Dave Doogan
Dave Doogan is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who has served as Member of Parliament for Angus and Perthshire Glens since July 2024, following his election to represent Angus from 2019 to 2024.[1][2] An aircraft engineer by profession with prior experience at the Ministry of Defence, Doogan transitioned into politics through local government service as a Perth and Kinross councillor from 2012 to 2019, where he led the SNP group and convened the housing and social care committee.[2] In Parliament, Doogan has held multiple shadow spokesperson roles for the SNP, including defence procurement since 2022, defence, economy, energy security and net zero, manufacturing, and agriculture and rural affairs.[1] He has served on the Defence Select Committee and currently acts as vice-president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's Economics and Security Committee, focusing on defence and security policy.[2] Doogan secured victories in both 2019 (8.7% majority) and 2024 (10.3% majority with 40% vote share) elections, advocating for Scottish interests amid debates on independence and economic policy.[2] Doogan's career reflects a commitment to public service, having worked as an aide to SNP MSP John Swinney from 2011 to 2016 after graduating with first-class honours in politics and international relations from the University of Dundee in 2011.[2] While facing scrutiny over an expenses claim in 2023, which he attributed to mishandling by Westminster authorities, his parliamentary contributions emphasize defence reform and regional development without major defining controversies.[3]Early life and background
Upbringing and education
David Michael Doogan was born on 4 March 1973 in Perth, Scotland, to Irish parents James Doogan and Annie Doogan (née Walsh), both natives of the Rosses region in County Donegal, Ireland.[4][5] His family background reflected working-class roots, with his upbringing in Perth influencing his later commitment to social and economic issues.[6] Doogan pursued higher education later in life, leaving civil service employment in 2007 to enroll at the University of Dundee, where he studied International Relations and Politics while working part-time as a taxi driver to support himself.[7][2] He graduated in 2011 with a First Class Honours degree.[8][9]Pre-political career
Professional experience in defence and engineering
Doogan served as an aircraft engineer for the Ministry of Defence, where he developed expertise in aviation maintenance within the civil service.[2][7] His professional tenure in this role spanned until 2007, when he left to pursue a degree in international relations and politics at the University of Dundee, from which he graduated with first-class honours in 2011.[7] This engineering background in defence provided Doogan with practical knowledge of military aircraft systems, including helicopter operations, informing his later parliamentary focus on defence procurement and technology.[8][6]Local political involvement
Councillor roles and leadership in Perth and Kinross
Doogan was elected as a councillor for the Perth City North ward on Perth and Kinross Council in the 2012 local elections, securing the largest share of first-preference votes in that ward.[2] Following his election, he was appointed Convener of the Housing and Social Care Committee, overseeing policy and services in those areas.[2] [9] He was re-elected to the same ward in the 2017 local elections.[2] In this term, Doogan assumed leadership of the SNP group on the council, serving as the party's opposition leader amid a Conservative-led administration.[2] [10] This position involved coordinating the SNP's 20 councillors, representing the largest opposition bloc on the 41-seat council.[11] Doogan held these roles until February 2020, when he resigned following his election as MP for Angus in the December 2019 general election, having represented Perth City North for eight years.[10] [11] His departure prompted a by-election in November 2020, won by SNP councillor Ian Massie.[12]Parliamentary career
Elections and constituency representation
Dave Doogan first contested the Angus constituency as the Scottish National Party (SNP) candidate in the 2017 general election, where he was defeated by the Conservative Kirstene Hair, who secured a majority of 2,645 votes.[13] In the 2019 general election, Doogan won the seat with 21,216 votes (49.1% share), defeating Hair's 17,421 votes (40.3% share) by a margin of 3,795 votes on a turnout of 67.5%.[14][15] Boundary changes implemented for the 2024 general election renamed the constituency Angus and Perthshire Glens, incorporating additional areas from Perthshire. Doogan retained the seat, receiving 19,142 votes (40.4% share) against Conservative Stephen Kerr's 14,272 votes (30.1% share), achieving a majority of 4,870 votes.[16][17]
| Year | Constituency | Party | Votes | Vote Share | Majority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Angus | SNP | 21,216 | 49.1% | 3,795 |
| 2024 | Angus and Perthshire Glens | SNP | 19,142 | 40.4% | 4,870 |