Fiona McLeod

Fiona Grace McLeod (born 3 December 1957) is a Scottish politician who served as acting Minister for Children and Young People from 2014 to 2015. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she was Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency from 2011 to 2016, having previously represented the West of Scotland region from 1999 to 2003.

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
McLeod in 2011
Minister for Children and Young People
Acting
In office
18 December 2014 – 31 August 2015
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byAileen Campbell
Succeeded byAileen Campbell
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Strathkelvin and Bearsden
In office
5 May 2011 – 24 March 2016
Preceded byDavid Whitton
Succeeded byRona Mackay
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for West of Scotland
(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)
In office
6 May 1999 – 31 March 2003
Personal details
Born (1957-12-03) 3 December 1957
Glasgow, Scotland
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.[1] She had been placed fourth on the SNP's West of Scotland list, and was elected as a MSP through this route.[2] She served as Deputy Party Spokesperson on the Environment.[3]

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,[4] during Aileen Campbell MSP's maternity leave. This was the first time that a Minister of the Scottish Government had taken maternity leave.[5]

In May 2015, Mcleod announced that she would not be standing for re-election to Parliament the following year.[6]

After Parliament

In 2004, she became one of the first members of Ofcom's Advisory Committee for Scotland.[7]

In November 2016 she was announced as a member of the Commission on Parliamentary Reform, having been nominated to represent the SNP.[8]

In August 2017, the Scottish Book Trust appointed her as a member of its Board of Trustees.[9]

Personal life

McLeod is married with one son.[10]

References
  1. "Vote 99. Scotland. Strathkelvin & Bearsden". BBC News. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  2. "Vote 99. Scotland. West of Scotland". BBC News. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  3. "Previous MSPs: Session 1: Fiona McLeod". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  4. "Previous MSPs: Session 4: Fiona McLeod". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  5. "Scottish children's minister begins maternity leave". BBC News. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  6. "MSP Fiona McLeod to retire". Kirkintilloch Herald. 31 May 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  7. "Ofcom names Scottish committee". The Drum. 5 March 2004. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  8. "Presiding Officer names Parliament reform commission members". The Journal. Law Society of Scotland. 2 November 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  9. Martin, Graham (21 August 2017). "Ex MSP among charity's new trustees". Third Force News. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  10. "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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