Daniel Johnson (Scottish politician)

Daniel Guy Johnson (born 3 September 1977) is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has served as Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Edinburgh Southern since 2016.

Daniel Johnson

MSP
Johnson in 2016
Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Justice
In office
19 December 2017 – 28 May 2019
LeaderRichard Leonard
Preceded byMary Fee
Succeeded byJames Kelly
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Edinburgh Southern
Assumed office
6 May 2016
Preceded byJim Eadie
Majority1,123
Personal details
Born (1977-09-03) 3 September 1977
Political partyScottish Labour Party
Children2 daughters
Alma materUniversity of St Andrews
University of Strathclyde

Early life

Johnson was born on 3 September 1977.[1][2] He was educated at Bonaly Primary School and privately at Stewart's Melville College.[3] He joined the Labour Party at the age of 17.[3]

Johnson graduated from the University of St Andrews in philosophy and from the University of Strathclyde in management.[3][4] His first job after leaving university was working as a constituency caseworker for Edinburgh South's MP Nigel Griffiths.[3] He later went on to work as a management consultant for Accenture.[5]

Prior to entering politics, Johnson became managing director of the Paper Tiger and Studio One group of shops. The group became the first independent retailer in Edinburgh to become an accredited Living Wage employer in 2015.[6]

Political career

In January 2014, Johnson was selected by party members as a candidate for Edinburgh Southern prior to the upcoming Scottish Parliament election.[3] He was elected to the Scottish Parliament in May 2016, gaining the seat from the Scottish National Party.[7] He became shadow education minister for Scottish Labour in May 2016.[8]

In December 2017, Johnson was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet as Justice Spokesperson.[9] On 28 May 2019, the day after it was confirmed Scottish Labour had finished fifth in Scotland in the European Parliament elections and had lost both its Scottish MEPs, he resigned from his position as Scottish Labour's Justice Spokesperson, criticising the Labour Party's "current direction and leadership". He further noted that Labour had finished sixth in Edinburgh in the European Elections and challenged the party's Brexit policies. He stated in his resignation letter as follows: "My constituents are clear not only that we must have another referendum, but that we must make every effort to ensure the UK remains a member of the EU. This is a view that I share."[10]

He is currently deputy convener of the Education and Skills Committee.

Personal life

Johnson resides in the constituency with his wife, Jackie, and two daughters.[4]

Johnson revealed to Scottish Parliament that he had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) later in life at the age of 35.[11] He is believed to be the only politician in any UK parliament to be diagnosed with the condition at this time.

gollark: I guess you could install that too.
gollark: Also "defensive" lasers for "peaceful purposes only".
gollark: You should also stick entirely independent food production into your bunker, as well as its own nuclear reactor and a thing to condense water from the air.
gollark: Also, you need to be have an independent air supply in case someone breathes at it or something, yes.
gollark: Well, if you entirely isolate yourself from society you cannot, in fact, get coronavirus.

References
  1. "Daniel Johnson MSP (@DJohnsonMSP) on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  2. "Daniel Guy JOHNSON - Personal Appointments". Companies House. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  3. "Paul Godzik Holyrood bid killed by businessman". Edinburgh Evening News. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  4. "Personal Information". www.parliament.scot. 2 July 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  5. https://uk.linkedin.com/in/daniel-johnson-00652122
  6. "About Daniel". 17 September 2008.
  7. "Election 2016: Edinburgh Southern. Scottish Parliament constituency". BBC News. 6 May 2016.
  8. "Scottish Labour shadow cabinet: Kezia Dugdale unveils new frontbench team". Holyrood Magazine. 25 May 2016.
  9. "Leonard unveils Labour front bench team". 19 December 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  10. "Two MSPs quit Scottish Labour front bench team". BBC News Scotland. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  11. Report, Official (24 January 2014). "Official Report". www.parliament.scot.
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