Christine Grahame
Encyclopedia
Christine Grahame is a Scottish
politician. She has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament
for the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale
, having previously been a member for the South of Scotland
region, first elected in the 1999 election and subsequently re-elected in 2003 and 2007.
, England
and brought up in Edinburgh
. She attended the University of Edinburgh
and, after graduating, worked as a teacher. She later returned to Edinburgh University as a mature student where she earned a law degree, and afterwards she practised as a solicitor.
in 1970.
Using her married name, Christine Creech, she was the SNP candidate at the 1992 General Election
for Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
. In 1994 she stood for election to the European Parliament
, again unsuccessfully.
At the 1999 Scottish Parliament election she fought Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
again. Although she finished second, her position on the SNP regional list took her to Holyrood
, after which she divorced and reverted to her maiden name. She contested Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale at both the 2003 and 2007 elections, coming within 1,000 votes of victory on both occasions.
In 2004, she ran as a candidate for Deputy Leader of the SNP
after the resignation of Leader John Swinney
propelled Deputy Leader Roseanna Cunningham
into the contest to replace him. Grahame came second, between Nicola Sturgeon
, the winner, and Fergus Ewing
.
After the election she was reshuffled from chair of the Scottish Parliament's Health committee to Shadow Minister for Social Justice, generally seen by media commentators as an upwards shift. In January 2005 Grahame was reported to have had an affair with married Conservative MSP David Davidson.
In June 2005, she was elected Honorary President of the Federation of Student Nationalists
.
In 2009, she took up the cause of a National Library of Scotland
employee, who had been admonished for placing what NLS management called an "excessive display" of several large saltire
and Lion Rampant flags around his workstation calling it "a deliberate assault on our national flag."
In the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary election, Grahame won the redrawn seat of Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, beating former Liberal Democrat finance spokesman Jeremy Purvis.
, a campaign to replace the British Monarchy
with an elected head of state. In July 2009, Grahame snubbed Her Majesty the Queen by checking her e-mails rather than attending the royal speech at Holyrood to mark the tenth anniversary of Scottish devolution. The move drew critical comment from blog
gers as well as from other MSPs, with Lord Foulkes remarking "She has a particular axe to grind here. [...] this is boring for Scotland — she just goes on and on." Former Presiding Officer
George Reid described the absence as "sad".
However, on the BBC Radio Good Morning Scotland
programme, she said: "I'm earning and working for my constituents far more than if I sit hypocritically in the chamber watching a monarch for an institution I do not support."
. After her visit, she told the press: "I found it quite upsetting. The man is obviously very ill and he is desperate to see his family - absolutely desperate to see his family - so, whatever it takes, that's the priority. He did tell me things I can't discuss with you. But I am absolutely more convinced than ever that there has been a miscarriage of justice
." A month later, Grahame arranged a second meeting with the prisoner, Megrahi.
A few days after the dropping of Megrahi's appeal against conviction and his release on compassionate grounds
on 20 August 2009, Grahame wrote an op-ed
article for The Independent
saying she is convinced of his innocence: "He is not a saint, of course – he had a history with Libyan intelligence – but his hands are clean over Lockerbie. For you should recall that five months before the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103
on that dark, wild December night just before Christmas in 1988, an American military cruiser, the Vincennes, shot down an Iranian passenger plane carrying 290 pilgrims. No one has been charged, let alone prosecuted, over that, even though it was all captured on film."
"that the Parliament supports the establishment of an international inquiry into the circumstances that led to the blowing up of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie in December 1988 that murdered 270 passengers and urges all relevant Scottish authorities to co-operate with it; further supports that such an inquiry should also consider the relationship of that atrocity to the shooting down of Iranian flight 655
over the Straits of Hormuz five months before by a US warship, which claimed the lives of 290 passengers, and urges the international community to pursue, investigate and bring to justice all those ultimately responsible for these two terrorist attacks, which it considers constitute crimes against humanity."
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
politician. She has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
for the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale
Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It will elect one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, having previously been a member for the South of Scotland
South of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)
South of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament...
region, first elected in the 1999 election and subsequently re-elected in 2003 and 2007.
Early life
Grahame was born on 9 September 1944 in Burton-on-Trent, StaffordshireStaffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and brought up in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. She attended the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and, after graduating, worked as a teacher. She later returned to Edinburgh University as a mature student where she earned a law degree, and afterwards she practised as a solicitor.
Political career
Grahame joined the Scottish National PartyScottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
in 1970.
Using her married name, Christine Creech, she was the SNP candidate at the 1992 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
for Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983...
. In 1994 she stood for election to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, again unsuccessfully.
At the 1999 Scottish Parliament election she fought Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983...
again. Although she finished second, her position on the SNP regional list took her to Holyrood
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, after which she divorced and reverted to her maiden name. She contested Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale at both the 2003 and 2007 elections, coming within 1,000 votes of victory on both occasions.
In 2004, she ran as a candidate for Deputy Leader of the SNP
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
after the resignation of Leader John Swinney
John Swinney
John Ramsey Swinney is the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire North, having previously represented North Tayside...
propelled Deputy Leader Roseanna Cunningham
Roseanna Cunningham
Roseanna Cunningham is the Scottish Government's Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, having previously represented Perth.-Early life:Raised in Australia, she returned to Scotland and...
into the contest to replace him. Grahame came second, between Nicola Sturgeon
Nicola Sturgeon
Nicola Sturgeon is the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party and Member for Glasgow Southside....
, the winner, and Fergus Ewing
Fergus Ewing
Fergus Ewing is the Scottish Government's Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Inverness and Nairn.- Background :...
.
After the election she was reshuffled from chair of the Scottish Parliament's Health committee to Shadow Minister for Social Justice, generally seen by media commentators as an upwards shift. In January 2005 Grahame was reported to have had an affair with married Conservative MSP David Davidson.
In June 2005, she was elected Honorary President of the Federation of Student Nationalists
Federation of Student Nationalists
The Federation of Student Nationalists is the student wing of the Scottish National Party , representing students in Scottish higher education...
.
In 2009, she took up the cause of a National Library of Scotland
National Library of Scotland
The National Library of Scotland is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. It is based in a collection of buildings in Edinburgh city centre. The headquarters is on George IV Bridge, between the Old Town and the university quarter...
employee, who had been admonished for placing what NLS management called an "excessive display" of several large saltire
Flag of Scotland
The Flag of Scotland, , also known as Saint Andrew's Cross or the Saltire, is the national flag of Scotland. As the national flag it is the Saltire, rather than the Royal Standard of Scotland, which is the correct flag for all individuals and corporate bodies to fly in order to demonstrate both...
and Lion Rampant flags around his workstation calling it "a deliberate assault on our national flag."
In the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary election, Grahame won the redrawn seat of Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, beating former Liberal Democrat finance spokesman Jeremy Purvis.
Queen's speech snub
Grahame is a supporter of RepublicRepublic (political organisation)
Republic is a British non-partisan republican pressure group advocating the replacement of the United Kingdom's monarchy with a democratically-elected head of state....
, a campaign to replace the British Monarchy
British monarchy
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
with an elected head of state. In July 2009, Grahame snubbed Her Majesty the Queen by checking her e-mails rather than attending the royal speech at Holyrood to mark the tenth anniversary of Scottish devolution. The move drew critical comment from blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
gers as well as from other MSPs, with Lord Foulkes remarking "She has a particular axe to grind here. [...] this is boring for Scotland — she just goes on and on." Former Presiding Officer
Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament is the speaker of the Scottish Parliament, elected by the Members of the Scottish Parliament, by means of an exhaustive ballot. He or she also heads the Corporate Body of the Scottish Parliament and as such is viewed as a figurehead for the entire...
George Reid described the absence as "sad".
However, on the BBC Radio Good Morning Scotland
Good Morning Scotland
Good Morning Scotland is a Scottish breakfast radio news programme. It is broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland weekdays from 06:00 to 08:45. Established in 1973, it is the longest-running radio show broadcast from Scotland and remains one of the most popular....
programme, she said: "I'm earning and working for my constituents far more than if I sit hypocritically in the chamber watching a monarch for an institution I do not support."
Prison visitor
In May 2009, Grahame visited the man convicted over the Lockerbie bombing, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, in Greenock jailGreenock (HM Prison)
HMP Greenock is a prison located in Greenock, Scotland, and serving designated courts in western Scotland by holding male prisoners on remand, and short-term convicted prisoners. It provides a national facility for selected prisoners serving 12 years or over, affording them the opportunity for...
. After her visit, she told the press: "I found it quite upsetting. The man is obviously very ill and he is desperate to see his family - absolutely desperate to see his family - so, whatever it takes, that's the priority. He did tell me things I can't discuss with you. But I am absolutely more convinced than ever that there has been a miscarriage of justice
Miscarriage of justice
A miscarriage of justice primarily is the conviction and punishment of a person for a crime they did not commit. The term can also apply to errors in the other direction—"errors of impunity", and to civil cases. Most criminal justice systems have some means to overturn, or "quash", a wrongful...
." A month later, Grahame arranged a second meeting with the prisoner, Megrahi.
A few days after the dropping of Megrahi's appeal against conviction and his release on compassionate grounds
Compassionate release
Compassionate release is a legal system that grants inmates early release from prison sentences on special grounds such as terminal illness or a child in the community with an urgent need for his or her incarcerated guardian...
on 20 August 2009, Grahame wrote an op-ed
Op-ed
An op-ed, abbreviated from opposite the editorial page , is a newspaper article that expresses the opinions of a named writer who is usually unaffiliated with the newspaper's editorial board...
article for The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
saying she is convinced of his innocence: "He is not a saint, of course – he had a history with Libyan intelligence – but his hands are clean over Lockerbie. For you should recall that five months before the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103
Pan Am Flight 103
Pan Am Flight 103 was Pan American World Airways' third daily scheduled transatlantic flight from London Heathrow Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport...
on that dark, wild December night just before Christmas in 1988, an American military cruiser, the Vincennes, shot down an Iranian passenger plane carrying 290 pilgrims. No one has been charged, let alone prosecuted, over that, even though it was all captured on film."
International inquiry
On 24 November 2009, Christine Grahame lodged the following motion at the Scottish Parliament:"that the Parliament supports the establishment of an international inquiry into the circumstances that led to the blowing up of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie in December 1988 that murdered 270 passengers and urges all relevant Scottish authorities to co-operate with it; further supports that such an inquiry should also consider the relationship of that atrocity to the shooting down of Iranian flight 655
Iran Air Flight 655
Iran Air Flight 655 was a civilian jet airliner shot down by U.S. missiles on 3 July 1988, over the Strait of Hormuz, toward the end of the Iran–Iraq War...
over the Straits of Hormuz five months before by a US warship, which claimed the lives of 290 passengers, and urges the international community to pursue, investigate and bring to justice all those ultimately responsible for these two terrorist attacks, which it considers constitute crimes against humanity."
External links
- Christine Grahame MSP Scottish Parliament webpage
- Christine Grahame SNP biography
- What's Happening in the Scottish Parliament biography from first term of Scottish Parliament