Fiona Hyslop
Encyclopedia
Fiona Hyslop is the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs and Scottish National Party
Member
of the Scottish Parliament
for Linlithgow
.
, Ayrshire
in 1964. She was brought up in her early years in England
, before returning to Ayrshire where she was educated at Alloway
Primary School and Ayr Academy
. She graduated from the University of Glasgow
with an MA
(Hons) in Economic History and Sociology. She completed a post-graduate Diploma in industrial administration at the Scottish College of Textiles
. From 1986 until her election in 1999 she worked as a Brand Development Manager for the Standard Life
Assurance Company.
. 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.
in the 1999 Parliamentary Election as third on the SNP's list for the Lothians Region, and was elected as an SNP additional member. In the 2003, and 2007 elections, she stood for both the Linlithgow constituency
and the Lothians region. Despite failing to win this constituency on both occasions, she was subsequently re-elected as an SNP additional member.
The SNP formed a minority government
following the 2007 election, with Alex Salmond
as First Minister
. Salmond later appointed Hyslop as the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, a portfolio she had previously shadowed. In December 2009 she was demoted from the cabinet to the junior minister post of Minister for Culture and External Affairs.
In the May 2011 Scottish Parliament election, she stood in the Linlithgow constituency, defeating three-term incumbent Mary Mulligan
of the Labour party by 4,091 votes.
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
Member
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:...
of the Scottish Parliament
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...
for Linlithgow
Linlithgow (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Linlithgow is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
.
Family life and background
Fiona Hyslop was born in IrvineIrvine, North Ayrshire
Irvine is a new town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. According to 2007 population estimates, the town is home to 39,527 inhabitants, making it the biggest settlement in North Ayrshire....
, Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
in 1964. She was brought up in her early years in 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...
, before returning to Ayrshire where she was educated at Alloway
Alloway
Alloway is best known as the birthplace of Robert Burns, and as where he set his poem "Tam o' Shanter"....
Primary School and Ayr Academy
Ayr Academy
Ayr Academy is a non-denominational secondary school situated in the centre of the town of Ayr in South Ayrshire. It is a comprehensive school for children from the ages of 11 to 18 from Ayr. Ayr Academy's catchment area covers Newton-on-Ayr, Whitletts and the outlying villages of Coylton, Annbank,...
. She graduated from the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
with an MA
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
(Hons) in Economic History and Sociology. She completed a post-graduate Diploma in industrial administration at the Scottish College of Textiles
Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University is a university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The name commemorates George Heriot, the 16th century financier to King James, and James Watt, the great 18th century inventor and engineer....
. From 1986 until her election in 1999 she worked as a Brand Development Manager for the Standard Life
Standard Life
Standard Life plc is a long term savings and investment business, with headquarters in Edinburgh and operations across the globe. It has 1.5 million shareholders in more than 50 countries and over 6 million customers.-History:...
Assurance Company.
Early political career
Hyslop joined the SNP 1986, and was active in the SNP's youth wing, Young Scots for IndependenceYoung Scots for Independence
Young Scots for Independence is the youth wing of the Scottish National Party . It is not to be confused with Federation of Student Nationalists, which is for those in higher education, and whose membership is not restricted by age, unlike the YSI.The YSI is autonomous from the SNP and as such is...
. 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
Edinburgh Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh Central was a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 2005. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in the 1992 and 1997 UK General Elections respectively. Hyslop was an SNP Vice Convener for Policy, and served on the SNP Executive Committee.
Scottish Parliament
Hyslop stood for election to the Scottish ParliamentScottish 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...
in the 1999 Parliamentary Election as third on the SNP's list for the Lothians Region, and was elected as an SNP additional member. In the 2003, and 2007 elections, she stood for both the Linlithgow constituency
Linlithgow (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Linlithgow is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
and the Lothians region. Despite failing to win this constituency on both occasions, she was subsequently re-elected as an SNP additional member.
The SNP formed a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
following the 2007 election, with Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
as First Minister
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
. Salmond later appointed Hyslop as the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, a portfolio she had previously shadowed. In December 2009 she was demoted from the cabinet to the junior minister post of Minister for Culture and External Affairs.
In the May 2011 Scottish Parliament election, she stood in the Linlithgow constituency, defeating three-term incumbent Mary Mulligan
Mary Mulligan
Mary Mulligan is a Labour politician, and formerly Member of the Scottish Parliament for Linlithgow constituency from 1999-2011. She lost her seat to the Scottish National Party's Fiona Hyslop in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election..She was appointed Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care...
of the Labour party by 4,091 votes.
See also
- Government of the 3rd Scottish ParliamentGovernment of the 3rd Scottish ParliamentThe Government of the 3rd Scottish Parliament was formed after the 2007 elections to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government is headed by First Minister Alex Salmond.- First Salmond government :...
- Government of the 4th Scottish ParliamentGovernment of the 4th Scottish ParliamentThe Government of the 4th Scottish Parliament was formed after the 2011 elections to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government is headed by First Minister Alex Salmond.- Second Salmond government :...