Rainbow Network

Join the Rainbow Network

The Scottish Labour Party has a proud tradition of protecting and improving the rights of the LGBT+ community but despite this record, we have only ever elected two LGBT+ parliamentarians and a handful of LGBT+ councillors. We do not think this is good enough for a party that has equality at its heart and we welcome the efforts from across our movement to make our party more representative of the communities we seek to represent.

In December 2018, we launched our “Rainbow Network” of Scottish Labour elected members, candidates and activists who identify as LGBT+ and heterosexual allies who wish to be kept informed about our campaign’s work and the action we hope to support to make our party more diverse with the aim of electing as many LGBT+ labour candidates in Scotland at all elections.

Members of the Rainbow Network have committed to:

Fighting for a world where equality means equality for all without exception.
Supporting all members of the LGBT+ community and their right to live without fear of discrimination and hate.
Recognising with great concern the particular difficulties faced by BAME and trans people in the LGBT+ community.
Condemning all forms of bigotry and divisive language including misgendering, the use of offensive terms and hate speech framing LGBT+ people as a threat.
Recognising all trans and non-binary identities as valid and supporting the right of trans and non-binary people to self-identify.
Supporting the right of trans and non-binary people to have access to essential gender identity health care services provided in Scotland by appropriately trained specialists – these services must reflect the fact that being trans is not a mental health disorder.
Supporting the introduction of mandatory LGBT+ inclusive sex and relationship education in Schools
Supporting the Scottish Labour Party’s LGBT+ manifesto pledges, including reform to the Gender Recognition Act.

The current members of the Rainbow Network:

Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party

Neil Bibby MSP (West Scotland)
Jackie Baillie MSP (Dumbarton)
Monica Lennon MSP (Central Scotland)
Claudia Beamish MSP (South Scotland)
Anas Sarwar MSP (Glasgow)
Mark Griffin MSP (Central Scotland)
James Kelly MSP (Glasgow)

Scottish Association of Labour Councillors

Councillor Alison Evison, President of COSLA (North Kincardine – Aberdeenshire)
Councillor Ryan Smart (Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages – Fife)
Councillor Bert Thomson (Blantyre – South Lanarkshire)
Councillor Cammy Day (Forth – Edinburgh)
Councillor Colin Jackson (Inverclyde Central – Inverclyde)
Councillor Richard McCready (West End – Dundee)
Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan (Whitburn and Blackburn – West Lothian)
Councillor Kenneth Duffy (Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig – North Lanarkshire)
Councillor Adam Wilson (Annandale North – Dumfries and Galloway)
Councillor Donald Reid (Kilwinning – North Ayrshire)
Councillor Martin Lennon (Rutherglen Central and North – South Lanarkshire)
Councillor Maureen Child (Portobello/Craigmillar – Edinburgh)
Councillor Scott Arthur (Colinton/Fairmliehead – Edinburgh)
Councillor Lynsey Hamilton (Clydesdale West – South Lanarkshire)
Councillor Martin Rhodes (Partick East/Kelvindale – Glasgow)
Councillor Eva Murray (Garscadden/Scotstounhill – Glasgow)
Councillor John Mooney (Clydebank Central/West – West Dunbartonshire)
Councillor Carolann Davidson (Paisley East and Centre – Renfrewshire)
Councillor Heather Brannan-McVey (Kilsyth – North Lanarkshire)
Councillor Ryan Smart (Buckhaven, Methil & The Wemyss Villages – Fife)

Scottish Parliament Candidates

Monica Lennon MSP (PPC for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse / Central Scotland List)
Mark Griffin MSP (PPC for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth / Central Scotland List)
Anas Sarwar MSP (PPC for Glasgow Southside / Glasgow list)
Cllr Eva Murray (PPC for Glasgow Anniesland / Glasgow list)
Craig Carson (PPC for Glasgow Cathcart / Glasgow list)
Keiran O’Neill (PPC for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn)
Cllr Martin McElroy (PPC for Glasgow Provan)
Paul Sweeney (PPC for Glasgow List)
Pam Duncan-Glancy (PPC for Glasgow List)
Willie Docherty (PPC for Glasgow list)
John Erskine (PPC for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch / Highlands and Islands list)
Lewis Whyte (PPC for Highlands and Islands list)
Maddy Kirkman (PPC for Edinburgh Central / Lothian list)
Cllr Kirsteen Sullivan (PPC for Linlithgow / Lothian list)
Nick Ward (PPC for Lothian List)
Craig Smith (PPC for Almond Valley)
Cllr Ryan Smart (PPC for Mid Scotland and Fife list)
Heather Herbert (PPC for Aberdeen Donside / North East Scotland list)
Owen Wright (PPC for Dundee City East / North East Scotland list)
Mercedes Villalba (PPC for Dundee City West / North East Scotland list)
Cllr Richard McCready (PPC for North East Scotland list)
Kaamal Bola (PPC for North East Scotland list)
Claudia Beamish MSP (PPC for Clydesdale / South Scotland list)
Kevin McGregor (PPC for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley / South Scotland list)
Jackie Baillie MSP (PPC for Dumbarton / West Scotland list)
Katie Pragnell (PPC for Eastwood / West Scotland list)
Cllr Paul O’Kane (PPC for Renfrewshire South / West Scotland list)
Nairn McDonald (PPC for West Scotland list)
James Kelly MSP (PPC for Rutherglen / Glasgow list)
Monette Gordon (PPC for Falkirk West)

Grassroots

Viljay Jackson (Political Education Officer – Edinburgh Central CLP)
Mike Cowley (Edinburgh Northern and Leith CLP)
Danielle Rowley (Former MP for Midlothian)
Hugh Gaffney (Former MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Callum O’Dwyer (Former European and Westminster Candidate)
Callum McNally (Former Candidate for East Dunbartonshire)
Gwen Wall (LGBT+ Officer – Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn CLP)
Nicholas Smith (Glasgow Cathcart CLP)
Eunis Jassemi (Scottish Co-operative Party Equality Officer – Glasgow Anniesland CLP)
Martin Le Brech (Chair of Aberdeen University Labour Students – Aberdeen Central CLP)
Jacob Campbell (Aberdeen Central CLP)
Giulia Jones (Youth Officer – Glasgow Cathcart CLP)
Aidan Skinner (Glasgow Kelvin CLP)
Zara-Maria Henderson (Social and Fundraising Officer – Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn CLP)
Angelina Conte (Clydebank and Milngavie CLP)
Jane Prinsley (Edinburgh Southern CLP)
Cameron Litterick (Aberdeen Central)
Morag Innes (Glasgow Kelvin CLP)
Ben Procter (Scottish Co-operative Party Secretary – Eastwood CLP)
Mark Craig (Glasgow Kelvin CLP)
Eve Simpson (Chair of Edinburgh Labour Students)
Mel Poole (CWU Branch Political Officer – Angus North and Mearns CLP)
Tessa Burnel (Aberdeen Donside CLP)
Finn Beyts (Secretary of Scottish Labour Students – Glasgow Shettleston CLP)
Helen Searle (Edinburgh Southern CLP)
Finn Oldfield (Edinburgh Southern CLP)
James Dalgleish (Edinburgh Northern and Leith CLP)
James Banner-Rall (LGBT+ Officer – Greenock and Inverclyde CLP)
Ian Elrick (Treasurer – Strathkelvin and Bearsden CLP)
Catherine Woodcock (Edinburgh Northern and Leith CLP)
Emma-Louise Smith (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse CLP)