Thomas Docherty

Thomas Docherty is a former communications consultant and Labour Party MP for Dunfermline and West Fife from May 2010 to May 2015. Thomas Docherty MP, Labour website, accessed 2 September 2012 BBC News Dunfermline and West Fife, accessed 14 May 2015.He has also previously worked for Network Rail, BNFL and as a research assistant to Scott Barrie, the former MSP for Dunfermline West. Biography, Thomas Docherty MP], Labour website, accessed 2 September 2012 
He is PPS to Angela Eagle MP, Shadow Leader of the House.
==Previously on shortlist for Sellafield constituency==
In early 2005, Docherty was part of an "all-PR" shortlist to become Labour candidate for the constituency of Copeland, which includes BNFL's Sellafield plant. The constituency was previously held by Jack Cunningham, a longstanding advocate of nuclear power. The other people on the shortlist were: 
* Jamie Reed, at the time a BNFL press officer
* Stuart Bruce of Bruce Marshall Associates and
* Tim Walker, a Bell Pottinger board director and former special adviser to Cunningham.PR Week, "Labour Candidate Emerges, and Wins", May 20, 2005; the full article can only be acccessed with a subscription
Reed was selected, and held the seat for Labour. Reporting the story shortly after the election, PR Week wryly observed: "What this can mean for the re-elected Labour government's commitment to pump billions into a raft of new nuclear power stations, we couldn't possibly say."Ibid.
However another of the PR men on the shortlist, Stuart Bruce, seemed quite clear about the significance of Reed's electoral success. A few days after the election, he wrote: "One of the challenges facing Jamie will be to help push the government into an essential replacement programme for our nuclear power stations. Good luck."Stuart Bruce's then website
==Civil nuclear industry Scottish Cross-Party Group role==
Docherty used to represent the UKAEA on the Scottish Parliament's Civil Nuclear Industry CPG, according to the CPG's website.Civil Nuclear Industry Scottish CPC Website, cached on Sourcewatch website. After the Scottish Sunday Herald started researching the links between the CPG and lobbyists, Docherty's name was removed from the site.Paul Hutcheon, "Sleaze Probe into Nuclear Lobbying at Holyrood", Sunday Herald, January 22, 2006Civil Nuclear Industry CPG website.
==Meeting with Defence Minister on Rosyth==
In July 2013 Docherty secured a meeting with Philip Dunne MP, the MoD Minister for Defence Equipment on the future of the seven nuclear submarines currently based at Rosyth. This followed an intervention during a Westminster Hall debate on 10 July. Docherty explained that:
:This meeting is part of dialogue that is taking place between all the stakeholders; the local community, Babcock, the MoD and myself to make sure that the right decisions are taken, driven by the safety case. I hope that the MoD will be able to update me on their progress so that the safest method of dismantling the submarines can take place. Rosyth MP secures subs meeting, Thomas Docherty MP website, acc 29 October 2013 
==Affiliations==
*Member of the Defence Select Committee, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee and the Administration Select Committee. 
*Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Bahrain
*Treasurer of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Clean Coal
*All Party Parliamentary Group on Unconventional Oil and Gas, set up February 2013
*All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group
*Former member of All-Party Parliamentary Group for European Reform
==References==
Docherty, Thomas
Docherty, Thomas
Docherty, Thomas
Docherty, Thomas
Docherty, Thomas Docherty, Thomas