Kirstene Hair
Kirstene Hair | |
|---|---|
 Hair in 2016 | |
| Member of Parliament for Angus | |
| In office 8 June 2017 – 6 November 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Mike Weir |
| Succeeded by | Dave Doogan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 August 1989[1] Brechin, Angus, Scotland |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Alma mater | University of Aberdeen |
Kirstene Janette Hair[2] (born 12 August 1989) is a former Scottish Conservative Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Angus between 2017 and 2019.
Early life and career
Hair was born on 12 August 1989 in Brechin, Angus, Scotland. She grew up in a large farming family based in Mains of Ardovie Farm. Hair has one younger brother and two older sisters. She was educated at Brechin High School where she was head girl. Hair went on to study politics at the University of Aberdeen.[3]
After graduation, Hair worked as an events manager and executive personal assistant at the Scottish publishing company DC Thomson.[3] She stood as a Scottish Conservative Party candidate for Angus South at the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, and was defeated by incumbent Scottish National Party (SNP) MSP Graeme Dey.[4]
Parliamentary career
Hair was elected to the House of Commons in 2017, overturning a majority of 11,230 to unseat the Scottish National Party (SNP) chief whip Mike Weir.[5] The constituency had been represented by a SNP MP since its creation in 1997.[6]
In the UK Parliament, she has been a member of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee, Home Affairs Select Committee, and Women and Equalities Committee. She is a member of the Regulatory Reform Committee since November 2017.[7]
Hair did not vote in the 2016 UK EU Membership referendum. In September 2017, she commented that she chose not to vote at the time as she couldn't decide on whether to support the UK leaving or remaining within the EU as she felt that there were strong arguments on both sides.[3][8] She voted for then Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit withdrawal agreement in early 2019. In the indicative votes on 27 March, Hair voted against a referendum on a withdrawal agreement, against a customs union with the EU, and against single market membership.[9]
In January 2019, she was appointed as a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) in the Ministry of Justice.[10] In June, Hair became the PPS to David Mundell, Secretary of State for Scotland.[11] In October, she voted for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit withdrawal agreement.[12] In the December general election, Hair lost her seat to the SNP candidate, Dave Doogan.[13]
References
- ^ "Members' Names Data Platform query". parliament.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
- ^ "No. 27885". The Edinburgh Gazette. 19 June 2017. p. 1076.
- ^ a b c Alexander, Michael (22 September 2017). "Newly elected Angus MP Kirstene Hair reveals why she did not vote in Brexit referendum". The Courier. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
- ^ Hamilton, Lindsey (6 May 2016). "Election 2016: SNP hold both Angus seats". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
- ^ Strachan, Graeme (9 June 2017). "Kirstene Hair sensationally topples Mike Weir to win Angus seat". The Courier. Dundee. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ "Who are Scotland's new MPs?". BBC News. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
- ^ "Kirstene Hair MP". parliament.uk.
- ^ "Scottish Tory MP set to appear on BBC Question Time in Glasgow did not vote in EU referendum". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
- ^ "How MPs voted on May's withdrawal deal defeat". Financial Times. 29 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019.
- ^ Maguire, Patrick (11 January 2019). "Scottish Tory MPs are the big winners from a quiet round of government promotions". New Statesman. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ "Parliamentary Private Secretaries June 2019" (PDF). gov.uk. p. 4. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ Buchan, Lizzy (22 October 2019). "How your MP voted for Boris Johnson's Brexit deal". The Independent. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ Meiklem, Peter John. "Angus: SNP's Dave Doogan says area has rejected 'hollow rhetoric of division and privilege' as he beats Tory Kirstene Hair". The Courier. Retrieved 13 December 2019.