Ex-MP resigns his chairmanship

Tommy Sheppard is retiring as chairman of The Stand Comedy Club, which he set up in Edinburgh more than 30 years ago.

The promoter – and former SNP MP for Edinburgh East – said: 'It’s been a blast. But after 30 years I’m delighted to be stepping back and I know I’m leaving The Stand in good hands. 

‘Mind you, I’m not going anywhere - I’ll still be chortling at the back of the room if they let me…’

The first night of The Stand Comedy Club was in  September 1995  in a  Grassmarket pub basement – and seven people came.  Three decades later, The Stand runs  three permanent purpose-built venues in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle, and is a major player at the Edinburgh Fringe.

As Sheppard steps down, comedian  Jay Lafferty, Glasgow venue manager, Fraser Milroy  and IT consultant  Gareth Hunter join the board. Lafferty and fellow comic Paul Sneddon – who performs as Vladimir McTavish – will be joint chairman.

The company’s managing director, Mike Jones, said: 'It feels like we should be erecting the blue plaque and more to mark Tommy’s amazing contribution to live comedy in Scotland and the UK since he and Jane Mackay set up The Stand 31 years ago.  

‘I’m delighted to welcome three new directors to the company and look forward to working with the whole board to take The Stand into the next 30 years.’

Lafferty added: 'Tommy is leaving the company in a really strong position and I'm looking forward to continuing his legacy of supporting new homegrown talent and producing great live comedy across all our platforms.’

The last set of Companies House accounts for Salt 'N' Sauce Promotions, the company which owns The Stand, showed just short of £1million in its profit and loss account at the end of August 2024.

Sheppard, who recently turned 67, was formerly a Labour politician and deputy leader of Hackney council in London. After joining the SNP, he was elected to represent Edinburgh East in Westminster in 2015, but was defeated by Labour in the 2024 election following boundary changes.  While in Westminster he was chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group.

The Stand will be celebrating his departure with a testimonial event later in the year.  

Pictured above are the board, from left, Fraser Milroy,  Richard Melvin, Mike Jones, Jay Lafferty, Paul Sneddon, Tommy Sheppard, Christine Cloughy-Sneddon, Eva Mackay, Gareth Hunter. The final board member, comic Miles Jupp, is not pictured. 

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Published: 23 Mar 2026