial Enterprise chief executive, Amanda Harvie, has been selected to stand as the Conservative Party’s new Westminster candidate for Aberdeen South.
Amanda Harvie says:
"I am honoured to have this opportunity to champion the interests of the people and businesses of Aberdeen again. As I have consistently said, Aberdeen is a powerhouse of the Scottish and UK economies thanks to the underpinning strength of our oil and gas industry. However both the industry’s future and Aberdeen’s opportunity to continue to develop its position as an international energy hub can only be secured if the British economy is strong and there is a competitive and stable tax environment. Labour's recession and mountain of debt has weakened our economy. Labour has an appalling track record of tinkering with corporation tax for the oil and gas industry and levying windfall taxes when the oil price is high. That is not the way to encourage business confidence and maximise investment, particularly when companies are finding it increasingly difficult to turn new UK offshore oil and gas reserves into economic production. The voters have a clear choice: either five more years of Labour tax, waste and debt or a Conservative government under David Cameron offering the policies and leadership that will strengthen the economy and help make Aberdeen and Britain competitive for the long-term. That is why I have joined the Conservative Party and am standing in this British General election with the aim of representing Aberdeen South at Westminster.”
Scottish Conservative Party Chairman, Andrew Fulton says:
"Amanda is yet another high profile recruit to the Conservative cause. In this British General election, it is the Conservative Party which has the drive, the leadership and the determination to change our country for the better. Amanda has a proven track record of putting the people and businesses of Aberdeen first - she is a welcome addition to our ranks."
Bill Berry MBE, Aberdeen South Conservative Party chairman, says:
“We are delighted to have secured Amanda as our new candidate. She has a close understanding of Aberdeen’s economy and the issues that concern the people who live and work here. With only five weeks to go to the general election, she will be a great boost to our campaign to deliver the Conservative government that Aberdeen and the whole of Scotland so urgently need.”
About Amanda
Amanda has been closely associated with Aberdeen since she first moved to the North East in 1992. As Chamber chief executive she led the business lobby to secure Scottish Executive support for a Modern Transport System for the region, including the Western Peripheral Route, and significantly raised Aberdeen’s profile throughout Scotland and beyond. Amanda also helped to start 125 new businesses in the North East when she was regional manager of the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust.
Amanda (45) has extensive expertise in international business representation, business advocacy and political and regulatory engagement. She is the managing director of The Harvie Consultancy which she founded in December to advise leaders of companies and organisations on how to engage effectively with the stakeholders and influencers that affect their interests around the world.
Amanda was previously chief executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise (the independent body that supports and represents the interests of Scotland’s international financial services industry) from May 2003 to July 2007. Before then, she was chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce from November 1999 to April 2003.
Amanda began her career in public relations consultancy. She was born and educated in Glasgow and is a graduate of London University, a member of The Chartered Institute of Public Relations and The City of London Guild of Public Relations Practitioners and a Burgess of the City of Aberdeen. During her career she has served on various government forums including UK Trade & Investment’s Financial Services Sector Advisory Board and the Scottish Executive’s Financial Services Strategy Group. She has also chaired and spoken at various international conferences and events.
Amanda is a member of the advisory group established by the Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne MP to provide guidance to the Conservative Party on implementing its plans to reform the regulation of the financial services industry.
Amanda lived in the Aberdeen South constituency for the majority of her term at the Chamber of Commerce. Until she moved to Edinburgh in January last year, her home was near Auchenblae. She will be based in Aberdeen for the remainder of the general election campaign with the aim of moving back to the city permanently as MP for Aberdeen South."
