Holyrood candidate made homeless as teen demands Scotland's housing emergency is made 'priority'
A Holyrood election candidate who suffered homelessness as a teenager has called for Scotland's political parties to work together to tackle the country's housing emergency.
Paul McGarry spent time in care as a youth and later found himself living in temporary accommodation after he struggled to find anywhere to live.
"I was 16 when I was homeless. Like many people in that situation, it was because of issues in the family," he told the Record. McGarry, who grew up in south-west of England, found himself housed in a city far from his friends and family.
"I'm from Cornwall, but I was placed in temporary accommodation in Plymouth. It was a break in my links. That's why now I want to see care and support in local communities, in the hope more of the relationships in young people's lives can be maintained."
McGarry has now lived in Scotland for 20 years and says he was driven into politics by a desire to tackle the root causes of homelessness and support some of the poorest communities in his area. He has worked in youth projects across Scotland.
The Scottish Lib Dems housing spokesman now works a senior Business Development Manager at a national training provider.
He told the Record there needed to be cross-party agreement on the need to reduce the number of Scots, particularly young people, who remain stuck in temporary accommodation.
More than 10,000 children live with their parents or guardians in B&Bs, hotel rooms or crampt flats due to a chronic lack of affordable housing across the country.
McGarry, who is the Lib Dem candidate for the Central Scotland region, said: "I would like to see more cooperation on the issue.
"We need consensus thinking, not party grandstanding, when it comes to tackling the housing emergency.
"It requires investment. It's about making a housing a priority. It's about moving that to making it a legal requirement for permanent accommodation."
McGarry added: "As a Liberal Democrat, I am committed to giving people the representation they deserve. That means fixing our broken health service, tackling the housing crisis, lifting up local economies and delivering the best education for our children.
"I don't consider myself a typical politician. I've seen life's challenges up close and personal, and that's what motivates me as a parliamentary candidate. I want to change things for the better and get results for the people of Central Scotland and Lothians West.'
Scottish Lib Dems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: "Paul is an exceptional local champion for the people of Central Scotland and Lothians West. He's just what we need to restore some much-needed decency back into Scottish politics.
"He is a deeply compassionate, go-getting individual, and I know he will fight his heart out for communities across central Scotland, championing the issues people care about most.
"Next May, everyone in Central Scotland and Lothians West can put a cross next to the Scottish Liberal Democrats on their peach regional ballot paper, get Paul elected to parliament and end 18 years of SNP failure."
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