About

Peter McColl is the Scottish Green Party candidate for Edinburgh East in the 2015 General Election

Peter was Rector of the University of Edinburgh from 2012-15.  In the role he campaigned on fees, cuts, accommodation and against the racist UK Borders Agency.

Originally from Belfast, he has lived in Edinburgh for 13 years and has worked in student politics, public affairs and the voluntary sector. He has been active in the Portobello Transition Town -> PEDAL since its creation, and has a particular interest in community ownership and land reform.

Peter studied Cultural Geography at Edinburgh University, with a focus on critical theory, identity and public policy. His Masters dealt with Land Reform in the Scottish Highlands, following the 2003 Land Reform Act. While at University, Peter was President of the People and Planet Society and was elected to take a year out of his degree to act as Vice President of the Students’ Association (EUSA). He had previously been Community and Environmental Affairs Convener and Welfare Convener of EUSA. In these roles he was instrumental in the introduction of measures promoting Fair Trade that increased UK Fair Trade coffee consumption by 2% and to promote ethical investment of Edinburgh University’s resources.

Peter lives in Portobello with his partner, Maggie, and was Convener of the Edinburgh Green Party from 2010-12. He worked in policy, campaigns and communications for four years with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. He previously worked for Mark Ballard MSP from 2003-07. Peter was Chair of Transition Scotland Support, an organisation devoted to supporting Scotland’s Transition Towns movement from 2008-2011.