Alasdair Allan | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2021 | |
| Acting Minister for Climate Action | |
| Acting 1 July 2024 – 15 June 2025 | |
| First Minister | John Swinney |
| Minister for International Development and Europe | |
| In office 18 May 2016 – 26 June 2018 | |
| First Minister | Nicola Sturgeon |
| Preceded by | Humza Yousaf |
| Succeeded by | Ben Macpherson |
| Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages[1] | |
| In office 20 May 2011 – 18 May 2016 | |
| First Minister | Alex Salmond Nicola Sturgeon |
| Preceded by | Angela Constance |
| Succeeded by | Shirley-Anne Somerville |
| Member of the Scottish Parliament forNa h-Eileanan an Iar | |
| Assumed office 3 May 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Alasdair Morrison |
| Majority | 3,441 (23.7%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1971-05-06)6 May 1971 (age 54) Ashkirk, Scotland |
| Party | Scottish National Party |
| Alma mater | University of Aberdeen University of Glasgow |
Alasdair James Allan (born 6 May 1971) is a Scottish politician serving as theMember of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for theNa h-Eileanan an Iar constituency since2007. A member of theScottish National Party (SNP), he served in theScottish Government from 2011 to 2018, first asMinister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages and thenMinister for International Development and Europe. Most recently, he served asActing Minister for Climate Action between July 2024 and June 2025, during the maternity leave ofCabinet Secretary for Net Zero and EnergyMàiri McAllan.[2]
Alasdair James Allan was born on 6 May 1971 inAshkirk to Christine and John H. Allan.[3] Allan graduated from theUniversity of Glasgow with an MA in Scottish Language and Literature, continuing his studies at theUniversity of Aberdeen, graduating with a PhD inScots language in 1998.[4]
He devoted his time and employment to theScottish National Party inPeterhead, working forAlex Salmond, the formerFirst Minister of Scotland, and he subsequently became assistant toMichael Russell.[5] Previous to becoming an MSP, Alasdair was senior media relations officer for theChurch of Scotland.[6]
Allan was the SNP candidate forGordon at the2003 Scottish Parliament election. As National Secretary of the SNP, he was responsible in July 2004 for the expulsion ofCampbell Martin from the party after Martin had claimed that there was a case for supporters of independence not voting SNP.[7]
Allan was next in line to become a list MSP forNorth East Scotland whenRichard Lochhead resigned to fight theMoray by-election, however he decided instead to devote himself to contestingNa h-Eileanan an Iar, a keyLabour–SNPmarginal seat in the2007 Scottish Parliament election. He relocated toLewis and resigned his post as SNP National Secretary.[8] This move proved successful, as he was elected with 46.6% of the vote – a 5.4% swing from Labour.
In the2011 Scottish Parliament election Allan again stood for the SNP in the now renamed seat of Na h-Eileanan an Iar and increased his majority, returning to Holyrood with 65.3% of the vote, an increase of 18.7% and a swing of 15.8% from Labour.[9]
Between 2011 and 2018, he served as a junior minister in the governments ofAlex Salmond andNicola Sturgeon. First asMinister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages between 2011 and 2016. And then asMinister for International Development and Europe between 2016 and 2018, during the aftermath of the2016 UK referendum on EU membership.[10]
In 2014, Allan voted againstsame-sex marriage in Scotland, saying "the view which so many of my constituents have expressed to me has a right to be recorded" – in contrast to the position of the majority of the SNP government.[11]
Between 2020 and 2021, Allan served as a member of the high profileCommittee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints which investigated the government'shandling of complaints made against former First Minister Alex Salmond.[12]
In May 2023, along with fellow Highlands MSPsKate Forbes andFergus Ewing, Allan rebelled against the SNP whip in a vote on the Scottish Government's plans to introduce Highly Protected Marin Areas (HPMAs) in Scotland, which would have restricted fishing access in certain areas.[13] In the debate on the motion Allan said that, while not a natural rebel, "I feel that I have little choice today but to apply some real pressure on behalf of my genuinely worried island constituents."[14]
DuringMàiri McAllan's maternity leave between July 2024 and June 2025 he served asActing Minister for Climate Action whileGillian Martin, who normally held the role, took on McAllan's responsibilities asCabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy.[15]
Allan is quadrilingual, and is able to speak:Scottish Gaelic,Norwegian,English andScots.[16]
In 2021, Allan wrote a book,Tweed Rins tae the Ocean (Tweed Runs to the Ocean), in response to claims made by former Conservative MPRory Stewart that theAnglo-Scottish border was unnatural.[17] Allan walked the Border and recorded his travels, similar to what Stewart did for his bookThe Marches.[18]
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link)| Party political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | National Secretary of the Scottish National Party 2003–2006 | Succeeded by |
| Scottish Parliament | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the Scottish Parliament for theWestern Isles 2007–present | Incumbent |
| International | |
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| National | |
