Thomas Docherty

Thomas Docherty

This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

This article is part of the Revolving Door project of Spinwatch.

Thomas Docherty is a former communications consultant, who became the Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Dunfermline and West Fife at the May 2010 general UK elections. He had previously worked for Network Rail, BNFL and as a research assistant to Scott Barrie, the former MSP for Dunfermline West.

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.

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."

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."

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. After the Scottish Sunday Herald started researching the links between the CPG and lobbyists, Docherty's name was removed from the site.

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.

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