"Getting involved in local or national groups like CYW is a great way for women to experience and debate policy ideas."
Alix is 30 years old and from Glasgow, she gained a place at the University of Glasgow at just 16 years old and graduated with an MA in Politics. From there, she worked in local and national government as well as in electoral law. Alix is highly involved in a number of voluntary groups in her local community and in her spare time she loves to cook and bake and share recipes, cleaning and DIY Hacks on her Instagram page.
Why did you get involved in Conservative Young Women?
I live in a small community in Scotland and I am one of the youngest members of a small local association, I wanted to meet new friends across the UK who were Conservatives at a similar age and stage to me.
What do you want to achieve during your time on the Conservative Young Women’s Committee?
I hope to encourage more young women to come forward into politics, whether that is activism, policy, local association involvement or standing for elections themselves. Men still vastly outnumber women in all of these categories and young women are in even shorter supply. I want to show women how fun and rewarding it is to get involved and allay any fears they may have about getting stuck in.
How have Conservative Young Women supported you in standing?
CYW have offered me support and help in my campaign.
What kind of jobs have you had in the past?
Since leaving university, I worked in lobbying, Local Government and for MSPs in the Scottish Parliament. I ran a third sector nursery for a number of years and I currently run my own small genealogy business.
Who’s your role model/ political hero?
Senator Robert Kennedy is one of the people in Politics I have always admired. He was not afraid to stand up for what he believed in and push for progressive, positive change in America. He took on organised crime, ending their reign of terror throughout America’s largest cities. His activism and advocacy in America’s civil rights movement was inspiring.
How do you think we can encourage more young women into politics?
I think that we need to encourage more young women to engage with politics full stop, by talking to our friends and family members. Young women under 30 are the least likely people to vote in any election and we have to try and change that. Getting involved in local or national groups like CYW is a great way for women to experience and debate policy ideas and to start the process of becoming more involved. The more young women we get involved in the grass routes the more we can encourage to step forward into public life. If we can get young women elected locally or nationally then we can create more and more role models showing they can do it too.
What experience do you think you could bring?
I grew up in social housing and I have experienced social mobility through Conservative policies, I want to offer people the same opportunity. Having ran an Early Years Centre I know the issues that are being faced at the moment by parents and providers alike and I am ready to tackle these head on to see a real improvement in Scotland’s Education System which is so desperately needed. As a small business owner, I know first hand how difficult the pandemic has been and I already have some positive ideas about how we can ensure their recovery and survival long term. I have an extensive background working in politics and elections, I know how the Scottish Parliament works and I am ready to become an MSP.
Why did you decide to get involved in Politics?
I originally went to Glasgow to study History and French and took Politics as an extra subject to bulk up my credits I found myself really enjoying it and receiving the best marks out of all my subjects so I decided to take it as single honours. From there I worked in the background in politics and was not a member of any party. After the 2014 referendum I could no longer stand by and allow my country to be torn apart and changed socially and politically beyond all recognition so I joined the Scottish Conservative party and I have never looked back.
Why did you decide to stand to be an MSP?
After working for MSPs in the Scottish Parliament who encouraged me to come forward as a candidate I decided that I was ready to take that step into public life. I wanted to take on the SNP and see an end to the division that Scotland is so tired of hearing about.
What would you like to achieve as an MSP?
If elected I hope to make the people of Glasgow’s lives better. Glasgow is in desperate need of a properly funded Local Authority and our streets and communities need cleaned up for the improvement of local people’s physical and mental health. I want to tackle the drugs crisis in Scotland head on, see a review of the services on offer and ensure that we can bring down the number of deaths. I want to see our high streets and cities survive, ensuring small business recovery and above all I want to see Scotland’s education system back on track. Our children deserve an education system that gives them the tools to succeed regardless of background.
How do you think you could achieve these goals?
We need a review of the Curriculum for Excellence so we can see where it has gone wrong. We need to listen to private and voluntary early years providers about the issues within the 1140 roll-out and ensure these are rectified so that parents and children can access their funded hours fairly across Scotland. We need to invest in rehabilitation centres and offer help, support and funding to the third sector to deal with the drugs crisis. We need to ensure that the Scottish Government distribute the funding to Local Authorities fairly and do not waste money on pet projects or saving money for a referendum which is not going ahead anytime soon.
How are you going to communicate with your constituents?
I will be communicating with my constituents via social media, e-mail and letter. With regular surgeries. The Scottish Parliament was created to be the most accessible in the world which means it is designed so that constituents have easy access to their elected representatives.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time I love to cook, bake and invent new recipes. I also enjoy spending time with my family.
What is your current favourite Netflix show?
I really love Mindhunter and I am looking forward to future seasons being released. I also love Selling Sunset and Bridgerton.
If you went on Mastermind, what would your subject be?
Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or F.R.I.E.N.D.S
Conservative Young Women are dedicated to encouraging and supporting young women in the Conservative Party. We are on a mission to get more women into public office at every level and we provide support to anyone who wants to stand.
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