Born in 1971 and raised in Clydebank, and working from the age of 16 Martin joined the SNP in 1991 being elected as Scotland's youngest Councillor to the then Clydebank District Council in 1992 at the age of 21.

Full statement

Martin eventually returned to education graduating from GCFT now Glasgow Met with a HND in Business Administration in 1997, earning his Politics degree from University of Essex and in 2004, then attended the Glasgow School of Art to undertake his Masters Degree.

On finishing his studies Martin came home to Clydebank and has spent over a decade working for West Dunbartonshire Community and Volunteering Services (WDCVS), supporting and developing West Dunbartonshire’s community and volunteering organisations.

From sourcing community funding to delivering training and volunteering opportunities Martin’s work in West Dunbartonshire has given him first­hand knowledge of the issues facing the community he comes from and has worked in most of his adult life. In 2014 Martin joined the national body for volunteering, Volunteer Scotland as the National Policy Advisor.

Martin continued to be involved in the front­line of politics returning to local government as a SNP Councillor to Glasgow City Council in 2012 till his election to the U.K. Parliament in May 2015.

Martin is the SNP NATO Parliamentary Assembly Delegate. Martin is the Vice Chair of the following All Parliamentary Party Groups: Civil Society and Volunteering and Irish In Britain.

Martin lives with his partner and two whippets in Whiteinch.