Pauline Stafford is a Scottish politician and classical pianist who has served as the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Bathgate since 2026, representing the Scottish National Party (SNP).
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Career
Music
Stafford is a professional classical pianist who has worked with the National Youth Choir of Scotland (NYCOS). NYCOS is Scotland's national youth singing organisation, providing opportunities for young people from age 0 to 25 across its national and regional choirs, and operating a West Lothian regional choir among fourteen choirs across the country.
West Lothian Council
Stafford was elected as a SNP councillor for Bathgate Ward (Ward 8) on West Lothian Council at the 2022 Scottish local elections. The ward covers the town of Bathgate and returned four councillors using the single transferable vote system. She subsequently served as Depute Leader of the SNP opposition group on the council. During her time on the council she campaigned against closures of nurseries, community centres and swimming pools in the area, and against restrictions to the West Lothian Scottish Welfare Payment by the Labour and Conservative-run administration.
Personal life
Stafford lives in Bathgate, West Lothian, where she was born and raised. She has spoken of her pride in West Lothian's musical tradition, citing the Boghall and Bathgate Pipe Band, Whitburn Brass Band and singer Lewis Capaldi among the area's musical connections.
Political career
SNP candidate selection
In April 2025, Stafford was confirmed as the SNP candidate for the newly created Bathgate constituency. She also topped the SNP's regional list for the new Central Scotland and Lothians West region, ahead of Neil Gray, the party's Health Secretary.
2026 Scottish Parliament election
At the 2026 Scottish Parliament election on 7 May 2026, Stafford was elected as the first MSP for the Bathgate constituency, defeating Labour's Jenny Young into second place. The full result was:
On declaring her victory, Stafford said the result was a win for "hope over hate". The Bathgate constituency was created from the former Linlithgow seat as part of the Second Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries, with the remainder of the old Linlithgow area joining part of former Falkirk East to form the new Falkirk East and Linlithgow constituency. Its predecessor constituency Linlithgow had been held by Fiona Hyslop for the SNP since 2011, who did not stand again at the 2026 election.