Annie Wells MSP: 'I wanted to be either a policewoman or to join the army'

What’s your earliest memory?

My earliest memory is probably going to my grandparents’ house. I used to tap dance and my granddad always kept a big piece of wood in the kitchen that he would take into the living room for me to tap dance in front of friends and family – or just for them. 

What were you like at school? 

I was small but I had a very deep voice so you always knew where I was. I suppose I was also a bit of a teacher’s pet. I always wanted to clean the blackboard or go get the milk to hand it out to the class. I still speak to one of my primary school teachers and she says I was a nice wee girl. 

Who would be your dream dinner date? 

One of my dream dinner dates would need to be my partner Angela, because we have so much fun together. I also love cooking so I would like to have a dinner date with Keith Floyd because he cooks the way I cook – with a glass of wine in his hand. 

What’s your greatest fear?

I am terrified of heights. I remember going to Paris when I was in P7 and going up the Eiffel Tower only to have to come straight back down. However, in 2018 one of my staffers signed me up to abseil off the Forth Bridge and that was terrifying. You’ve never seen someone abseil so fast. One second I was up there and the next I was on the ground. I was petrified.

What’s the worst thing that anyone’s ever said to you?  

I don’t think it’s what they say but how they say it sometimes – the evilness or the anger in their voice when they say something to you. People need to understand that I’m just a person like anyone else. I’ve always been brought up to treat people with respect and the way you want to be treated.

What’s your most treasured possession?

I know it’s probably quite a cliché but photos of my dad, who passed away 11 years ago. I was a daddy’s girl growing up.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Gin, cheese and crackers. I collect gins and I have a cabinet in my dining room full of bottles of gin, which I have to lock away from my twin two-year-old grandsons.

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

My dad was orphaned when he was wee – his parents died before he was five – so I’d probably like to go back to a time where I could meet my other grandparents. It’s just a big part of my life that feels missing.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?

To be myself.

What skill do you think every person should have?

Apart from tap dancing, I think everyone should be a good listener because if people are taking the time to speak to you, you listen to what they’re saying.

What’s the worst pain you’ve ever experienced?

I get terrible back pain and sometimes I can’t move and have to go into hospital to get injections. It’s debilitating – even breathing hurts. I think it comes through doing gymnastics when I was young.

If you could relive one of the days from your past, which day would it be? 

I think I would probably like to relive the day I had my son, to take in everything that was going on, because it’s all a bit of a blur. 

What is your top film or TV programme of all time? 

One of the films that I’ve watched for years, and I still watch on the odd Saturday night, is Annie. I grew up loving the film and I also auditioned to be her on stage in Glasgow. Unfortunately I wasn’t successful. I don’t have the best singing voice. My favorite TV show is MasterChef.

If you hadn’t been a politician, what would you have liked to be?

At the time I started going to my careers adviser during secondary school, I wanted to be either a policewoman or to join the army. However, at that point there was a height restriction so that was never going to happen for me. You had to be five foot four and I think at that point I was probably four foot 11. After that I wanted to be an actress. I had done dancing, gymnastics, modelling and elocution growing up, so I thought to act would be my natural progression, but it didn’t come to anything.

And what led you into politics? 

The independence referendum, like a lot of other politicians in Scotland. My colleague Ruth Davidson asked me if I would fancy standing and I never thought I would get elected. We’d never had two MSPs in Glasgow, so I thought I’d do the campaigning as I enjoyed talking to people and helping. To then get elected was just like a ‘wow’ moment. 

Were you elected to office immediately?

I stood in 2015 for the general election just as a candidate but then the first time I stood for the Scottish Parliament election in 2016, I got elected. I worked for Marks & Spencer on the Friday and I became an MSP the following Monday.

What was your best holiday ever? 

It was last year. Angela and I went on a Mediterranean cruise. I always thought a cruise was for old people, but I am an old person now, so it was fantastic.

What was the last book you read?

I don’t really have time to read many books now. The things I read most weeks are committee papers and social media.

What would you like to achieve before the next election? 

I would like to see the Right to Addiction Recovery Bill come into effect. The first speech I gave in parliament was about drug addiction and I would like the last one, if this was to be my last term, to be about giving everyone the right to recovery.