Màiri McAllan
Màiri McAllan | |
---|---|
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy[a] | |
Assumed office 8 February 2024 | |
First Minister | Humza Yousaf John Swinney |
Preceded by | Neil Gray (Wellbeing Economy) Herself (Net Zero) |
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition[b] | |
In office 29 March 2023 – 8 February 2024 | |
First Minister | Humza Yousaf |
Preceded by | Michael Matheson |
Succeeded by | Fiona Hyslop (Transport) Herself (Net Zero) |
Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform | |
In office 20 May 2021 – 29 March 2023 | |
First Minister | Nicola Sturgeon |
Preceded by | Ben Macpherson |
Succeeded by | Office abolished |
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Clydesdale | |
Assumed office 6 May 2021 | |
Preceded by | Aileen Campbell |
Majority | 4,578 (7.5%)[1] |
Personal details | |
Born | Màiri Louise McAllan 14 February 1993 Glasgow, Scotland |
Political party | Scottish National Party |
Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
Màiri Louise McAllan (born 14 February 1993) is a Scottish politician serving as Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy[a] since 2024. She previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition[b] from 2023 to 2024 and Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform from 2021 to 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Clydesdale since 2021. McAllan is a former corporate solicitor, who also served as a special advisor to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon prior to her election to the Scottish Parliament.[2]
Early life[edit]
McAllan grew up and was educated in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, then studied Scots law at the University of Glasgow, also spending time at the University of Ghent in Belgium.[3]
Her father Ian is also a politician who has served as a local councillor for South Lanarkshire's Clydesdale East ward (which covers Biggar) since 2017.[3]
Before entering politics, McAllan co-founded human rights organisation RebLaw Scotland, which aims to use the law as a tool in the fight for social justice and held its first conference in 2017, worked as a corporate lawyer specialising in energy and natural resources and was a voluntary director of East Ayrshire's Women's Aid.[4][5]
Political career[edit]
She stood unsuccessfully in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale at the 2017 United Kingdom general election, where she came second to Conservative incumbent David Mundell.[6]
McAllan served as a special advisor in the Scottish Government on environmental matters. First to then Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham and then to then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.[7][8]
On 6 May 2021 she was elected as Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Clydesdale.[1]
On 19 May 2021, McAllan was appointed to the new government as Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform.[9][10] During her time as Environment Minister McAllan was responsible for scrapping the Scottish Governments' net zero target of 75% emission reduction by 2030, instead reverting to the UK target of 2045.[11]
Personal life[edit]
In February 2024, she and her husband Iain announced that she is pregnant with her first child.[12] She plans to take maternity leave in the summer.[13] She intends to return to her role as a government minister in March 2025.[14]
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b The post was titled Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy from February to May 2024 before responsibility for the Economy was moved to Kate Forbes.
- ^ a b Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition (March 2023–June 2023).
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Scotland Election 2021 > Clydesdale". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- ^ "Mairi McAllan: A lifelong local, a lawyer and an adviser to the First Minister". The National. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ a b "SNP choose Mairi to fight Mundell for rural Clydesdale". carlukegazette.co.uk. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- ^ "Mairi McAllan: Meet the SNP Holyrood candidate for Clydesdale". national.scot. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ "Are you a rebel lawyer? Insight into the RebLaw Scotland social justice movement". benchmarkadvocates.co.uk. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ Bark, Stephen (11 July 2021). "Political calling came early for Clydesdale MSP Màiri McAllan". Daily Record. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
- ^ "Mairi McAllan: A lifelong local, a lawyer and an adviser to the First Minister". The National. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ "The minister in charge of saving the world defends Scotland's record on climate chang". Sunday Post. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ "Nicola Sturgeon appoints new health and education secretaries". BBC News. 19 May 2021. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021.
- ^ "New Scottish Cabinet - gov.scot". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
- ^ "Scottish government scraps climate change targets". BBC News. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "Economy secretary to take maternity leave in summer". BBC News. 25 February 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "Scottish economy secretary Mairi McAllan announces pregnancy". The Independent. 25 February 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ Kendix, Max; Gilmour, Lauren (13 March 2024). "I'll be back, says Mairi McAllan as she announces pregnancy". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
External links[edit]
- Scottish Parliament profiles of MSPs: Màiri McAllan
- Living people
- Scottish National Party MSPs
- Ministers of the Scottish Government
- Members of the Scottish Parliament 2021–2026
- Female members of the Scottish Parliament
- Scottish expatriates in Belgium
- Scottish National Party parliamentary candidates
- People from Biggar, South Lanarkshire
- Alumni of the University of Glasgow
- Politicians from South Lanarkshire
- Scottish solicitors
- Women members of the Scottish Government
- Member of the Scottish Parliament stubs