Thursday April 30th 2026
Colin Beattie MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh
This View has been written by Colin Beattie, SNP candidate for the Midlothian North Constituency in the Scottish Parliamentary elections – 7th May 2026.
On the 7th of May, I am asking for your vote. For more than 15 years, I have focused on one thing: getting results for the people I represent. Too often, accessing public services is unnecessarily complex, so my priority has always been to make support straightforward, accessible, and effective. Everyone who contacts me and my team is treated with respect, and by working constructively with public bodies, we regularly turn concerns into outcomes.
Living locally has shaped how I work. Being visible, approachable, and grounded in the community means I understand the pressures residents face and can respond quickly and practically. That local insight underpins everything I do.
Since being elected in 2011, I have built strong experience across Parliament and public services. I have served on multiple committees, including 5 years on the Deafness CPG, a cause very close to my heart and important in shaping future services for children and adults with hearing loss.
A core strength of my work is bringing people together. By building trusted relationships across communities, businesses, councils, and the NHS, I have helped protect jobs, support local businesses, and create opportunities for young people. This includes facilitating partnerships that strengthened the local economy and working with education providers to help young people back into learning.
I have consistently stood alongside communities when decisions affect them, ensuring local voices are heard and taken seriously. Alongside this, my work as Vice‑Chair of the National Mining Museum Scotland has supported major development projects with lasting benefits for Midlothian.
My priorities are driven by what matters most locally: easing cost‑of‑living pressures, improving access to healthcare, and investing in schools. I have previously worked with the NHS and the council in Musselburgh to support the delivery of the community walk‑in centre now operating there, and I am committed to applying the same collaborative approach to improving local healthcare access in Midlothian. I also continue to support sustained investment in schools, recognising the long‑term importance of education for children and families.
I listen, I act, and I deliver. The priorities of the communities I serve shape my work—and those priorities remain my focus.
