Robin Harper
Encyclopedia
Robin Harper FRSSA (born 4 August 1940) is a Scottish politician, and was a Member of the Scottish Parliament
(MSP) for the Lothians region. He was co-convener of the Scottish Green Party
(2004-2008). Harper became an MSP in the first elections to the Scottish Parliament
in 1999, the first ever elected Green parliamentarian in the United Kingdom
.
and Elgin Academy
he graduated in 1962 from the University of Aberdeen
. He worked as a modern studies
teacher at Boroughmuir High School
, Edinburgh
, and before that as an English teacher in Kenya
.
Harper is a patron of many organisations including LGBT Youth Scotland
, an organisation dedicated to the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people in the life of Scotland. He is married. He is also an Honorary Vice-President of English-Speaking Union Scotland
. He was elected as Rector of the University of Aberdeen
in 2005, having previously served as Rector of the University of Edinburgh.
, and was elected as an additional member for the Lothians region
, becoming the first ever elected Green parliamentarian in the UK's political history. In an emotional speech, he promised to be a critical voice on the environment in the Parliament. He criticised the Scottish Executive
's decision to split ministerial responsibility for the environment in 2001. He served as his party's sole representative in the first Parliament (1999-2003) until the 2003 election, when the Scottish Green Party won another 6 seats in the regional lists. In 2004 he was a member of the Scottish Parliament team in the TV general knowledge show University Challenge: The Professionals. He and fellow team members Richard Baker
(Labour), Jamie Stone
(Lib Dem) who was captain, and Stewart Stevenson
(SNP) beat a Welsh Assembly team by 110 points to 75.
In January 2007, The Scotsman
reported that Harper was being considered for the next Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
. Harper stated that he did not know of this story, but said "it would be an honour even to be considered". Following the 2007 elections to the Scottish Parliament
, Harper was returned as a list MSP for the Lothians
, this time one of only two Green Party members elected. After an agreement with the Scottish National Party
, the party with the largest mandate from the election, the Green MSPs including Harper voted for Alex Salmond
to become First Minister of Scotland
but the Greens declined to enter a formal coalition with the SNP. As part of the deal, fellow Green MSP Patrick Harvie
was nominated to head the Holyrood Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee
. In 2009, Harper and Harvie vividly demonstrated the Greens were not in an alliance with the SNP when they voted to reject an SNP government budget. He is the party's spokesman on education and young people.
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:...
(MSP) for the Lothians region. He was co-convener of the Scottish Green Party
Scottish Green Party
The Scottish Green Party is a green party in Scotland. It has two MSPs in the devolved Scottish Parliament, Alison Johnstone, representing Lothian, and Patrick Harvie, for Glasgow.-Organisation:...
(2004-2008). Harper became an MSP in the first elections to 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...
in 1999, the first ever elected Green parliamentarian in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Background, education and career
Harper was educated at St Marylebone Grammar SchoolSt Marylebone Grammar School
St Marylebone Grammar School was a grammar school in London from 1792 to 1981.-Philological School:Founded as the Philological School by Thomas Collingwood, under the patronage of the Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, its object was to help "the heads of families, who by unexpected...
and Elgin Academy
Elgin Academy, Scotland
Elgin Academy is a secondary school in the city of Elgin, Moray, Scotland.-Admissions:Pupils at Elgin Academy are in years S1 to S6. Most arrive in first year from one of the nearby primary schools, which include Bishopmill Primary, West End Primary, East End Primary, Seafield Primary and St...
he graduated in 1962 from the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
. He worked as a modern studies
Modern Studies
Modern Studies is a subject unique to the Scottish secondary school curriculum , that is concerned with the study of local, national and international issues from a social, political and economic perspective...
teacher at Boroughmuir High School
Boroughmuir High School
Boroughmuir High School is a non-denominational secondary school in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1904, and moved to its current site near the city centre in 1913. Its catchment area is in the south side of the city...
, 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...
, and before that as an English teacher in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.
Harper is a patron of many organisations including LGBT Youth Scotland
LGBT Youth Scotland
LGBT Youth Scotland is a voluntary organisation dedicated to the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender young people in the life of Scotland...
, an organisation dedicated to the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people in the life of Scotland. He is married. He is also an Honorary Vice-President of English-Speaking Union Scotland
English-Speaking Union Scotland
The English-Speaking Union Scotland is an educational Scottish charity whose purpose, shared with the English-Speaking Union internationally, is to promote international understanding and human achievements through the widening use of the English language throughout the world.ESU Scotland is based...
. He was elected as Rector of the University of Aberdeen
Rector of the University of Aberdeen
The Lord Rector of the University of Aberdeen is the students' representative and chairman in the University Court of the University of Aberdeen. The position is rarely known by its full title and most often referred to simply as "Rector". The Rector is elected by students of the University and...
in 2005, having previously served as Rector of the University of Edinburgh.
Scottish Parliament
Harper stood for election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999Scottish Parliament election, 1999
The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members...
, and was elected as an additional member for the Lothians region
Lothians (Scottish Parliament electoral region)
The Lothians was one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 to 2011. 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...
, becoming the first ever elected Green parliamentarian in the UK's political history. In an emotional speech, he promised to be a critical voice on the environment in the Parliament. He criticised the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
's decision to split ministerial responsibility for the environment in 2001. He served as his party's sole representative in the first Parliament (1999-2003) until the 2003 election, when the Scottish Green Party won another 6 seats in the regional lists. In 2004 he was a member of the Scottish Parliament team in the TV general knowledge show University Challenge: The Professionals. He and fellow team members Richard Baker
Richard Baker (Scottish politician)
Richard Baker is a Scottish Labour politician, and member of the Scottish Parliament for the North East Scotland region. He was first elected in the 2003 general election, when he was the youngest sitting MSP, and since May 2011 is Labour's Finance spokesperson in the Scottish Parliament...
(Labour), Jamie Stone
Jamie Stone
James "Jamie" Stone is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician. He was a member of the Scottish Parliament for the constituency of Caithness, Sutherland, and Easter Ross, which is the northern-most mainland Scotland constituency and one of the largest constituencies in Britain...
(Lib Dem) who was captain, and Stewart Stevenson
Stewart Stevenson
Stewart Stevenson is a Scottish politician who became a member of the Scottish Parliament in 2001....
(SNP) beat a Welsh Assembly team by 110 points to 75.
In January 2007, The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
reported that Harper was being considered for the next Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
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...
. Harper stated that he did not know of this story, but said "it would be an honour even to be considered". Following the 2007 elections to 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...
, Harper was returned as a list MSP for the Lothians
Lothians (Scottish Parliament electoral region)
The Lothians was one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 to 2011. 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...
, this time one of only two Green Party members elected. After an agreement with the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
, the party with the largest mandate from the election, the Green MSPs including Harper voted for 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...
to become First Minister of Scotland
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...
but the Greens declined to enter a formal coalition with the SNP. As part of the deal, fellow Green MSP Patrick Harvie
Patrick Harvie
Patrick Harvie is the co-convenor of the Scottish Green Party and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow region...
was nominated to head the Holyrood Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee
Committees of the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament has a number of committees, with small numbers of Members appointed to deal with particular topics or issues.Much of the work of the Scottish Parliament is done in committee...
. In 2009, Harper and Harvie vividly demonstrated the Greens were not in an alliance with the SNP when they voted to reject an SNP government budget. He is the party's spokesman on education and young people.