Fiona Hyslop

Fiona Jane Hyslop (born 1 August 1964) is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture since 2020. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Hyslop has served as the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Linlithgow constituency since 2011, having represented the Lothians Region from 1999 to 2011.

Fiona Hyslop

MSP
Hyslop in 2017
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture
Assumed office
17 February 2020
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byDerek Mackay (Economy and Fair Work)
Herself (Culture)
Ministerial offices
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs
In office
1 December 2009 – 17 February 2020
First MinisterAlex Salmond
Nicola Sturgeon
Preceded byMichael Russell
Succeeded byHerself (Culture)
Michael Russell (External Affairs)
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning
In office
17 May 2007 – 1 December 2009
First MinisterAlex Salmond
Preceded byHugh Henry
Succeeded byMichael Russell
Parliamentary offices
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Linlithgow
Assumed office
5 May 2011
Preceded byMary Mulligan
Majority9,335
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Lothians
(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)
In office
6 May 1999 – 5 May 2011
Personal details
Born (1964-08-01) 1 August 1964
Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland
NationalityScottish
Political partyScottish National Party
Spouse(s)Kenneth Anderson
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow
Heriot-Watt University
OccupationSales and marketing executive

She was Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs from 2009 to 2020. She became Economy Secretary in February 2020, with Hyslop taking on additional responsibilities for economic matters, effectively adding the responsibilities of the former Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, to her existing culture responsibilities.

Family life and background

Fiona Hyslop was born in Irvine, Ayrshire. She spent her early years in England before returning to Ayrshire where she attended Alloway Primary School[1] and Ayr Academy. She earned an MA (Hons) in Economic History and Sociology from the University of Glasgow and a Post-graduate Diploma in Industrial Administration from the Scottish College of Textiles. From 1986 until her election in 1999 she worked for the Standard Life Assurance Company.[2][3]

Early political career

Hyslop joined the SNP in 1986, and was active in the SNP's youth wing, Young Scots for Independence. She stood as an SNP candidate in the 1988 Edinburgh District Council elections, and in the 1990 and 1994 Lothian Regional Council elections. She also stood as candidate for Edinburgh Leith and Edinburgh Central in the 1992 and 1997 UK General Elections respectively. Hyslop was an SNP Vice Convener for Policy, and served on the SNP Executive Committee.[3]

Scottish Parliament
Hyslop (right) attending Scotland Week 2012 celebrations in Canada

Hyslop stood for election to the Scottish Parliament in the 1999 Parliamentary Election as third on the SNP's list for the Lothians Region, and was elected as an SNP additional member.[4] In both the 2003[5] and 2007 elections, she stood for the Linlithgow constituency.[6] Although she failed to win this constituency on both occasions, she was re-elected from the regional list.

The SNP formed a minority government following the 2007 election, with Alex Salmond as First Minister. Salmond appointed Hyslop as the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, a portfolio she had previously shadowed. In December 2009, and facing a motion of no confidence, she was demoted from the cabinet to the junior Minister post of Minister for Culture and External Affairs.[7]

Following the SNP victory in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, she was promoted back into Cabinet as Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs. She has remained in post since.

In the 2011 election, she stood again in the Linlithgow constituency, defeating three-term incumbent Mary Mulligan of the Scottish Labour Party by 4,091 votes.[8] She was re-elected in 2016, beating the Labour candidate by 9,335 votes.[9]

Personal life

Hyslop lives in Linlithgow with her husband and their three children.[2]

See also

References
  1. "Scots vote Tam o' Shanter favourite Robert Burns poem". BBC News. 23 January 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  2. "Biography". Fiona Hyslop. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  3. "Fiona Hyslop: Personal information". The Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  4. "Lothian Election 1999". BBC News. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  5. "Scottish Parliament Elections: 1 May 2003" (PDF). Research Paper. House of Commons Library. 14 May 2003. ISSN 1368-8456.
  6. "Scottish elections 2007". BBC News. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  7. "Demoted SNP education secretary endorses successor". BBC News. 1 December 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  8. Sandford, Mark (24 May 2011). "Scottish Parliament Elections: 2011" (PDF). Research Paper. House of Commons. ISSN 1368-8456.
  9. "Scotland Election 2016". BBC News. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
Scottish Parliament
Preceded by
Constituency Created		 Member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothians
1999–2011		 Succeeded by
Sarah Boyack
Preceded by
Mary Mulligan		 Member of the Scottish Parliament for Linlithgow
2011–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Hugh Henry		 Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning
2007–2009		 Succeeded by
Michael Russell
Preceded by
Michael Russell		 Minister for Culture and External Affairs
2009–2011		 Succeeded by
Humza Yousaf
Preceded by
Office established		 Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs
2011–present		 Incumbent
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