Steven Bonnar
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Steven Bonnar | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2019 | |
| SNP Spokesperson for Environment, Farming, Agriculture and Rural Affairs in the House of Commons | |
| In office 4 September 2023 – 5 July 2024 | |
| Leader | Stephen Flynn |
| Preceded by | Patricia Gibson |
| Succeeded by | Position Abolished |
| Member of Parliament for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill | |
| In office 12 December 2019 – 30 May 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Hugh Gaffney |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Councillor for Thorniewood, North Lanarkshire | |
| In office 2015–2020 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 August 1981 |
| Party | Scottish National Party |
Steven Bonnar (born 27 August 1981)[1] is a Scottish National Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill from 2019 until the seat's abolition in 2024. He has been SNP Environment, Farming, Agriculture and Rural Affairs spokesperson since 2023.[2]
Raised in North Lanarkshire, Bonnar served as an SNP councillor in the Thorniewood ward of North Lanarkshire from 2015 to 2020. He defeated the incumbent Labour MP Hugh Gaffney at the 2019 general election. He later resigned from his councillor role.
Following the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Bonnar decided to run to be a councillor in his local ward of Thorniewood. The previous SNP councillor, Duncan McShannon, had become ill and had to vacate the seat after several months of sickness. On 9 July 2015, Bonnar won the by-election and was duly elected to serve as councillor for Thorniewood ward for North Lanarkshire Council.[3][4] On 4 May 2017, Bonnar was again elected.[5] During his time as a councillor, Bonnar was a witness for former SNP councillor Julie McAnulty in a successful defamation case in 2018, after she had been falsely accused by a party activist of making racist comments in a car trip with Bonnar. McAnulty was awarded £40,000 in damages.[6]
Bonnar stood for election for the Scottish National Party to become MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill at the 2019 general election.[7] He became the third different MP in just over four years to represent the constituency, taking the seat from incumbent Labour MP Hugh Gaffney. Bonnar received 22,680 votes, with a majority of 5,624 to Gaffney's 17,056 votes.[8] The seat was one of six in Scotland gained from Labour by the SNP during the election.[9] When swearing in to the House of Commons, he crossed his fingers to protest having to affirm allegiance to the monarchy.[10] In February 2020, Bonnar made the decision to step down from his councillor role at North Lanarkshire council to allow a by-election to be called in Thorniewood in May 2020,[11] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was delayed until March 2021, having originally being scheduled for November 2020 (also due to COVID-19).[12]
In the 2024 United Kingdom general election, he was defeated by Labour candidate Frank McNally.[13] In the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, he will be a candidate in Uddingston and Bellshill.[14]
