Edinburgh and Midlothian Greens

Peter McColl was born in Belfast in 1980. He came to Edinburgh to study geography at Edinburgh University where he was active in student life, being President of People and Planet 1999-2000, the Student Christian Movement from 2001-02, he was also Vice President 2001-2002 of the Students’ Association. He graduated in 2003 and was awarded a masters in community land ownership in 2004. He currently works as  researcher to Green MSP Mark Ballard.  Peter sits on the Court of the University of Edinburgh as Rector’s Assessor. He lives in Portobello with his partner, Maggie Chapman, and his cat.

Stan Blackley owns and runs an Edinburgh-based public and political relations consultancy (www.portablepr.com) specialising in environment, marine, communities, human rights and local government issues. Prior to setting up in consultancy, Stan worked for over a decade in communications and campaigning roles for a variety of global and national environment and conservation campaign pressure groups and charities.

Stan is 36 and lives in Willowbrae, Edinburgh with his long-term partner, Lara. He was born in Haymarket, Edinburgh and was schooled at Dalry Primary and Tynecastle High Schools. He also studied at Edinburgh University.

Stan has been an active member of the Scottish Green Party since 1999. He has served on the Party’s ruling Council since 2000, and is currently serving as the Party’s Convenor of Operations for the second year running. He was also Convenor of the Partys Political Cooperation Committee – the body deciding the Party’s policy and approach to post-election co-operation with the other political parties.

Stan was the Party’s top candidate for the Scottish Parliament in the Central Scotland region in 2003, narrowly missing election as a Green MSP.

Stan enjoys adventure sports, such as rock climbing and scuba diving, and relaxes by doing cryptic crosswords, cooking and playing piano and guitar.

Steve Burgess was born and brought up in Edinburgh and currently lives on the north side of Holyrood Park. Steve is Head of Research with the Green Group of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament where he has worked for seven years. Before that he worked as a research scientist at King’s Buildings. Steve would like to see Greens make sure that priority is given to action on climate change, waste and transport.