Fiona McLeod

Fiona McLeod
Minister for Children and Young People (acting)
In office
18 December 2014 – 31 August 2015
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
Preceded by Aileen Campbell
(on maternity leave)
Succeeded by Aileen Campbell
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Strathkelvin and Bearsden
In office
5 May 2011 – 23 March 2016
Preceded by David Whitton
Succeeded by Rona Mackay
Majority 1,802
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for West of Scotland
In office
6 May 1999 – 31 March 2003
Preceded by new parliament
Personal details
Born (1957-12-03) 3 December 1957
Glasgow
Political party Scottish National Party
Alma mater Glasgow University
Strathclyde University
Profession Librarian

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.

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 Scottish Parliament general election 2011 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]

Personal life

McLeod is married with one son.

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.
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