Colin Beattie, MSP, is the SNP candidate in Midlothian North at the Scottish Parliamentary election 2026.
Mr Beattie has been an MSP since 2011 for the then new Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency. Prior to that he was a councillor in Midlothian.
He worked previously as a banker in the Middle East and in Asia, followed by a spell in London.
In 2004 he became SNP National Treasurer but resigned in May 2021 saying he did not have the support or financial information to continue to carry out his duties. He was arrested in 2023 as part of Operation Branchform, the police investigation into the finances of the Scottish National Party. He was released without charge, just before resigning as National Treasurer.
He has published a candidate statement:
“At the very beginning of every election campaign in which I have been a candidate I have pledged at the outset not to descend to personal attacks on my political opponents. I have always stood by that and while I will certainly be robust in attacking daft policies, I will keep to my strongly held principles in keeping personalities out of the campaign.
“Unfortunately, politics seems to be on a downward spiral to the gutter in terms of the quality of debate and the participation of politicians. Social media has become the repository of false information and a means to attack one’s opponents – sometimes in the most despicable ways.
“The result has been a collapse in trust and respect for many politicians. Some of that fall in trust and respect is justified but the public will have the final judgement on that.
“I will continue to follow what now may appear a rather old-fashioned concept of public service and hard work within the constituency. I have served the people and the businesses and organisations within much of this constituency for the past 15 years as MSP. In doing so I have meticulously kept to my work and responsibilities and ignored the fake or twisted information put around about myself and my fellow politicians. I am well aware that I am not alone in receiving such treatment. Most politicians are subjected to unacceptable personal abuse, and female politicians seem to be intensely abused more than most others.
“I look forward to a good campaign where the merits of differing policies can be debated, and the voting public can decide to whom they will lend their vote without distraction and without being deceived by contaminated reports of false rumours presented as facts.”
The other candidates in Midlothian North and Musselburgh in the 2026 election include Caitlin Stott (Labour), Phil Doggart (Conservative), and Jenny Butler (Liberal Democrats).
