Margaret Curran
Encyclopedia
Margaret Patricia Curran (born 24 November 1958) is a Scottish Labour Party
politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Glasgow East
since 2010, and is currently Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. She was previously Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Glasgow Baillieston
from 1999 to 2011, and held a number of posts within the Scottish Executive
, including Minister for Parliamentary Business
, Minister for Social Justice and Minister for Communities.
She first became politically active in the Glasgow University Labour Club
in the late 1970s, where she was associated with Johann Lamont and Sarah Boyack
. She held several posts in Labour student politics, including secretary and vice-chair of Glasgow University Labour Club, and chair and secretary of the Scottish Organisation of Labour Students
. She was involved in the unsuccessful campaign to elect Hortensia Allende
as rector in 1977.
She was a community worker, and then a lecturer in community education at the University of Strathclyde
. She and her husband Rab live in Glasgow with their two sons. She was Mohammad Sarwar
's election agent in Glasgow Govan
in the 1997 general election
.
, and was promoted to a junior minister when Henry McLeish
became First Minister
and later became a member of the Scottish Executive
. She served as convenor of the Social Inclusion committee, then was promoted to Deputy Minister for Social Justice. She then rose to become minister in that portfolio, which later changed to Minister for Communities, introducing the Homelessness (Scotland) Bill in September 2002. She held the position of Minister for Parliamentary Business
from 2004 until 2007.
She was re-elected comfortably in 2003 and again in 2007. Given the Scottish Labour Party's losses in that later election, she was widely viewed as a popular potential successor to Jack McConnell
as its leader, but decided not to stand against Wendy Alexander
. Curran was a favourite to succeed former Labour leader Wendy Alexander when she resigned following donation rows. Curran instead pledged her support to Iain Gray
who was standing against Cathy Jamieson
and Andy Kerr. Iain Gray was voted Scottish Labour Party Leader and appointed Curran to manage the party's 2011 election manifesto. She stood down as MSP for Glasgow Baillieston at the 2011 Scottish election.
for Glasgow East
, resigned from the House of Commons on grounds of ill health, triggering a by-election
. The Labour candidate for the by-election was to have been announced on 4 July, though the announcement was postponed when the likely choice, local councillor George Ryan, chose to withdraw from the nomination process. On 5 July Curran placed herself forward for nomination on the Labour Party's shortlist and was confirmed as their candidate on 7 July. The by-election took place on 24 July 2008 and Curran was defeated by John Mason
of the Scottish National Party
by 365 votes. The swing from Labour was 22.54%.
for Labour from the SNP. At the count, after her victory was pronounced, she walked out with the other candidates from the platform, refusing to make a speech while sharing the platform with the British National Party
candidate.
From 2010-2011, she was Shadow Minister for Disabilities
On 7 October 2011 in a shadow cabinet reshuffle, Labour leader Ed Miliband
sacked Ann McKechin and appointed Curran as her replacement for Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
. Willie Bain
, MP for Glasgow North East, also became Curran's new deputy as Shadow Scotland Office
Minister
, replacing Tom Greatrex
.
Margaret Patricia Curran (born 24 November 1958) is a Scottish Labour Party
politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Glasgow East
since 2010, and is currently Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. She was previously Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Glasgow Baillieston
from 1999 to 2011, and held a number of posts within the Scottish Executive
, including Minister for Parliamentary Business
, Minister for Social Justice and Minister for Communities.
She first became politically active in the Glasgow University Labour Club
in the late 1970s, where she was associated with Johann Lamont and Sarah Boyack
. She held several posts in Labour student politics, including secretary and vice-chair of Glasgow University Labour Club, and chair and secretary of the Scottish Organisation of Labour Students
. She was involved in the unsuccessful campaign to elect Hortensia Allende
as rector in 1977.
She was a community worker, and then a lecturer in community education at the University of Strathclyde
. She and her husband Rab live in Glasgow with their two sons. She was Mohammad Sarwar
's election agent in Glasgow Govan
in the 1997 general election
.
, and was promoted to a junior minister when Henry McLeish
became First Minister
and later became a member of the Scottish Executive
. She served as convenor of the Social Inclusion committee, then was promoted to Deputy Minister for Social Justice. She then rose to become minister in that portfolio, which later changed to Minister for Communities, introducing the Homelessness (Scotland) Bill in September 2002. She held the position of Minister for Parliamentary Business
from 2004 until 2007.
She was re-elected comfortably in 2003 and again in 2007. Given the Scottish Labour Party's losses in that later election, she was widely viewed as a popular potential successor to Jack McConnell
as its leader, but decided not to stand against Wendy Alexander
. Curran was a favourite to succeed former Labour leader Wendy Alexander when she resigned following donation rows. Curran instead pledged her support to Iain Gray
who was standing against Cathy Jamieson
and Andy Kerr. Iain Gray was voted Scottish Labour Party Leader and appointed Curran to manage the party's 2011 election manifesto. She stood down as MSP for Glasgow Baillieston at the 2011 Scottish election.
for Glasgow East
, resigned from the House of Commons on grounds of ill health, triggering a by-election
. The Labour candidate for the by-election was to have been announced on 4 July, though the announcement was postponed when the likely choice, local councillor George Ryan, chose to withdraw from the nomination process. On 5 July Curran placed herself forward for nomination on the Labour Party's shortlist and was confirmed as their candidate on 7 July. The by-election took place on 24 July 2008 and Curran was defeated by John Mason
of the Scottish National Party
by 365 votes. The swing from Labour was 22.54%.
for Labour from the SNP. At the count, after her victory was pronounced, she walked out with the other candidates from the platform, refusing to make a speech while sharing the platform with the British National Party
candidate.
From 2010-2011, she was Shadow Minister for Disabilities
On 7 October 2011 in a shadow cabinet reshuffle, Labour leader Ed Miliband
sacked Ann McKechin and appointed Curran as her replacement for Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
. Willie Bain
, MP for Glasgow North East, also became Curran's new deputy as Shadow Scotland Office
Minister
, replacing Tom Greatrex
.
Margaret Patricia Curran (born 24 November 1958) is a Scottish Labour Party
politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Glasgow East
since 2010, and is currently Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. She was previously Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Glasgow Baillieston
from 1999 to 2011, and held a number of posts within the Scottish Executive
, including Minister for Parliamentary Business
, Minister for Social Justice and Minister for Communities.
She first became politically active in the Glasgow University Labour Club
in the late 1970s, where she was associated with Johann Lamont and Sarah Boyack
. She held several posts in Labour student politics, including secretary and vice-chair of Glasgow University Labour Club, and chair and secretary of the Scottish Organisation of Labour Students
. She was involved in the unsuccessful campaign to elect Hortensia Allende
as rector in 1977.
She was a community worker, and then a lecturer in community education at the University of Strathclyde
. She and her husband Rab live in Glasgow with their two sons. She was Mohammad Sarwar
's election agent in Glasgow Govan
in the 1997 general election
.
, and was promoted to a junior minister when Henry McLeish
became First Minister
and later became a member of the Scottish Executive
. She served as convenor of the Social Inclusion committee, then was promoted to Deputy Minister for Social Justice. She then rose to become minister in that portfolio, which later changed to Minister for Communities, introducing the Homelessness (Scotland) Bill in September 2002. She held the position of Minister for Parliamentary Business
from 2004 until 2007.
She was re-elected comfortably in 2003 and again in 2007. Given the Scottish Labour Party's losses in that later election, she was widely viewed as a popular potential successor to Jack McConnell
as its leader, but decided not to stand against Wendy Alexander
. Curran was a favourite to succeed former Labour leader Wendy Alexander when she resigned following donation rows. Curran instead pledged her support to Iain Gray
who was standing against Cathy Jamieson
and Andy Kerr. Iain Gray was voted Scottish Labour Party Leader and appointed Curran to manage the party's 2011 election manifesto. She stood down as MSP for Glasgow Baillieston at the 2011 Scottish election.
for Glasgow East
, resigned from the House of Commons on grounds of ill health, triggering a by-election
. The Labour candidate for the by-election was to have been announced on 4 July, though the announcement was postponed when the likely choice, local councillor George Ryan, chose to withdraw from the nomination process. On 5 July Curran placed herself forward for nomination on the Labour Party's shortlist and was confirmed as their candidate on 7 July. The by-election took place on 24 July 2008 and Curran was defeated by John Mason
of the Scottish National Party
by 365 votes. The swing from Labour was 22.54%.
for Labour from the SNP. At the count, after her victory was pronounced, she walked out with the other candidates from the platform, refusing to make a speech while sharing the platform with the British National Party
candidate.
From 2010-2011, she was Shadow Minister for Disabilities
On 7 October 2011 in a shadow cabinet reshuffle, Labour leader Ed Miliband
sacked Ann McKechin and appointed Curran as her replacement for Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
. Willie Bain
, MP for Glasgow North East, also became Curran's new deputy as Shadow Scotland Office
Minister
, replacing Tom Greatrex
.
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who has been the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Glasgow East
Glasgow East (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow East is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
since 2010, and is currently Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. She was previously 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 Glasgow Baillieston
Glasgow Baillieston (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Baillieston was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
from 1999 to 2011, and held a number of posts within 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...
, including Minister for Parliamentary Business
Minister for Parliamentary Business
The Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy is a cabinet post is the Scottish Government whose job it is to steer government business through the Scottish Parliament...
, Minister for Social Justice and Minister for Communities.
Background
Curran was educated at Our Lady and St Francis School, in Glasgow.She first became politically active in the Glasgow University Labour Club
Glasgow University Labour Club
Glasgow University Labour Club was formed in 1946, and has served as a training ground for a number of prominent Labour politicians of the twentieth century. Membership is open to all matriculated students of the University....
in the late 1970s, where she was associated with Johann Lamont and Sarah Boyack
Sarah Boyack
Sarah Boyack MSP is a Scottish Labour MSP for the Lothian region and formerly constituency MSP for Edinburgh Central in the Scottish Parliament....
. She held several posts in Labour student politics, including secretary and vice-chair of Glasgow University Labour Club, and chair and secretary of the Scottish Organisation of Labour Students
Scottish Labour Students
Scottish Labour Students , is a student society, affiliated to the Scottish Labour Party and forms an important part of the UK-wide organisation Labour Students....
. She was involved in the unsuccessful campaign to elect Hortensia Allende
Hortensia Bussi
thumb|Bussi in Brussels in 1984Mercedes Hortensia Bussi Soto de Allende was the widow of Chilean President Salvador Allende. She was married to him from 1940 until he was deposed and assassinated in 1973, serving as First Lady of Chile from 1970 to 1973...
as rector in 1977.
She was a community worker, and then a lecturer in community education at the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
. She and her husband Rab live in Glasgow with their two sons. She was Mohammad Sarwar
Mohammad Sarwar
Mohammad Sarwar is a British Labour Party politician who was a Member of Parliament in Glasgow from 1997 to 2010, first for Glasgow Govan and then from 2005 for Glasgow Central. He was the first ever British Muslim MP....
's election agent in Glasgow Govan
Glasgow Govan (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Govan was a parliamentary constituency in the Govan district of Glasgow. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 2005, returning one Member of Parliament elected by the first-past-the-post system.The area which the constituency...
in the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
In 1999 she was elected to the new 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...
, and was promoted to a junior minister when Henry McLeish
Henry McLeish
Henry Baird McLeish is a Scottish Labour Party politician, author and academic. Formerly a professional association football player, McLeish was the Member of Parliament for Central Fife from 1987 to 2001 and the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Fife from 1999 to 2003, during which...
became 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...
and later became a member of 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...
. She served as convenor of the Social Inclusion committee, then was promoted to Deputy Minister for Social Justice. She then rose to become minister in that portfolio, which later changed to Minister for Communities, introducing the Homelessness (Scotland) Bill in September 2002. She held the position of Minister for Parliamentary Business
Minister for Parliamentary Business
The Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy is a cabinet post is the Scottish Government whose job it is to steer government business through the Scottish Parliament...
from 2004 until 2007.
She was re-elected comfortably in 2003 and again in 2007. Given the Scottish Labour Party's losses in that later election, she was widely viewed as a popular potential successor to Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
as its leader, but decided not to stand against Wendy Alexander
Wendy Alexander
Wendy Alexander is a Scottish politician and the former Member of the Scottish Parliament for Paisley North. She held various Scottish Government cabinet posts and was the leader of the Labour Party group in the Scottish Parliament from 2007-2008...
. Curran was a favourite to succeed former Labour leader Wendy Alexander when she resigned following donation rows. Curran instead pledged her support to Iain Gray
Iain Gray
Iain Gray is a Scottish politician and the Leader of Scottish Labour Party Opposition in the Scottish Parliament. Gray was elected as the Member of the Scottish Parliament for the East Lothian constituency in 2007 having previously represented Edinburgh Pentlands from 1999 to 2003.-Background and...
who was standing against Cathy Jamieson
Cathy Jamieson
Catherine Mary "Cathy" Jamieson is a UK Labour party politician and the Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock & Loudoun. She has previously been Deputy Leader and Acting Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, former Minister for Justice in the Scottish Executive, and Labour Co-operative Member of the...
and Andy Kerr. Iain Gray was voted Scottish Labour Party Leader and appointed Curran to manage the party's 2011 election manifesto. She stood down as MSP for Glasgow Baillieston at the 2011 Scottish election.
2008 Glasgow East by-election
On 30 June 2008 David Marshall, MPMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Glasgow East
Glasgow East (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow East is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
, resigned from the House of Commons on grounds of ill health, triggering a by-election
Glasgow East by-election, 2008
The 2008 Glasgow East by-election was a by-election for the UK Parliamentary constituency of Glasgow East which was held on 24 July 2008. The election was triggered when, on 30 June 2008, the sitting MP David Marshall stood down due to ill health....
. The Labour candidate for the by-election was to have been announced on 4 July, though the announcement was postponed when the likely choice, local councillor George Ryan, chose to withdraw from the nomination process. On 5 July Curran placed herself forward for nomination on the Labour Party's shortlist and was confirmed as their candidate on 7 July. The by-election took place on 24 July 2008 and Curran was defeated by John Mason
John Mason (Scottish politician)
John Fingland Mason MSP is a Scottish politician and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Shettleston.He was the SNP Member of Parliament for Glasgow East from 2008 to 2010.-Background:...
of 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....
by 365 votes. The swing from Labour was 22.54%.
Member of Parliament
In the general election, Curran back Glasgow EastGlasgow East (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow East is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
for Labour from the SNP. At the count, after her victory was pronounced, she walked out with the other candidates from the platform, refusing to make a speech while sharing the platform with the British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
candidate.
From 2010-2011, she was Shadow Minister for Disabilities
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
On 7 October 2011 in a shadow cabinet reshuffle, Labour leader Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
sacked Ann McKechin and appointed Curran as her replacement for Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
. Willie Bain
Willie Bain
William Thomas Bain is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Glasgow North East since 2009....
, MP for Glasgow North East, also became Curran's new deputy as Shadow Scotland Office
Scotland Office
The Scotland Office is a United Kingdom government department headed by the Secretary of State for Scotland and responsible for Scottish affairs...
Minister
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
, replacing Tom Greatrex
Tom Greatrex
Thomas James Greatrex is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Rutherglen and Hamilton West since 2010. He is presently Shadow Energy Minister.-Early life:Greatrex was born in Kent...
.
External links
- Margaret Curran MSP official website
- Margaret Curran MSP Scottish Labour website
- Scottish Parliament biography
Margaret Patricia Curran (born 24 November 1958) is a Scottish Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who has been the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Glasgow East
Glasgow East (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow East is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
since 2010, and is currently Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. She was previously 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 Glasgow Baillieston
Glasgow Baillieston (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Baillieston was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
from 1999 to 2011, and held a number of posts within 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...
, including Minister for Parliamentary Business
Minister for Parliamentary Business
The Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy is a cabinet post is the Scottish Government whose job it is to steer government business through the Scottish Parliament...
, Minister for Social Justice and Minister for Communities.
Background
Curran was educated at Our Lady and St Francis School, in Glasgow.She first became politically active in the Glasgow University Labour Club
Glasgow University Labour Club
Glasgow University Labour Club was formed in 1946, and has served as a training ground for a number of prominent Labour politicians of the twentieth century. Membership is open to all matriculated students of the University....
in the late 1970s, where she was associated with Johann Lamont and Sarah Boyack
Sarah Boyack
Sarah Boyack MSP is a Scottish Labour MSP for the Lothian region and formerly constituency MSP for Edinburgh Central in the Scottish Parliament....
. She held several posts in Labour student politics, including secretary and vice-chair of Glasgow University Labour Club, and chair and secretary of the Scottish Organisation of Labour Students
Scottish Labour Students
Scottish Labour Students , is a student society, affiliated to the Scottish Labour Party and forms an important part of the UK-wide organisation Labour Students....
. She was involved in the unsuccessful campaign to elect Hortensia Allende
Hortensia Bussi
thumb|Bussi in Brussels in 1984Mercedes Hortensia Bussi Soto de Allende was the widow of Chilean President Salvador Allende. She was married to him from 1940 until he was deposed and assassinated in 1973, serving as First Lady of Chile from 1970 to 1973...
as rector in 1977.
She was a community worker, and then a lecturer in community education at the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
. She and her husband Rab live in Glasgow with their two sons. She was Mohammad Sarwar
Mohammad Sarwar
Mohammad Sarwar is a British Labour Party politician who was a Member of Parliament in Glasgow from 1997 to 2010, first for Glasgow Govan and then from 2005 for Glasgow Central. He was the first ever British Muslim MP....
's election agent in Glasgow Govan
Glasgow Govan (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Govan was a parliamentary constituency in the Govan district of Glasgow. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 2005, returning one Member of Parliament elected by the first-past-the-post system.The area which the constituency...
in the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
In 1999 she was elected to the new 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...
, and was promoted to a junior minister when Henry McLeish
Henry McLeish
Henry Baird McLeish is a Scottish Labour Party politician, author and academic. Formerly a professional association football player, McLeish was the Member of Parliament for Central Fife from 1987 to 2001 and the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Fife from 1999 to 2003, during which...
became 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...
and later became a member of 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...
. She served as convenor of the Social Inclusion committee, then was promoted to Deputy Minister for Social Justice. She then rose to become minister in that portfolio, which later changed to Minister for Communities, introducing the Homelessness (Scotland) Bill in September 2002. She held the position of Minister for Parliamentary Business
Minister for Parliamentary Business
The Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy is a cabinet post is the Scottish Government whose job it is to steer government business through the Scottish Parliament...
from 2004 until 2007.
She was re-elected comfortably in 2003 and again in 2007. Given the Scottish Labour Party's losses in that later election, she was widely viewed as a popular potential successor to Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
as its leader, but decided not to stand against Wendy Alexander
Wendy Alexander
Wendy Alexander is a Scottish politician and the former Member of the Scottish Parliament for Paisley North. She held various Scottish Government cabinet posts and was the leader of the Labour Party group in the Scottish Parliament from 2007-2008...
. Curran was a favourite to succeed former Labour leader Wendy Alexander when she resigned following donation rows. Curran instead pledged her support to Iain Gray
Iain Gray
Iain Gray is a Scottish politician and the Leader of Scottish Labour Party Opposition in the Scottish Parliament. Gray was elected as the Member of the Scottish Parliament for the East Lothian constituency in 2007 having previously represented Edinburgh Pentlands from 1999 to 2003.-Background and...
who was standing against Cathy Jamieson
Cathy Jamieson
Catherine Mary "Cathy" Jamieson is a UK Labour party politician and the Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock & Loudoun. She has previously been Deputy Leader and Acting Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, former Minister for Justice in the Scottish Executive, and Labour Co-operative Member of the...
and Andy Kerr. Iain Gray was voted Scottish Labour Party Leader and appointed Curran to manage the party's 2011 election manifesto. She stood down as MSP for Glasgow Baillieston at the 2011 Scottish election.
2008 Glasgow East by-election
On 30 June 2008 David Marshall, MPMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Glasgow East
Glasgow East (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow East is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
, resigned from the House of Commons on grounds of ill health, triggering a by-election
Glasgow East by-election, 2008
The 2008 Glasgow East by-election was a by-election for the UK Parliamentary constituency of Glasgow East which was held on 24 July 2008. The election was triggered when, on 30 June 2008, the sitting MP David Marshall stood down due to ill health....
. The Labour candidate for the by-election was to have been announced on 4 July, though the announcement was postponed when the likely choice, local councillor George Ryan, chose to withdraw from the nomination process. On 5 July Curran placed herself forward for nomination on the Labour Party's shortlist and was confirmed as their candidate on 7 July. The by-election took place on 24 July 2008 and Curran was defeated by John Mason
John Mason (Scottish politician)
John Fingland Mason MSP is a Scottish politician and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Shettleston.He was the SNP Member of Parliament for Glasgow East from 2008 to 2010.-Background:...
of 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....
by 365 votes. The swing from Labour was 22.54%.
Member of Parliament
In the general election, Curran back Glasgow EastGlasgow East (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow East is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
for Labour from the SNP. At the count, after her victory was pronounced, she walked out with the other candidates from the platform, refusing to make a speech while sharing the platform with the British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
candidate.
From 2010-2011, she was Shadow Minister for Disabilities
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
On 7 October 2011 in a shadow cabinet reshuffle, Labour leader Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
sacked Ann McKechin and appointed Curran as her replacement for Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
. Willie Bain
Willie Bain
William Thomas Bain is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Glasgow North East since 2009....
, MP for Glasgow North East, also became Curran's new deputy as Shadow Scotland Office
Scotland Office
The Scotland Office is a United Kingdom government department headed by the Secretary of State for Scotland and responsible for Scottish affairs...
Minister
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
, replacing Tom Greatrex
Tom Greatrex
Thomas James Greatrex is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Rutherglen and Hamilton West since 2010. He is presently Shadow Energy Minister.-Early life:Greatrex was born in Kent...
.
External links
- Margaret Curran MSP official website
- Margaret Curran MSP Scottish Labour website
- Scottish Parliament biography
Margaret Patricia Curran (born 24 November 1958) is a Scottish Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who has been the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Glasgow East
Glasgow East (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow East is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
since 2010, and is currently Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. She was previously 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 Glasgow Baillieston
Glasgow Baillieston (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Baillieston was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
from 1999 to 2011, and held a number of posts within 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...
, including Minister for Parliamentary Business
Minister for Parliamentary Business
The Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy is a cabinet post is the Scottish Government whose job it is to steer government business through the Scottish Parliament...
, Minister for Social Justice and Minister for Communities.
Background
Curran was educated at Our Lady and St Francis School, in Glasgow.She first became politically active in the Glasgow University Labour Club
Glasgow University Labour Club
Glasgow University Labour Club was formed in 1946, and has served as a training ground for a number of prominent Labour politicians of the twentieth century. Membership is open to all matriculated students of the University....
in the late 1970s, where she was associated with Johann Lamont and Sarah Boyack
Sarah Boyack
Sarah Boyack MSP is a Scottish Labour MSP for the Lothian region and formerly constituency MSP for Edinburgh Central in the Scottish Parliament....
. She held several posts in Labour student politics, including secretary and vice-chair of Glasgow University Labour Club, and chair and secretary of the Scottish Organisation of Labour Students
Scottish Labour Students
Scottish Labour Students , is a student society, affiliated to the Scottish Labour Party and forms an important part of the UK-wide organisation Labour Students....
. She was involved in the unsuccessful campaign to elect Hortensia Allende
Hortensia Bussi
thumb|Bussi in Brussels in 1984Mercedes Hortensia Bussi Soto de Allende was the widow of Chilean President Salvador Allende. She was married to him from 1940 until he was deposed and assassinated in 1973, serving as First Lady of Chile from 1970 to 1973...
as rector in 1977.
She was a community worker, and then a lecturer in community education at the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
. She and her husband Rab live in Glasgow with their two sons. She was Mohammad Sarwar
Mohammad Sarwar
Mohammad Sarwar is a British Labour Party politician who was a Member of Parliament in Glasgow from 1997 to 2010, first for Glasgow Govan and then from 2005 for Glasgow Central. He was the first ever British Muslim MP....
's election agent in Glasgow Govan
Glasgow Govan (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Govan was a parliamentary constituency in the Govan district of Glasgow. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 2005, returning one Member of Parliament elected by the first-past-the-post system.The area which the constituency...
in the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
In 1999 she was elected to the new 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...
, and was promoted to a junior minister when Henry McLeish
Henry McLeish
Henry Baird McLeish is a Scottish Labour Party politician, author and academic. Formerly a professional association football player, McLeish was the Member of Parliament for Central Fife from 1987 to 2001 and the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Fife from 1999 to 2003, during which...
became 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...
and later became a member of 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...
. She served as convenor of the Social Inclusion committee, then was promoted to Deputy Minister for Social Justice. She then rose to become minister in that portfolio, which later changed to Minister for Communities, introducing the Homelessness (Scotland) Bill in September 2002. She held the position of Minister for Parliamentary Business
Minister for Parliamentary Business
The Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy is a cabinet post is the Scottish Government whose job it is to steer government business through the Scottish Parliament...
from 2004 until 2007.
She was re-elected comfortably in 2003 and again in 2007. Given the Scottish Labour Party's losses in that later election, she was widely viewed as a popular potential successor to Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
as its leader, but decided not to stand against Wendy Alexander
Wendy Alexander
Wendy Alexander is a Scottish politician and the former Member of the Scottish Parliament for Paisley North. She held various Scottish Government cabinet posts and was the leader of the Labour Party group in the Scottish Parliament from 2007-2008...
. Curran was a favourite to succeed former Labour leader Wendy Alexander when she resigned following donation rows. Curran instead pledged her support to Iain Gray
Iain Gray
Iain Gray is a Scottish politician and the Leader of Scottish Labour Party Opposition in the Scottish Parliament. Gray was elected as the Member of the Scottish Parliament for the East Lothian constituency in 2007 having previously represented Edinburgh Pentlands from 1999 to 2003.-Background and...
who was standing against Cathy Jamieson
Cathy Jamieson
Catherine Mary "Cathy" Jamieson is a UK Labour party politician and the Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock & Loudoun. She has previously been Deputy Leader and Acting Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, former Minister for Justice in the Scottish Executive, and Labour Co-operative Member of the...
and Andy Kerr. Iain Gray was voted Scottish Labour Party Leader and appointed Curran to manage the party's 2011 election manifesto. She stood down as MSP for Glasgow Baillieston at the 2011 Scottish election.
2008 Glasgow East by-election
On 30 June 2008 David Marshall, MPMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Glasgow East
Glasgow East (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow East is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
, resigned from the House of Commons on grounds of ill health, triggering a by-election
Glasgow East by-election, 2008
The 2008 Glasgow East by-election was a by-election for the UK Parliamentary constituency of Glasgow East which was held on 24 July 2008. The election was triggered when, on 30 June 2008, the sitting MP David Marshall stood down due to ill health....
. The Labour candidate for the by-election was to have been announced on 4 July, though the announcement was postponed when the likely choice, local councillor George Ryan, chose to withdraw from the nomination process. On 5 July Curran placed herself forward for nomination on the Labour Party's shortlist and was confirmed as their candidate on 7 July. The by-election took place on 24 July 2008 and Curran was defeated by John Mason
John Mason (Scottish politician)
John Fingland Mason MSP is a Scottish politician and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Shettleston.He was the SNP Member of Parliament for Glasgow East from 2008 to 2010.-Background:...
of 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....
by 365 votes. The swing from Labour was 22.54%.
Member of Parliament
In the general election, Curran back Glasgow EastGlasgow East (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow East is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
for Labour from the SNP. At the count, after her victory was pronounced, she walked out with the other candidates from the platform, refusing to make a speech while sharing the platform with the British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
candidate.
From 2010-2011, she was Shadow Minister for Disabilities
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
On 7 October 2011 in a shadow cabinet reshuffle, Labour leader Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
sacked Ann McKechin and appointed Curran as her replacement for Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
. Willie Bain
Willie Bain
William Thomas Bain is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Glasgow North East since 2009....
, MP for Glasgow North East, also became Curran's new deputy as Shadow Scotland Office
Scotland Office
The Scotland Office is a United Kingdom government department headed by the Secretary of State for Scotland and responsible for Scottish affairs...
Minister
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
, replacing Tom Greatrex
Tom Greatrex
Thomas James Greatrex is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Rutherglen and Hamilton West since 2010. He is presently Shadow Energy Minister.-Early life:Greatrex was born in Kent...
.
External links
- Margaret Curran MSP official website
- Margaret Curran MSP Scottish Labour website
- Scottish Parliament biography