Keith Brown (Scottish politician)

For other people with the same name, see Keith Brown (disambiguation).

Keith Brown MSP
File:Keith Brown MSP.jpg
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work
Incumbent
Assumed office 18 May 2016
First Minister	Nicola Sturgeon
Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities
In office 21 November 2014 – 18 May 2016
First Minister	Nicola Sturgeon
Preceded by	Nicola Sturgeon
Minister for Transport and Veterans Transport and Infrastructure (2010–11) Housing and Transport (2011–12)
In office 11 December 2010 – 21 November 2014
First Minister	Alex Salmond
Preceded by	Stewart Stevenson
Succeeded by	Derek Mackay (as Minister for Transport and Islands
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)
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 May 2007
Preceded by	George Reid
Majority	6,721
Personal details
Born	(1961-12-20) 20 December 1961 Edinburgh, Scotland
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 and former Royal Marine who has been the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work since May 2016. He is a Scottish National Party (SNP) Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), first representing the Ochil constituency 2007–2011, then the Clackmannanshire and Dunblane constituency since 2011.

Early career

Born in Edinburgh, Brown attended Tynecastle High School in the city, before joining the Royal Marines and serving in the Falklands War. Upon leaving the Marines he attended the University of Dundee where he joined the SNP, graduating in Politics in 1988. During his time at the University of Dundee, he studied aboard at the University of Prince Edward Island between 1985-1986. He then went to work in local government administration in Stirling and was also an active trade union representative with UNISON.

He was the SNP candidate for the European Parliament for Lothians constituency in 1994, coming second with 53,324 votes. Brown was then elected to represent Alva on Clackmannanshire Council in a by-election in 1996. He became group leader in 1997, and then Leader of the Council after the SNP took control of Clackmannanshire in the 2003 elections.

Holyrood

Brown was elected to the Scottish Parliament by Ochil constituency at the 2007 elections, increasing both absolute SNP vote and majority.

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.

In his maiden speech on the abolition of bridge tolls he declared that he still had an outstanding fine from the Skye Bridge protests of 1994. He has been an opponent of the proposals for an overhead electricity line from Beauly to Denny, arguing for an underground alternative. Brown has also been campaigning for Scotland football matches to be available on terrestrial television.

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. In December 2010, he was appointed as Minister for Transport and Infrastructure in the Scottish government.

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 Depute leadership bid, 2014

Further information: Scottish National Party leadership election, 2014

Following defeat in the Scottish independence referendum, 2014, Scottish National Party leader and First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond announced his resignation as SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland. In the aftermath of his resignation, a leadership bid was launched, with Deputy First Minister of Scotland and SNP Depute leader Nicola Sturgeon widely tipped to become Salmond's successor.

On 25 September 2014, Brown officially launched his bid to become the Depute leader of the Scottish National Party, with the backing of several SNP MSPs, as well as several Scottish Government ministers. 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%.

Cabinet

On 21 November 2014, he was promoted to Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities in Nicola Sturgeon's first reshuffle. Brown was re-elected to the Clackmannanshire and Dunblane constituency in 2016. On 18 May he became the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work.

See also

• Government of the 4th Scottish Parliament

External links

• personal website
• profile on Scottish Parliament website
• profile on Bannockburn SNP branch website