Gordon Matheson

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

is a former Scottish Labour Party politician and a former

leader Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets vi ...

Glasgow City Council Glasgow City Council is the local government authority for the City of Glasgow, Scotland. It was created in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, largely with the boundaries of the post-1975 City of Glasgow district of the S ...

Career

Educated at

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

and

Strathclyde Strathclyde ( in Gaelic, meaning "strath (valley) of the River Clyde") was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government et ...

universities, he was first elected to the city council in 1999. Re-elected in 2003,

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...

and

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

, he represented the

Anderston Anderston ( sco, Anderstoun, gd, Baile Aindrea) is an area of Glasgow, Scotland. It is on the north bank of the River Clyde and forms the south western edge of the city centre. Established as a village of handloom weavers in the early 18th ce ...

/City ward. He served as Bailie, Justice of the Peace, Executive Member for Education and City Treasurer, before being elected leader in May 2010. In the May 2012 local government elections, he led the Scottish Labour Party to victory, increasing the share of the vote by 3.4% and securing an overall majority in Glasgow. This was despite predictions that Labour would lose control of Glasgow to the SNP. As leader, led Glasgow during the acclaimed

2014 Commonwealth Games The 2014 Commonwealth Games ( gd, Geamannan a' Cho-fhlaitheis 2014), officially known as the XX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Glasgow 2014, ( sco, Glesca 2014 or Glesga 2014; gd, Glaschu 2014), was an international multi-sport ev ...

, has established the Commonwealth Jobs and Graduate Funds; committed Glasgow to bid for the

2018 Summer Youth Olympics The 2018 Summer Youth Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de la Juventud de 2018), officially known as the III Summer Youth Olympic Games, and commonly known as Buenos Aires 2018, were an international sports, cultural, and educational event held ...

; signed Scotland's first City Deal; approved a scheme to reduce Glasgow's landfill by 90%; introduced winter fuel payments to pensioners; and embarked on the refurbishment or rebuild of every school in the city. In November 2012, and again in 2014, Matheson was named Local Politician of the Year at The Herald's Scottish Politician of the Year Awards. Matheson was appointed

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(CBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to local government and the community. In June 2015, Matheson announced he would stand in the 2015 Scottish Labour Party deputy leadership election, following a rule change allowing councillors to stand for the position, although he was unsuccessful. After losing the deputy leadership election in August 2015, he announced that he would stand down as leader of Glasgow City Council. Matheson has subsequently taken up a position as a visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde's Institute for Future Cities – part of its economics department.

Honors and awards

2015 – CBE – Commander of the Order of the British Empire from HM The Queen for services to local government and the community 2014 – Scottish Local Politician of the Year from The Herald 2012 – Scottish Local Politician of the Year from The Herald 2004 – Fellow (FRSA) from Royal Society of Arts

Personal life

Matheson is gay, and lives in Glasgow with his partner, Stephen Wallace.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matheson, Gordon Living people Scottish Labour councillors Councillors in Glasgow Gay politicians Alumni of the University of Glasgow Alumni of the University of Strathclyde Scottish LGBT politicians Labour Party (UK) councillors Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Year of birth missing (living people) Leaders of local authorities of Scotland