Michael Russell has been a member of the Scottish National Party since 1974 .  A member of the Scottish Parliament he is the Minister for Environment in the Scottish Government

1974:  Having been a member of the Labour Club at University, joined the SNP after the February election

1974-77: Member in Edinburgh

1977-1982: Member and Officer bearer in Uist Branch

1982-1983; Member, Inverness CA and Chair of General Election Group

1983 - 1992: Member, KIrkfieldbank Branch.  Local Government Candidate in Carmichael Ward 1984.    Parliamentary Candidate for Clydesdale 1987 and re-adopted 1988. 

1985:    Invited to serve on national Publicity Committee

1987:  Elected  National Vice Convener for Publicity , and successfully re-contested post each year until resignation in 1991

1987-1991: Member of national committees including Senior Office Bearers Committee, SOAC, Election Committee, National Orgnaisation Committee etc.

1990;   Campaign Manager for Alex Salmond in the Leadership Contest.

1991 - 1994:  Wrote Speeches for Alex Salmond, and undertook other tasks at local and national level.


Candidates 2003

Clydesdale 1987

The Steel Campaign

1994 - 1999: First full time SNP Chief Executive and National Campaign Director. 1997 Election Blog available on line. 1999-2003: SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South of Scotland Region. Contested Cunninghame South Constituency in both Scottish Parliament elections. 2004: One of three candidates for the Leadership of the SNP following the resignation of John Swinney. Michael Russell’s account of that campaign can be read at Blog Summer 04 . 2005: Approved once again for the list of SNP Parliamentary Candidates. 2006: (February) Contested selection for Argyll & Bute Constituency. Defeated by Jim Mather MSP. (June) Contested Regional List Selection for the South of Scotland for the Scottish Parliament Election in May 2007 and placed second, thus greatly enhancing the likelihood of his returning to the Scottish Parliament . (July) Selected as Prospective Candidate for Dumfries CB for the 2007 Elections. May 2007: Elected as a Regional MSP for the South of Scotland. Also significantly increases the SNP vote in Dumfries Constituency Nominated by First Minister Alex Salmond to serve as Minister for Environment within the Rural Affairs and Environment Department, under Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead 1997_Election_Blog/1997_Election_Blog.htmlParliament_1999-2003.htmlParliament_1999-2003.htmlParliament_1999-2003.htmlParliament_1999-2003.htmlParliament_1999-2003.htmlBlog_Summer_04/Blog_Summer_04.htmlBlog_Summer_04/Blog_Summer_04.htmlhttp://www.argyll-snp.org/http://www.argyll-snp.org/http://web.mac.com/feorlean/iWeb/MWR%20/Election%202007.htmlhttp://web.mac.com/feorlean/iWeb/MWR%20/Election%202007.htmlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/?wil=strathclydeshapeimage_6_link_0shapeimage_6_link_1shapeimage_6_link_2shapeimage_6_link_3shapeimage_6_link_4shapeimage_6_link_5shapeimage_6_link_6shapeimage_6_link_7shapeimage_6_link_8shapeimage_6_link_9shapeimage_6_link_10shapeimage_6_link_11

1st Adoption Meeting - Larkhall

Herald Cartoon - July 2004






With Aileen Orr,  Campaign manager of his Leadership Bid in 2004  and Marion Anderson,  one of his campaign team.