Tom McCabe

Thomas McCabe (28 April 1954 – 19 April 2015) was a Scottish politician who served as Minister for Parliament from 1999 to 2001 and Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform from 2004 to 2007. A member of the Scottish Labour Party, he was Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Hamilton South constituency from 1999 to 2011.

For the New Zealand football player, see Tom McCabe (footballer). For the American athletic administrator, see Tom McCabe (athletic director).

Tom McCabe
McCabe as a government minister
Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform
In office
4 October 2004 – 17 May 2007
First MinisterJack McConnell
Preceded byAndy Kerr
Succeeded byJohn Swinney
Minister for Parliament
In office
17 May 1999 – 8 November 2001
First MinisterDonald Dewar
Henry McLeish
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPatricia Ferguson
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Hamilton South
In office
6 May 1999 – 22 March 2011
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born(1954-04-28)28 April 1954
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died19 April 2015(2015-04-19) (aged 60)
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland
Political partyScottish Labour Party
SpouseShuming Kong[1]
Domestic partnerLorraine Davidson
ChildrenPauline and Ava[1]
Alma materBell College of Technology
OccupationSocial worker

Background

McCabe was educated at St. Martin's Secondary School, Hamilton, and obtained a Diploma in Public Sector Management from Bell College of Technology, Hamilton.

He worked for Hoover plc (Cambuslang) from 1974 to 1993, and then in social work with Strathclyde Regional Council and North Lanarkshire Council. He was elected to serve as a councillor for Hamilton District Council and became its leader, then served as the first leader of South Lanarkshire Council when it was created in 1996 after a reform of local government.[1]

Member of the Scottish Parliament

McCabe was elected to the Scottish Parliament for Hamilton South in 1999. As this was the first constituency to declare its results, he was the first ever MSP to be elected.[1][2]

He was first appointed Minister for Parliament in the Scottish Executive from 1999 to 2001. Following Jack McConnell's appointment as First Minister he was out of office until after the 2003 Scottish Parliament election, when he returned as Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care. In October 2004 he was promoted to Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform in place of Andy Kerr.[1]

In March 2005 he set up the AEWG (Adult Entertainment Working Group), the Scottish advisory body set up within the Scottish Executive to investigate the legislative issues involved in the current proposed lapdancing ban in Scotland. The ban is currently opposed by such figures as Veronica Deneuve and the union group IUSW (the International Union of Sex Workers) a member of the GMB union.

McCabe was one of several Labour casualties following the elections on 5 May 2011, losing his seat to Christina McKelvie of the SNP in the newly formed Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency.[1]

Personal life

McCabe previously had a relationship with former Labour spin-doctor and journalist Lorraine Davidson.[3]

McCabe died from cancer in April 2015, after a period of illness.[1][4] A new residential street in Hamilton was named in his honour two years after his death.[5]

References
  1. Tributes to former Hamilton MSP Tom McCabe, who passed away this week aged 60, Daily Record, 23 April 2015
  2. "Scots head for coalition rule", BBC News, 7 May 1999
  3. "The lady who wrote the book on Jack". www.scotsman.com.
  4. "Former MSP Tom McCabe dies aged 60". BBC News. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  5. Tom McCabe Gardens are named after the first leader of South Lanarkshire Council, Daily Record, 20 March 2017
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