Keith Brown (Scottish politician)
Keith Brown Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning | |
---|---|
In office 12 February 2009 – 12 December 2010 | |
First Minister | Alex Salmond |
Preceded by | Maureen Watt |
Succeeded by | Angela Constance |
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane Ochil (2007–11) | |
Assumed office 3 May 2007 | |
Preceded by | George Reid |
Majority | 6,721 |
Personal details | |
Born | Edinburgh, Scotland | 20 December 1961
Political party | Scottish National Party |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | University of Dundee |
Occupation | Commando, Local government official |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch/service | Royal Marines |
Years of service | 1980–83 |
Rank | Marine |
Battles/wars | Falklands War |
Keith James Brown (born 20 December 1961) is a Scottish politician serving as
Born in Edinburgh, Brown served in the Falklands War, while serving in the Royal Marines. Upon leaving, he graduated from the University of Dundee and studied abroad in Canada. He was elected to the Clackmannanshire Council, representing Alva, and later became the SNP's group leader. Brown served as the leader of Clackmannanshire Council between 1999 and 2003. In the 2007 Scottish election, he was elected to serve as the MSP for Ochil. He served as Minister for Schools and Skills from 2009 to 2010 and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure from 2010 to 2011. Brown was re-elected to the Scottish Parliament in the 2011 election, this time representing the newly drawn constituency of Clackmannanshire and Dunblane. He was appointed Minister for Housing and Transport and in 2012 he added Veterans affairs onto his portfolio.
Brown stood in the
Early life
Early years and education
Keith James Brown was born on 20 December 1961 in
Early political years
While studying at Dundee University, Brown joined the
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Brown was elected to the Scottish Parliament by Ochil constituency at the 2007 elections, increasing both absolute SNP vote and majority.[6]
He was appointed to be Convener of both the Parliament's Standards & Public Appointments Committee and Procedures Committee, and after overseeing their merger now convenes the new Standards, Procedures & Public Appointments Committee.[7]
In his maiden speech on the
Junior Minister
On 12 February 2009, Brown was appointed Minister for Schools and Skills. On 8 December 2009, Brown became Minister for Schools and Skills In the first reshuffle of the SNP Government.[11] In December 2010, he was appointed as Minister for Transport and Infrastructure in the Scottish government.[12]
Brown won re-election to the Scottish Parliament in 2011, representing the newly created Clackmannanshire and Dunblane. On 19 May 2011, Brown was named as the Minister for Housing and Transport. On 5 September 2012, he became Minister for Transport and Veterans.
SNP Deputy leadership bid, 2014
Following defeat in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Scottish National Party leader and First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond announced his resignation as SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland.[13] In the aftermath of his resignation, a leadership bid was launched, with Deputy First Minister of Scotland and SNP Deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon widely tipped to become Salmond's successor.[14][15]
On 25 September 2014, Brown officially launched his bid to become the Deputy leader of the Scottish National Party, with the backing of several SNP MSPs, as well as several Scottish Government ministers.[16][17] The results of the election were announced at the SNP Autumn Conference on the 14 November, with Brown losing the contest to Stewart Hosie, with 45.5% of the vote in the second round to Hosie's 55.5%.[18]
Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities
On 21 November 2014, he was promoted to Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities in Nicola Sturgeon's first reshuffle.[19] Brown was re-elected to the Clackmannanshire and Dunblane constituency in 2016.
Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work
On 18 May, he was reshuffled to the position of Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, while still maintaining responsibility for veterans affairs.[20]
In December 2016, Brown led calls for Amazon to pay its employees the living wage after reports surfaced concerning the conditions of workers in the company's Dunfermline depot, holding talks with Amazon several days later in which he was told Amazon would "consider" paying the living wage.[21][22][23]
In July 2017, Brown wrote to UK ministers on the need to continue legal protected status for the definition of Scotch whisky post-Brexit amid fears that in a future trade deal the USA “would support a relaxation of the definition of whisky, which would open the market up to a number of products which do not currently meet that standard.”[24][25][26] Later on in 2017 he visited the US and Canada in a series of speaking engagements to promote economic ties between North American business communities and Scotland.[27][28]
Deputy leader of the Scottish National Party
On 8 June 2018, Keith Brown became the deputy leader of the Scottish National Party, having contested and won the 2018 Scottish National Party depute leadership election with 55% of votes in the second round.[29] At his acceptance speech at the SNP conference in Aberdeen, Brown told fellow SNP members to prepare for a second Scottish independence referendum.[30][31][32] Brown also announced that he would chair three national assemblies to debate the SNP's 2018 Growth Commission report on an independent Scotland's economic prospects.[30][33][34]
Although Brown was elected Deputy Leader of the SNP,
Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans
Brown was re-appointed to the
See also
- Government of the 4th Scottish Parliament
Notes
- ^ Previously titled Minister for Transport and Infrastructure from 2010 to 2011 and Minister for Housing and Transport from 2011 to 2012
References
- ^ "New minister Keith Brown has bridge toll conviction". BBC News. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
- ^ a b "People: Keith Brown". Scottish National Party (SNP). Archived from the original on 16 January 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
- ^ a b "Personal Information". Scottish Parliament. 5 June 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
- ^ "Alba Money – Financial news and budgeting advice". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
- ^ "Alba Money – Financial news and budgeting advice". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
- ^ "BBC NEWS, Scottish elections 2007, Ochil". BBC News.
- ^ "The Scottish Parliament: – Committees – Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments". Archived from the original on 1 January 2008.
- ^ "The Courier: Taking you to the heart of Tayside and Fife". Archived from the original on 2 December 2008.
- ^ "Scotsman.com News". The Scotsman. Edinburgh.
- ^ "Show Scotland Games On Main TV Says MSP". dailyrecord. 9 January 2008.
- ^ "Cabinet and ministers at-a-glance". BBC News. 8 December 2009.
- ^ "Keith Brown named new Scottish transport minister". BBC News. 12 December 2010.
- ^ Carrell, Severin; Wintour, Patrick; Mason, Rowena (19 September 2014). "Alex Salmond resigns as first minister after Scotland rejects independence". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ "Scottish referendum: Nicola Sturgeon edges closer to SNP leadership". The Independent. 21 September 2014.
- ^ "Scottish ministers 'back Sturgeon'". BBC News. 21 September 2014.
- ^ "Transport Minister Keith Brown and Dundee MP Stewart Hosie launch rival bids for SNP Deputy Leadership". dailyrecord. 25 September 2014.
- ^ "SNP minister Yousaf supports Keith Brown deputy leadership bid". STV News. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Stewart Hosie elected deputy leader of the SNP". BBC News. 14 November 2014.
- ^ "Nicola Sturgeon announces new Scottish cabinet". BBC News. 21 November 2014.
- ^ "Who is in the 2016 Scottish cabinet?". BBC News. 18 May 2016.
- ^ "Amazon conditions talks 'productive'". BBC News. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ Cameron, Lucinda (19 December 2016). "Minister demands Amazon pays real living wage to staff". dailyrecord. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ "Minister seeks meeting over Amazon claims". BBC News. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ "Scotland calls for UK legal protection of Scotch whisky post-Brexit". The Independent. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ Barber, Lynsey (30 July 2017). "Scots call for Scotch guards in Brexit negotiations". Retrieved 9 June 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ McCulloch, Scott (31 July 2017). "Calls for Scotch whisky to be protected by UK government after Brexit". businessInsider. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ "Scotland is 'open for business' – Keith Brown". Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ "Scottish minister to tour Canada and US". BBC News. 15 October 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ SNP conference: Keith Brown elected deputy leader. BBC NEWS. Published 8 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ^ a b "Indyref2 ahead vows Keith Brown after elected SNP Depute Leader". Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ "IndyRef2 will 'undoubtedly' happen, says new SNP depute leader Keith Brown". iNews. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ "'Get ready for a second vote': New SNP depute's message to Scottish independence supporters". Evening Times. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ "New SNP depute leader Keith Brown promises a national debate on the Growth Commission at #SNP18". CommonSpace. Retrieved 9 June 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "SNP elects Keith Brown as new Depute Leader". Evening Times. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ "Nicola Sturgeon appoints new health and education secretaries". BBC News. 19 May 2021. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021.
External links
- personal website
- Scottish Parliament profiles of MSPs: Keith Brown
- profile on Bannockburn SNP branch website