Linda Fabiani | |||||||||||||||||
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 Fabiani in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||
| Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament | |||||||||||||||||
| In office 12 May 2016 – 14 May 2021 Serving with Christine Grahame andLewis Macdonald | |||||||||||||||||
| Presiding Officer | Ken Macintosh | ||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Elaine Smith | ||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Annabelle Ewing and Liam McArthur | ||||||||||||||||
| Convener of theScottish Parliament Scotland Bill Committee | |||||||||||||||||
| In office 21 June 2011 – 23 March 2016 | |||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Wendy Alexander | ||||||||||||||||
| Minister for Europe, External Affairs, Cultureand Gaelic | |||||||||||||||||
| In office 17 May 2007 – 12 February 2009 | |||||||||||||||||
| First Minister | Alex Salmond | ||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Patricia Ferguson (Minister for Gaelic) | ||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Michael Russell | ||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1956-12-14)14 December 1956 (age 69) Glasgow, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||
| Party | Scottish National Party | ||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Duncan McLean | ||||||||||||||||
| Residence(s) | Strathaven, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||
Linda Fabiani (born 14 December 1956)HonFRIASOSSIFCIH is a Scottish politician who served as aDeputy Presiding Officer in theScottish Parliament from 2016 to 2021. A member of theScottish National Party (SNP), she was theMember of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for theEast Kilbride constituency from2011 until her retirement in2021. She was previously a regional member of theScottish Parliament for theCentral Scotland region from1999 until2011.
Fabiani was born inGlasgow to a family with both Scottish and Italian roots. Prior to entering politics, she worked as director of East Kilbride Housing Association.
At1999,2003 and2007 elections, Fabiani unsuccessfully contested thefirst past the post constituency ofEast Kilbride finishing as runner up toAndy Kerr ofScottish Labour, reducing Labour's majority from 6,499 in 1999 to 1,972 in 2007. However, being listed at number five in the SNP regional list for Central Scotland in 1999, she gained a seat in the newly-established Scottish Parliament. She told theDundee Courier in January 2021 that she had been surprised to get elected at her first attempt. Following the election of 2003, she served as the SNP's Deputy Spokesman on Communities inside the Scottish Parliament and chaired the Parliament's European and External Relations Committee.
In 2007, Fabiani was madeKnight of theOrder of the Star of Italian Solidarity by Italy in recognition of her work promoting links between Scotland and Italy.[1]
With the SNP taking control of theScottish Government after the 2007 election,[2] Fabiani was appointedMinister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture. Half way through the SNP's term, she was replaced as minister byMike Russell.
In 2009, she was made an Honorary Fellow of theRoyal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. She is a former Fellow of theChartered Institute of Housing of Scotland.[3]
In May 2011, in the first SNP gain of the election, Fabiani took theEast Kilbride constituency fromAndy Kerr. With Kerr widely touted as a potential successor to Labour leaderIain Gray, this was one of the major SNP victories of the election.[4] On 21 June 2011 she became the Convener of the Scotland Bill committee.[5]
After her election, she set up a constituency office in 1/3 Strathmore House in the town centre of East Kilbride.
After being re-elected in the2016 election, Fabiani was elected as one of the twoDeputy Presiding Officers of the Scottish Parliament.
In August 2020, Fabiani announced that she would not be seeking re-election in the2021 Scottish Parliament election.[6]
In her final term, Fabiani was chosen as convenor of the Scottish Parliamentary inquiry into the government's mishandling of claims made againstAlex Salmond.[7]
| Scottish Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the Scottish Parliament forEast Kilbride 2011–2021 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| New office | Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture 2007–2009 | Succeeded byas Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution |
| Preceded by | Minister for Gaelic 2007–2009 | Succeeded by |
