Gillian Martin

Gillian Anne Martin is a Scottish politician who is serving as Minister for Energy since 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP). she has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Aberdeenshire East since 2016.[1]

Gillian Martin
MSP
Minister for Energy and the Environment[lower-alpha 1]
Assumed office
29 March 2023
First MinisterHumza Yousaf
Preceded byOffice created
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Aberdeenshire East
Assumed office
6 May 2016
Preceded byAlex Salmond
Majority1,889 (4.6%)
Personal details
Political partyScottish National Party
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow
Websitegillianmartinmsp.com

Early life and career

Martin grew up in Newburgh[2] and was educated at Ellon Academy.[3] Her parents have always been politically active.[4]

A graduate of the University of Glasgow, she worked as a lecturer in further education for 15 years, including at North East Scotland College. [5] Alongside this, Martin ran her own business in video production and training for the energy sector.

She was the manager of an emergency media response team for oil and gas companies for 10 years.[6]

Early political activity

Martin became politically active during the Scottish independence referendum.[7] She helped found Women for Independence (WFI).[8] She was on the WFI executive committee as the member for North East region, and has continued participation as an ordinary member since becoming an MSP.[3]

She joined the SNP on 19 September 2014, on the morning after the Scottish independence referendum.[5] She emerged as a candidate for the Aberdeenshire East constituency of the Scottish Parliament in July 2015.[3] and was selected by local party members the following month.[9]

Political career

Election to Holyrood

Martin was elected to serve as a MSP in the 2016 Scottish Parliament election.[10] The seat was previously held by Alex Salmond.

Martin brought forward the Seat Belts on School Transport (Scotland) Bill.[11] The purpose of the Bill is to introduce a requirement to Scottish law that all dedicated home-to-school transport service vehicles are fitted with seat belts, as there is presently no UK legal obligation for the provision of seatbelts on such vehicles.

Failed appointment as a Junior Minister

On 27 June 2018 the Scottish Government announced that Martin would be appointed Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science.[12] However, following media attention around a series of offensive blogs Martin wrote during her time as a college lecturer, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon subsequently withdrew Martin's nomination when presenting her new ministerial team to the Scottish Parliament for approval.[13][14] Among the controversial blog entries, Martin mocked trans women as "hairy knuckled lipstick- wearing transitional transgender Laydees".[15] She also wrote of a survey of transgender people, "the EU clearly have a Tranny Trove [of money]".[16] Of Scotland's membership of the United Kingdom she wrote, "Don’t make me trot out the now clichéd comparison to the abused partner in a marriage. Cliché it may be but clichés come from truth."[17] And of African American customers she wrote they were to be, "To be avoided."[18]

Backbencher; 2018 to 2023

In September 2018, Martin was appointed as Convener of the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee.

From 2016 to 2018 Martin was co-convenor of the Scottish Parliament cross-party group on Oil and Gas.[19] She has used her time in parliament to highlight the downturn of the oil and gas sector in the North East, and the effect it has had on those living in Aberdeenshire East. Martin has spoken out on behalf of workers who have been discriminated against due to their oil and gas connections,[20] and has been a vocal supporter of the efforts being by the Scottish Government made to assist those facing unemployment.[21]

Minister for Energy and the Environment; 2023 to present

On the 29th of March 2023, Martin was appointed Minister for Energy.[22] Her role was expanded to include the environment.[23][24]

Personal life

Martin is married to a teacher named John Martin who teaches at Turriff Academy and has two children. She lives in Newmachar, Aberdeenshire.

Controversies

In 2018, Martin apologised "unreservedly" for "inappropriate and offensive" remarks she had posted on a blog about transgender people in 2007.[25] On 28 June 2018, she issued a second apology about offensive remarks made a decade earlier about the tipping habits of black customers.[26]

References
  1. "Session 6 Health Social Care and Sport Committee". www.parliament.scot. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  2. "Race to succeed Salmond". Inverurie Herald. 12 July 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  3. Ross, Calum (3 July 2015). "New candidate nominated in race to succeed Alex Salmond". Press and Journal. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  4. "#16for16: Gillian Martin". Weber Shandwick. 23 March 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  5. Nutt, Kathleen (30 April 2016). "Gillian Martin: The referendum made me realise that my actions had to follow my words". The National. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  6. Dobson, Paul (1 April 2023). "New Scottish energy minister did a decade in PR for oil industry". The Ferret. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  7. Brooks, Libby (2 May 2016). "Scottish elections: new faces of Holyrood 2016". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  8. Brown, Jonathan (16 September 2014). "Scottish independence: Even in Better Together heartland Aberdeen, the Yes campaign fights on". The Independent. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  9. "SNP choose candidate for Shire East seat". Inverurie Herald. 22 August 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  10. Aberdeenshire East – BBC News
  11. "Seat Belts on School Transport (Scotland) Bill". www.parliament.scot. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  12. "First Minister completes her ministerial team". Scottish Government. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  13. Sanderson, Daniel. "New minister Gillian Martin mocked trans students on deleted blog". The Times. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  14. "Official Report". Scottish Parliament. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  15. Sanderson, Daniel. "The (Blogged) thoughts of Gillian Martin".
  16. "Nicola Sturgeon ditches minister who mocked 'hairy-knuckled' transgender women". Daily Mirror. 28 June 2018.
  17. Sanderson, Daniel. "The (Blogged) thoughts of Gillian Martin".
  18. "Nicola Sturgeon under fire as Gillian Martin comments on minority groups come to light".
  19. "Oil and Gas". www.parliament.scot. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  20. Stalker, Fiona (13 February 2017). "Calls for oil and gas workers discrimination probe". BBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  21. "Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) – Scottish Parliament". www.scottishparliament.tv. Broadcasting. Retrieved 2 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  22. "Full ministerial team confirmed". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  23. "Màiri McAllan appointed new Scottish transport secretary". BBC News. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  24. "Scottish Government Reshuffle Provides Extra Support to Rural Portfolio". The Scottish Farmer. 17 June 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  25. "Gillian Martin issues an apology for calling transgender students 'hairy knuckled lipstick-wearing transitional laydees'". www.pressandjournal.co.uk. www.pressandjournal.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  26. "Gillian Martin issues second apology as more blog comments surface". www.eveningexpress.co.uk. www.eveningexpress.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2019.

Notes
  1. Minister for Energy from March 2023 until June 2023.
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