Linda Fabiani

Linda Fabiani
MSP
Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
Assumed office
12 May 2016
Serving with Christine Grahame
Preceded by Elaine Smith
Convener of the Scottish Parliament Scotland Bill Committee
In office
21 June 2011  23 March 2016
Preceded by Wendy Alexander
Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture
and Minister for Gaelic
In office
17 May 2007  12 February 2009
First Minister Alex Salmond
Preceded by Patricia Ferguson
(as Minister for Gaelic)
Succeeded by Michael Russell
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for East Kilbride
Assumed office
5 May 2011
Preceded by Andy Kerr
Majority 1,949 (6.5%)
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Central Scotland
In office
6 May 1999  6 May 2011
Preceded by new parliament
Personal details
Born (1956-12-14) 14 December 1956
Political party Scottish National Party
Spouse(s) Duncan McLean
Residence Strathaven

Linda Fabiani (born 14 December 1956 in Glasgow) is a Scottish politician, with Italian origins. A member of the Scottish National Party, she is the Member of the Scottish Parliament for East Kilbride.

She was elected as a regional member of the Scottish Parliament to represent Central Scotland at the 1999 election. She was re-elected as a regional member at the elections of 2003 and 2007

At each of these elections, Fabiani had also contested the First past the post constituency of East Kilbride finishing as runner up to Andy Kerr of Labour, reducing Labour's majority from 6,499 in 1999 to 1,972 in 2007.

Following the election of 2003, she served as the SNP's Deputy Spokesman on Communities inside the Scottish Parliament and chaired the Parliament's European and External Relations Committee.

In 2007, Fabiani was made Knight of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity by Italy in recognition of her work promoting links between Scotland and Italy.[1]

With the SNP taking control of the Scottish Government after the 2007 election,[2] Fabiani was appointed Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture. Half way though the SNP's term, she was replaced as minister by Mike Russell.

In 2009, she was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland.

In May 2011, in the first SNP gain of the election, Fabiani took the East Kilbride constituency from Andy Kerr. With Kerr widely touted as a potential successor to Labour Leader Iain Gray, this was one of the major SNP victories of the election.[3]

After her election, she set up a constituency office in 1/3 Strathmore House in the town centre of East Kilbride.

After being re-elected in the 2016 election, Fabiani was elected as one of the two Deputy Presiding Officers of the Scottish Parliament.

References

Political offices
Preceded by
New post
Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture
20072009
Succeeded by
Mike Russell
(as Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution)
Preceded by
Patricia Ferguson
Minister for Gaelic
20072009
Succeeded by
Mike Russell
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