Fiona McLeod

Fiona Grace McLeod (born 3 December 1957) is a Scottish politician. She is a former Scottish National Party (SNP) Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) who served two sessions, first representing the West of Scotland region 1999−2003, then the Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency 2011−16. She served as acting Minister for Children and Young People December 2014−August 2015.

This article is about the Scottish politician. For the Australian barrister, see Fiona McLeod (barrister). For the pseudonymous "Fiona Macleod", see William Sharp (writer).

Fiona McLeod
Minister for Children and Young People (acting)
In office
18 December 2014 – 31 August 2015
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byAileen Campbell
(on maternity leave)
Succeeded byAileen Campbell
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Strathkelvin and Bearsden
In office
5 May 2011 – 23 March 2016
Preceded byDavid Whitton
Succeeded byRona Mackay
Majority1,802
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for West of Scotland
In office
6 May 1999 – 31 March 2003
Preceded bynew parliament
Personal details
Born (1957-12-03) 3 December 1957
Glasgow
Political partyScottish National Party
Alma materGlasgow University
Strathclyde University
ProfessionLibrarian

Background

She was born on 3 December 1957 in Glasgow, Scotland. She studied History at University of Glasgow, before gaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Librarianship at University of Strathclyde. She worked as a librarian at Glasgow North College of Nursing and the Marie Curie Huntershill Hospice. She was appointed to Ofcom's Scottish Advisory Committee from 2004 to 2006, and was a founding member of Westerton Junior Youth Club.

Scottish Parliament

In the 1999 election she stood as a constituency candidate in Strathkelvin and Bearsden, where she was runner-up to Labour candidate Sam Galbraith. However her number four position on the SNP West of Scotland list was enough to take her to Holyrood. She served as Deputy Party Spokesperson on the Environment.[1]

Galbraith resigned his seat in 2001 but McLeod did not stand in the subsequent by-election as this would have meant resigning her seat. However she did contest the seat in the 2003 election but finished fourth, behind Jean Turner (an independent), Brian Fitzpatrick (who had won the by-election) and Jo Swinson (who would later become MP for part of the seat). She also only placed 7th on the SNP list for West of Scotland and so also lost her top-up place in parliament.

In the 2011 Scottish Parliament general election she won the constituency of Strathkelvin and Bearsden following the SNP landslide victory, defeating David Whitton on a swing of 7.7%.

She served as acting Minister for Children and Young People, from 18 December 2014 until 31 August 2015,[2] during Aileen Campbell MSP's maternity leave. This was the first time that a Minister of the Scottish Government had taken maternity leave.[3]

In November 2016 she was announced as a member of the Commission on Parliamentary Reform, having been nominated to represent the SNP.[4]

Personal life

McLeod is married with one son.[5]

References
  1. "Previous MSPs: Session 1: Fiona McLeod". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  2. "Previous MSPs: Session 4: Fiona McLeod". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  3. "New ministerial line-up unveiled" (Press release). Scottish Government. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  4. "Presiding Officer names Parliament reform commission members". The Journal. Law Society of Scotland. 2 November 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  5. "McLeod, Fiona Grace, (born 3 Dec. 1957), Member (SNP) Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Parliament, 2011–16; carer", Who's Who, Oxford University Press, 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u26052
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