As one door closes for Drew Hendry, he hopes he can open many more for others.
It is now four months since he found himself in the unusual position of being an ex-MP.
For nine years until July he represented Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey at Westminster for the SNP, having been elected on three previous occasions.
But after taking the seat from Liberal Democrat Danny Alexander in 2015, Drew lost the redrawn Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency to the Lib Dem’s Angus MacDonald in July.
He has now spoken to the Press and Journal about that loss and his doubts about standing again.
He has also revealed his immediate priority is a new initiative, Growth for Good, to help develop small businesses and organisations.
Election defeat after two recounts
The General Election defeat, by 2,160 votes, was not just disappointing for Drew but also drawn out.
The result was the last of the UK’s 650 constituencies to be declared and was delivered around 44 hours after polls closed following two recounts.
Following a Freedom of Information request by the Press and Journal, it was revealed Highland Council attributed the delay to “distraction, lack of focus and fatigue” of staff.
“It was difficult for everybody involved in the count”, said Drew. “Everyone could see what the result was very early on.
“The fact it dragged on was really frustrating.
“I hope they learn whatever lessons they need to learn so that kind of thing doesn’t happen again.”
Why did he lose the vote?
He attributes the result to a combination of factors: “There was the timing of the Election and the fact we had boundary changes, although I was pleased to see support in areas I covered as the sitting MP.
“There was also a lot of momentum around change at Westminster and I think that affected our party and the turnout.
“But the public has the right to vote for what they want and I wish Angus well.”
Shortly after the defeat Drew’s father Tommy died, adding to the need to take some time out to decide his future.
Three years earlier his family had also gone through the trauma of his grandson’s death.
Cameron, the son of Drew’s son Ross and partner Jill, made an unexpected appearance the previous year, but died suddenly in July 2021.
“What happened to my grandson, the election and my dad all made for a tough few years”, he said.
“But you have to pick things up and get on with it. That’s what I’m going to do now.
“I wanted to go and do something else as I’m not someone who likes to sit still.”
What’s next for Drew Hendry?
He has returned to Teclan, the digital marketing company he founded in 1999 and is now its chairman partner. It was run independently while he pursued his political career.
But his motivation now is to drive forward with Growth for Good, an initiative he is leading to help small businesses achieve ambitions and opportunities.
The project will be formally launched in the coming months, but he is already working behind the scenes with a number of high-profile people to develop the concept.
“One of the things I’m passionate about is the Highlands being the next frontier of opportunity.
“I’ve enjoyed working over the last 20 years in politics, and before that, with people to see how you can connect different groups and communities to achieve greater results for them collectively.
“It’s about finding good organisations and businesses and helping them connect and collaborate to grow better.
“It can be simple mentoring, helping with information, with board structures or getting finance.
“I want to do what I can to continue to use my skills and contacts to help people to move on.”
Helping people fulfil their potential
Another passion of Mr Hendry’s is helping young people to develop, explore opportunities and fulfil their potential.
“It’s something I will always have the drive to do.
“Before, as an MP, I was trying to get things done and now I’m trying to get things done. It’s not a massive river to cross.
“This will not replace any organisations that already exist.
“It’s more about reaching out and finding these case studies and helping them move on.
“There are a lot of micro and growing businesses in the Highlands and Islands and everyone is trying to earn a crust.
“Sometimes they don’t see the different avenues open to them, which is not their fault when they are busy dealing with orders and customers.
“They sometimes can’t lift their eyes and it’s about giving them help to do that.
“I want to use what I’ve learned to continue to benefit people.”
Drew draws on experience of working collaboratively on a number of projects to bring investment to Inverness and beyond.
This includes the £315m City Region Deal, which will use money from the UK and Scottish governments to help transform the regional economy.
He was also involved in the Inverness Futures Group, which produced a partnership plan for the city and later adopted by Highland Council, as well as a campaign to make Inverness a gigabit city.
“We have proven we can do these things when we get together. But how do we do them more consistently across the region?”
‘I’ve never been a fan of Westminster’
Growth for Good represents a career change for Hendry after a life dominated by politics in recent years.
Before becoming an MP he was a Highland councillor from 2007 to 2015, including three years as leader of the authority from 2012.
He became one of the SNP’s leadership team at Westminster and was party spokesperson on transport and later leader for business, energy and industrial strategy.
Latterly, he chaired Westminster’s all-party parliamentary group for the terminally ill.
As a highly thought-of politician and speaker he had been talked about as a candidate for higher office in the SNP.
But he’s now enjoying time away from the House of Commons and 24/7 lifestyle of an MP.
“I’ve never been a fan of Westminster so I can’t say I miss the institution at all.
“I can understand how some people would be devastated at losing their seat.
“For me it was never a career. It was never something I set out to do.
“Also, I’ve never been personally ambitious, it’s not been a driving force for me.
“Of course I miss elements of the job. The thing I miss most is the fact that we were so directly able to help so many people.
“There is a real satisfaction working to get a breakthrough for somebody in their personal life and knowing you have made a change that impacts on them.
“Hopefully I’m resilient and optimistic enough to take forward the next stage (of my career) with as much gusto as I had in other stages.”
What about future elections?
So would he consider a return to politics? He did not put his name forward for the Holyrood elections by Monday’s noon deadline.
“You can never say never. But I think I’d be looking to encourage others, particularly young people, to get involved.
“I think we probably need newer and fresher voices to come forward.
“I believe we will work better as an independent country and I’ll continue to support people in politics.
“But for me at the moment my future is clear in my head and its to do with the principle around Good for Growth.”
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