DAVID LINDEN
A STRONG VOICE FOR GLASGOW BAILLIESTON & SHETTLESTON
The son of two Blochairn Fruit Market workers, David Linden grew up and was educated in the East End where he still lives today with his two young children, Isaac and Jessica.
After almost a decade working in public service, David served as a Member of the UK Parliament, representing the constituency of Glasgow East between 2017-2024. He was selected by SNP members to contest the new, revised, Scottish Parliament constituency of Glasgow Baillieston & Shettleston, with elections due to be held on 7 May 2026.
David is Chair of Cranhill Development Trust, the community in which he grew up and was politicised at a young age. He started campaigning for the Scottish National Party in 2001, since when he has been a passionate advocate of independence and social democratic politics for Scotland.
Away from politics, David is a keen runner. He has run six London marathons, raising almost £20,000 for local charities in and around Glasgow. When not watching Airdrieonians FC, he regularly takes part in cold water plunging/ice bathing. We’ll leave it to you to decide which of David’s choices of downtime sound least painful…
If I’ve learned one thing in almost 25 years campaigning for the SNP, it’s that the voters are never wrong. The result of the 2024 General Election required us as a party to listen, reflect and learn. When I spoke with the First Minister, we agreed that the Holyrood elections require us to redouble our efforts to win back public trust, have a laser focus on the Scottish Government’s key priorities for the electorate, and ensure that we put forward our very best and most experienced candidates. Our candidates must carry a message of competence, clarity and ambition to voters who are concerned about the cost of living and supporting our NHS. I’ve never stopped listening to voters on the doorsteps and local party members who put in the hard graft for our cause all year-round. As I’ve done so, I’ve been encouraged by many people - from the local SNP membership and my former constituents - to run for next year’s Holyrood election in the new, re-drawn Shettleston and Baillieston seat. After a period of reflection, I’ve decided to put my name forward as a candidate. 2026 will be a key milestone on the road to independence. Using my experience, local profile and reputation as a strong constituency representative, I look forward to making my pitch to SNP members and to the contest that follows. David
FUNDRAISING FOR MEDICAL AID FOR PALESTINIANS The SNP’s local candidate for next year’s Holyrood elections, David Linden, is fundraising for Medical Aid for Palestine, as he undertakes October’s Great Scottish Run. The former MP, who ran 6 London marathons, and has already raised over £20,000 for good causes, is lacing up his running boots again to raise money for the humanitarian charity which delivers vital health care for Palestinians living under siege. David Linden said: “Having run the 2024 London Marathon in aid of Islamic Relief’s Gaza appeal, I’m heartbroken that today, in 2025, the situation on the ground is worse than ever. “All of us watch our TV screens and social media feeds understandably, at times, feel helpless when we see the starvation of and bombardment of Palestinian communities. But we are not powerless - we can use our voice to speak out and, in my case, I am happy to fundraise for MAP UK. “If anyone is in a position to do so, I would welcome any sponsorship support via my JustGiving page” David’s JustGiving page can be found at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/davidlinden-palestine
REDUCING NHS WAITING TIMES & DELIVERING RECORD KNEE AND HIP OPERATIONS John Swinney’s SNP Government has intensified efforts to reduce NHS waiting times, with a particular focus on elective surgeries. In a significant milestone, 2024 saw a record number of knee and hip replacement operations delivered across Scotland. David Linden, SNP candidate for Glasgow Baillieston & Shettleston said: “This achievement has rightly been hailed as a sign of progress in addressing the backlog that built up during the COVID-19 pandemic. First and foremost, praise should go to our hardworking NHS staff for this record-breaking delivery of joint operations but I’m clear that we still need to go further and faster to drive down waiting lists across all NHS disciplines.” To support momentum on NHS delivery, the SNP Government has invested heavily in elective treatment centres, expanded theatre capacity, and bolstered staffing levels through targeted recruitment drives. The initiative is part of a broader NHS Recovery Plan, which aims to increase treatment capacity by 10% over the next few years. Linden concluded: “Waiting times for orthopaedic surgery have begun to fall, with thousands of patients benefiting from faster access to life-changing procedures. While challenges remain across other specialties, the SNP has reiterated our commitment to restoring timely access to care for all patients. The 2024 figures provide evidence that sustained investment and reform are starting to deliver results but I hope to be able to push for even more progress as your new MSP.”
LINDEN TO CONTEST NEW HOLYROOD SEAT IN ’26 Scottish National Party (SNP) members living in Glasgow’s East End have selected former MP, David Linden, to stand as their candidate for the Scottish Parliament in 2026. Linden, a two-term Westminster MP, will fight the new, redrawn constituency of Glasgow Baillieston & Shettleston as the SNP’s nominee, with the party aiming to secure a historic fifth term in Government. Speaking after being selected to contest the seat, David Linden said: “I’m honoured that SNP members have overwhelmingly put their trust in me to contest the new Holyrood seat of Baillieston & Shettleston. “Having grown up in these communities, and still living here today - combined with my prior experience as our MP - I know the issues which matter to our community. In this campaign, I’ll prioritise tackling Sir Keir Starmer’s cost-of-living crisis, supporting our NHS and making the case for Scottish independence”. He added: “It’s a long run-in to May 2026 but I’m looking forward to hitting the campaign trail and speaking with as many voters as possible”.
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