Claire Baker

Claire Baker
MSP
Deputy Convener of the
Scottish Parliament
Education and Culture Committee
Assumed office
14 June 2011
Preceded by Kenneth Gibson
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Mid Scotland and Fife
Assumed office
3 May 2007
Personal details
Born Claire Josephine Brennan
(1971-03-04) 4 March 1971
Political party Scottish Labour Party
Spouse(s) Richard Baker

Claire Josephine Baker (née Brennan; born 4 March 1971) is a Scottish Labour Party politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Scotland and Fife since 2007.

Background

Claire Baker was born and bred in Fife, having grown up in Kelty, and attended primary and secondary schools in Fife.[1] She is married to Richard Baker,[2] former MSP for North East Scotland.

Career

Prior to being elected for the Mid Scotland and Fife region in May 2007, Baker worked in a variety of research and policy posts. This included working as a Research Officer for the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Group, Research Officer for the trade union Amicus and a similar role for the Royal College of Nursing. Immediately prior to being elected to the Scottish Parliament, she was Policy Manager for the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the umbrella body for charities and community and voluntary organisations in Scotland. .

In the 2011 election, Baker contested the seat of Mid Fife and Glenrothes but lost to the SNP's Tricia Marwick, who subsequently resigned from the SNP to become the Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer. However, she was successfully returned to the Scottish Parliament as 2nd on Labour's Mid Scotland and Fife regional list.

She was Labour's Shadow Minister for Education in the Scottish Parliament. In the current session of Parliament, Baker has been appointed the Deputy Convener of the Education and Culture Committee.

In the Holyrood election of 2016, Baker unsuccessfully stood in the Kirkcaldy constituency and was defeated by David Torrance of the Scottish National Party, suffering a swing against Labour of 15.8%. She was subsequently returned to the Scottish Parliament as a member for Mid Scotland and Fife on the regional list as Labour's 2nd place candidate.

References

  1. ↑ Baker, Claire. "Biography – Claire Baker, MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife". Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  2. ↑ MSPs at their best for ceremony, BBC News, 9 May 2007
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