Rhona Brankin

Rhona Brankin
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Midlothian
In office 6 May 1999 – 22nd March 2011
Preceded by	new constituency
Succeeded by	constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	19 January 1950 (1950-01-19) Glasgow, Scotland
Political party	Labour Co-operative
Alma mater	University of Aberdeen

Rhona Brankin (born 19 January 1950) is a former Labour Co-operative Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Midlothian constituency. She was first elected in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003 and 2007. She was one of six female Labour MSPs to stand down in 2011.

Background

Brankin is a graduate of the University of Aberdeen and before entering the Scottish Parliament she was a teacher and a lecturer on special educational needs. She was former Chair of the Scottish Labour Party. She is married with two grown-up daughters.

Scottish Parliament

Brankin was Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport in the Scottish Executive from 1999-2000 and Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development from 2000-2001. In October 2004 she was appointed Deputy Minister for Health and Community care, returning to the Environment and Rural Development portfolio in June 2005. In January 2007 she was promoted to Minister for Communities after the resignation of Malcolm Chisholm. Following Labour's defeat at the hands of the SNP at the May 2007 election, Brankin became shadow Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning.

Prior to the 2011 elections, Brankin announced her decision not to stand for re-election, retiring from Holyrood after 12 years. The Midlothian constituency underwent boundary changes, and the two new constituencies created, Midlothian North and Musselburgh, and Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, were won by the SNP.

Career timeline

Education

• Jordanhill College School, Glasgow
• Aberdeen University, BEd , History/Politics Studies, graduated 1975; Additional Teaching qualification in Primary, obtained 1982
• Moray House College of Education, Edinburgh; DipSE (Special Educational Needs), obtained 1989

Career

• 1975-1977: Teacher, Dingwall Primary School
• 1983-1984: Learning Support Teacher, Invergordon Academy
• 1984-1988: Teacher, South Lodge Primary School, Invergordon
• 1988-1990: Senior Teacher Learning Support, Alness Academy
• 1990-1994: Principal Teacher Learning Support, Inverness High School
• 1994-1999: Lecturer in Special Education Needs, Northern College, Dundee

1999-2011: MSP for Midlothian

• 1999-2000: Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport
• 2000-2001: Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development
• 2004-2005: Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care
• 2005-2007: Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development
• 2007-2007: Minister for Communities
• 2007-2008: Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment
• 2008-2009: Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

References

Scottish Parliament
Preceded by Constituency Created	Member of the Scottish Parliament for Midlothian 1999-2011	Succeeded by Constituency Abolished
Political offices
Preceded by Malcolm Chisholm	Minister for Communities 2007	Succeeded by Stewart Maxwell as Minister for Communities and Sport
Preceded by Lewis Macdonald	Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development 2005-2007	Succeeded by Sarah Boyack
Preceded by Tom McCabe	Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care 2004-2005	Succeeded by Lewis Macdonald
Preceded by John Home Robertson	Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development 2000-2001	Succeeded by Allan Wilson
Preceded by Office Created	Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport 1999-2000	Succeeded by Allan Wilson