First-ever MSP Mike Rumbles returns after five year absence
A former member of the army, Mike Rumbles fought a successful campaign to return to Holyrood five years after being ejected by the SNP.
A former member of the army, Mike Rumbles fought a successful campaign to return to Holyrood five years after being ejected by the SNP.
The Liberal Democrat politician was voted in as the first-ever MSP for the West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine constituency in 1999, and held on to his 2003 and 2007 elections.
While he lost his seat to the SNP in the 2011 landslide, he has now returned to Holyrood as an MSP for the North East region after Lib Dems ranked him number one on the list for the area.
The 59-year-old was selected to the top spot ahead of Alison McInnes, who had been the Lib Dem justice spokeswoman at Holyrood and who had used her role to raise questions over the operation of Police Scotland.
Mr Rumbles gained a degree in teaching from Durham University before joining the Army and graduating from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He was posted to the Scottish Infantry Division and served in Northern Ireland, Gibraltar and Germany.
His commitment to public services lead him to politics, and after leaving the forces he settled in the Aberdeenshire area with his wife Pauline and their two sons.
He has twice stood to be leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats but lost out in 2005 to Nicol Stephen, who went on to be deputy first minister in the Labour/Lib Dem coalition at Holyrood.
When Mr Stephen stood down suddenly in 2008, Mr Rumbles put himself forward again, but this time was defeated by Tavish Scott, who remained in the role till after the 2011 Scottish election.