Scott John Ainslie (born 27 December 1968) is a British politician and actor.

Scott John Ainslie
Ainslie in 2020
Member of the European Parliament
for London
In office
2 July 2019 – 31 January 2020
Preceded byJean Lambert
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
St Leonard's Ward Councillor
Assumed office
22 May 2014
Preceded byBrian Palmer
Majority474[1]
Personal details
Born (1968-12-27) 27 December 1968 (age 55)
Edinburgh, Scotland
Political partyGreen Party of England and Wales
Residence(s)Streatham, London
Alma materEdinburgh Napier University
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
OccupationPolitician, actor

He was elected as a Green Party Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for London in the 2019 European parliamentary election. He held this role until the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU. Ainslie is also a councillor representing St Leonard's Ward on the Lambeth Council in London since 2014.[2]

Ainslie was the Green candidate for the new constituency of Streatham and Croydon North in the 2024 United Kingdom general election,[3] coming in second place with 17.1% of the vote.[4]

Early life and education

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Scott John Ainslie was born on 27 December 1968 in Edinburgh.[5][6] He grew up in a council flat, and has one younger sister. Ainslie graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with an economics degree. After graduating he studied at the drama school Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts on a scholarship. He moved to Streatham in London in 1997.[7]

Acting career

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Ainslie is also an actor. His acting roles include appearances in independent horror film The Zombie Diaries (2006), anthology horror film Little Deaths (2011), and musical adaptation Local Hero (2019).[8][9]

Political career

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Ainslie has been a Green Party Councillor in the London Borough of Lambeth since 2014, representing the St Leonard's Ward. Since 2018, he has been the Opposition Lead on Standards and Monitoring.[10]

Ainslie stood as a candidate for the Green Party in the 2019 European parliamentary election. He was first on his party's list and was elected as its only MEP in the London constituency.[11][12] In the European Parliament, Ainslie was a member of the Committee on Transport and Tourism, and was part of the delegation to the ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.[5] In the 2019 general election, Ainslie was the Green Party candidate for the South London-based seat of Streatham, where he finished in fourth with 4.5% of the vote.[13] Ainslie stood in one of the successors of the Streatham seat, Streatham and Croydon North in the 2024 general election, coming in second place with 17.1% of the vote.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Election results for St Leonards". Lambeth Council. 3 May 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  2. ^ "Scott Ainslie on his bid to be the Green Party's candidate for Mayor of London in 2024". Bright Green. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  3. ^ "PRESS RELEASE: Scott Ainslie, Long Serving Activist and Politician, Selected for Green Party Breakthrough in Streatham and Croydon North". Green Party. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Streatham and Croydon North - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Scott Ainslie". European Parliament. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  6. ^ Morrison, Mora (5 May 2018). "Green Party surge helps them become official opposition in Lambeth". SW Londoner. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  7. ^ Christian, Nick (24 February 2015). "Impassioned Scott: Interview with Lambeth's Green Party Councillor Scott Ainslie". Brixton Buzz. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  8. ^ Jarvis, Chris (27 May 2019). "Who are the Greens' new MEPs? #2: Scott Ainslie - Chris Jarvis". Bright Green. Green Party. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  9. ^ "New dates and cast announced for Local Hero". Royal Lyceum Theatre. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Councillor Scott Ainslie". Lambeth Council. 26 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  11. ^ "2019 European elections: List of candidates for London". BBC News. 28 April 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  12. ^ "European elections 2019: Lib Dems make London MEP gains". BBC News. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  13. ^ "Streatham". BBC News. Retrieved 7 February 2020.