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Jenny Gilruth

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Jenny Gilruth
MSP
Official portrait, 2023
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
Incumbent
Assumed office
29 March 2023
First MinisterHumza Yousaf
John Swinney
Preceded byShirley-Anne Somerville
Minister for Transport
In office
24 January 2022 – 29 March 2023
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byGraeme Dey
Succeeded byKevin Stewart
Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development
In office
17 February 2020 – 24 January 2022
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byBen Macpherson
Succeeded byNeil Gray
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Mid Fife and Glenrothes
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2016
Preceded byTricia Marwick
Majority10,234 (31.3%)
Personal details
Born
Jennifer Madeleine Gilruth

1984 (age 39–40)
Aberdeen, Scotland
Political partyScottish National Party
Spouse
​
(m. 2022)​
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow
University of Strathclyde
Websitewww.jennygilruthmsp.scot

Jennifer Madeleine Gilruth (born 1984) is a Scottish politician who has served as the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills since 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Mid Fife and Glenrothes since 2016.[1]

In the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Gilruth was elected as a member of the Scottish Parliament for the Mid Fife and Glenrothes constituency. She sat on the SNP's backbenches and served successively in the parliament's education, health, justice and social security committees. On 17 February 2020, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon appointed Gilruth to the Scottish Government as the minister for culture, Europe and international development. She was later reshuffled as the transport minister and oversaw the transition of the public ownership of ScotRail. Following Humza Yousaf's appointment as first minister of Scotland, a campaign Gilruth endorsed, she was subsequently appointed to cabinet as the education secretary.

Early life and career

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Gilruth was first raised in Banff, Aberdeenshire, before her family moved to Ceres, Fife.[2] Her father was born and raised in Newport-on-Tay.[3] She was educated at Madras College (St Andrews, Fife)[4] and lives in Markinch. She graduated from the University of Glasgow with a degree in sociology and politics, and obtained her Professional Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Strathclyde.[4][2]

Before becoming an MSP, Gilruth was a Principal Teacher of Social Subjects at St. Columba's Roman Catholic High School, Dunfermline, she was previously a National Qualifications Development Officer at Education Scotland, and prior to that taught Modern Studies at the Royal High School, in Edinburgh.[5] Gilruth also marked exams for the Scottish Qualifications Authority and is a published author.[6]

Political career

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Member of Scottish Parliament (2016-present)

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In April 2016, Gilruth was nominated as the SNP's candidate for Mid Fife and Glenrothes in the Scottish Parliament election on 5 May 2016.[7] She won the seat with 15,555 votes (54.9% of the vote), with a majority of 8,236; more than double the votes cast for second-place candidate Kay Morrison of Scottish Labour.[8] She succeeded Tricia Marwick, who had been the Presiding Officer in the 4th Scottish Parliament (2011–16).[9]

Junior minister (2020-2022)

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In February 2020, Gilruth joined the Scottish Government as Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development as part of the reshuffle following the resignation of Cabinet Secretary for Finance Derek Mackay.[10]

Minister for Transport (2022-2023)

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In a ministerial reshuffle on 24 January 2022, Gilruth was appointed as Minister for Transport, following the resignation of Graeme Dey.[11][12] She said: "The transport portfolio is an exciting opportunity to not just shape the infrastructure of our country but to also help Scotland become a world leader in achieving our goal to become net zero by 2045."[11][12] As Transport Minister, she was involved in managing issues related to ScotRail train services and a dispute with ASLEF, as well as responsibilities relating to the provision of Scottish ferries.[2][13] In June 2022, she responded to questions in the Scottish Parliament about her accountability and responsibility in resolving the ScotRail/ASLEF pay dispute.[2][13]

Education Secretary (2023-present)

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See also: Premiership of Humza Yousaf, First Yousaf government, Second Yousaf government, and Swinney government
Gilruth at Craigmount High School on Exam Results Day, 2023

On 29 March 2023, newly appointed First Minister Humza Yousaf promoted Gilruth to the Scottish Cabinet as the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, succeeding Shirley-Anne Somerville.[14][15] Following Yousaf's resignation as First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party in May 2024, Gilruth retained the post of Cabinet Secretary for Education in the Swinney government.[16]

Gilruth came under criticism in February 2024 as it became to light that she had not read a report into violence in schools in the Aberdeen City Council area. Scotland's largest union representing teachers, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) claimed that they found it "very difficult to understand why the cabinet secretary would not have read the Aberdeen report or at least have been briefed on it".[17] Addressing the comments made by an EIS spokesperson, Gilruth said that the report would "be for Aberdeen City Council to respond to", and also highlighted her awareness around the "challenges on this matter".[17] Gilruth highlighted the work that was underway within the Scottish Parliament at that point in order to draft a plan which would see the Scottish Government and Scotland's local authorities working together to the combat violence in Scottish schools.[17]

In April 2024, Gilruth and the leader of the Highland Council, Raymond Bremner, met with parents of children attending rural schools in the Highland area of Scotland, following the establishment of the Save Our Rural Schools campaign. A letter was sent to parents by the campaign of children attending Ullapool, Gairloch High School, Kinlochbervie High School and Farr High, calling for a meeting to discuss the “dire state of the buildings".[18] Following the meeting, Gilruth said that she would "promise future meetings to find solutions" to the issues identified by the campaign.[18]

In September 2024, she stated that the quality of debate in the Scottish Parliament could be improved by limiting the use of mobile phones and tablets among MSPs.[19][20][21]

Personal life

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On 15 July 2017, it was announced Gilruth was in a relationship with Kezia Dugdale, who was, at that time, leader of the Scottish Labour Party.[22] In June 2022, Gilruth and Dugdale married in a private ceremony.[23]

References

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  1. ^ "Mid Fife and Glenrothes". BBC News. 6 May 2016. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d "Who is Jenny Gilruth? Meet Scotland's Transport Minister dealing with a ScotRail crisis". The Courier. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  3. ^ Gilruth, Jenny (27 November 2017). "Jenny Gilruth: Kezia Dugdale has the strength to cope with jungle fever". The Courier. Dundee. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b Alexander, Michael (29 April 2016). "Scottish Election 2016: 'Tricia Marwick has been such an inspiration', says SNP candidate". The Courier. Dundee. Archived from the original on 30 April 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Royal High students to host panel event in BBC competition". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 23 March 2010. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  6. ^ Gilruth, Jenny (5 May 2014). National 4/5 Modern Studies Course Notes (Course Notes for SQA Exams) Paperback. ASIN 0007504950.
  7. ^ Stark, Jim (5 April 2016). "SNP choose candidate for Mid Fife seat". Central Fife Times. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  8. ^ "Mid Fife and Glenrothes". BBC News. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  9. ^ "Scottish Election 2016: 'Tricia Marwick has been such an inspiration', says SNP candidate". The Courier. Dundee. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Cabinet Appointments". Scottish Government. 17 February 2020. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Ministerial changes". Scottish Government. 24 January 2022. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  12. ^ a b Bryan, Anna (24 January 2022). "Nicola Sturgeon announces new Transport Minister for Scotland as Jenny Gilruth". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  13. ^ a b "ScotRail agrees 5% pay deal with train drivers' union". BBC News. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  14. ^ "Former teacher Jenny Gilruth is Scotland's new education secretary | Tes". www.tes.com. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  15. ^ "Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf appoints his cabinet". Sky News. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  16. ^ "At-a-glance: Who's who in the new Scottish cabinet". BBC News. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  17. ^ a b c "Scotland's Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth criticised for failing to read Aberdeen schools violence report". Sky News. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Politicians give 'promise of future meetings to find solutions' to rural school campaigners". RossShire Journal. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  19. ^ Grant, Alistair (1 September 2024). "SNP minister criticises quality of debate in Holyrood and blames phones". The Scotsman. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  20. ^ Young, Gregor (1 September 2024). "Holyrood could limit mobile phones usage by MSPs, Education Secretary suggests". The National. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  21. ^ Learmonth, Andrew (1 September 2024). "Banning phones in Holyrood could improve quality of debate, says minister". The Herald. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  22. ^ "Kezia Dugdale in relationship with SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth". BBC News. 15 July 2017. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  23. ^ Cameron, Lucinda (13 June 2022). "SNP transport minister Jenny Gilruth and former Scottish Labour Kezia Dugdale leader marry". The Scotsman. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
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Scottish Parliament
Preceded by Member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Fife and Glenrothes
2016–present 		Incumbent
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