Alison Johnstone (born 11 October 1965) is a Scottish politician who has served as the
Presiding Officer of the
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
since 2021. Elected as a member of the
Scottish Greens
The Scottish Greens (also known as the Scottish Green Party; gd, Pàrtaidh Uaine na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Green Pairtie) are a green political party in Scotland. The party has seven MSPs in the Scottish Parliament as of May 2021. As of the 20 ...
, she relinquished her party affiliation on becoming Presiding Officer.
She has been a
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP; gd, Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, BPA; sco, Memmer o the Scots Pairliament, MSP) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.
Electoral system
The ad ...
(MSP) for the
Lothian
Lothian (; sco, Lowden, Loudan, -en, -o(u)n; gd, Lodainn ) is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Sco ...
region since
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
.
Johnstone was born and raised in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, where she attended
St. Augustine's High School.
She worked as an assistant to
Robin Harper
Robin Charles Moreton Harper, (born 4 August 1940) is a Scottish politician, who was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Lothians (Scottish Parliament electoral region), Lothians region (1999–2011). He was co-convener of the Scot ...
, the first ever elected
Green Party politician in the UK. In 2007, Johnstone was nominated unopposed as co-convenor of the Scottish Greens, serving alongside Harper. The
same year she was elected to the
City of Edinburgh Council
The City of Edinburgh Council is the local government authority for the city of Edinburgh, capital of Scotland. With a population of in mid-2019, it is the second most populous local authority area in Scotland.
In its current form, the counci ...
, representing the
Meadows/Morningside ward until 2012. In the
2011 Scottish Parliament election
The 2011 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 to Members of the 4th Scottish Parliament, elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament.
The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, ...
, she was elected as an
additional member of the
Lothian region
Lothian (; sco, Lowden, Loudan, -en, -o(u)n; gd, Lodainn ) is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Sc ...
. Following the
2019 Scottish Green co-leadership election, Johnstone served as the co-leader within the Scottish Parliament, until the 2021 election.
Following the
election
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has opera ...
to the
6th Scottish Parliament
The 6th Scottish Parliament was elected at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. It was opened with the Escort to the Crown of Scotland Parade and Speech from the Throne on 2 October 2021.
Composition
Government parties denoted with bullets ( ...
, Johnstone was the only candidate to run for Presiding Officer. She received 97 votes in-favour and was elected unopposed as
Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
sco, Preses o the Scots Pairlament
, body =
, member_of = Scottish Parliamentary Corporate BodyScottish Parliament
, insignia = Scottish_Parliament_logo_purple_vertical.png
, insigniasize = 150px
, insigniacaption = Logo used to represent ...
. Johnstone is the second female and first Green Party member to hold the position of office.
Early life
Johnstone was born on 11 October 1965 in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, Scotland, where she attended
St. Augustine's High School.
She is a qualified athletics coach and board member of
Scottish Athletics
Scottish Athletics, stylised as scottishathletics, is the governing body for the sport of athletics in Scotland. Established as a limited company on 1 April 2001, it succeeded the Scottish Athletics Federation (SAF) and is a member of the Commonwe ...
, and formerly held the East of Scotland 800m and 1500m records.
She worked at Basil Paterson College as a registrar for a decade.
Early political involvement
Johnstone began to have an interest in politics in the mid-1990s, when she joined the ''Keep Meggetland Green,'' a campaign against a proposal for flats to be built on
Meggetland Playing Fields. She wrote to politicians to gain attention, with Green politicians
Robin Harper
Robin Charles Moreton Harper, (born 4 August 1940) is a Scottish politician, who was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Lothians (Scottish Parliament electoral region), Lothians region (1999–2011). He was co-convener of the Scot ...
and Gavin Corbett the only ones to respond. Although the campaign was unsuccessful, Johnstone attended a Green party conference as a non-member and became more involved in politics.
She was a member of Scotland FORward and campaigned in-favour of a
devolved Scottish Parliament.
Following Harper's election to the
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
in 1999, Johnstone served as his parliamentary assistant until 2011.
Political career
City of Edinburgh Councillor
Johnstone first stood as Scottish Green candidate in the 2003 North Morningside by-election, but finished third, gaining 10% of the vote, ahead of the
SNP and
Scottish Labour
Scottish Labour ( gd, Pàrtaidh Làbarach na h-Alba, sco, Scots Labour Pairty; officially the Scottish Labour Party) is a social democratic political party in Scotland. It is an autonomous section of the UK Labour Party. From their peak of ...
. With
Single Transferable Vote
Single transferable vote (STV) is a multi-winner electoral system in which voters cast a single vote in the form of a ranked-choice ballot. Voters have the option to rank candidates, and their vote may be transferred according to alternate p ...
now being adopted in Scottish local elections, Johnstone saw an opportunity for Greens to enter local government. She stood as the candidate for Edinburgh's
Meadows/Morningside ward in the
2007 local elections. After a successful campaign, she was elected to the
City of Edinburgh Council
The City of Edinburgh Council is the local government authority for the city of Edinburgh, capital of Scotland. With a population of in mid-2019, it is the second most populous local authority area in Scotland.
In its current form, the counci ...
, becoming one of three Green politicians to be elected into local government.
She stood down from the council in the
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
.
Following the Scottish Greens' poor performance at the
2007 Scottish Parliament election
The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the third general election to the devolved Scottish Parliament since it was created in 1999. Local elections in Scotland fe ...
, she was nominated unopposed as co-convener of the Scottish Greens. Johnstone was "certain that the Green Party will grow and attract more support as the other parties reveal themselves to lack the ambition to really change course from business as usual when it comes to the crunch". She served alongside
Robin Harper
Robin Charles Moreton Harper, (born 4 August 1940) is a Scottish politician, who was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Lothians (Scottish Parliament electoral region), Lothians region (1999–2011). He was co-convener of the Scot ...
, and both were replaced in 2008 as co-conveners by
Patrick Harvie
Patrick Harvie (born 18 March 1973) is a Scottish politician who has served as Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights since 2021. He has served as one of two co-leaders of the Scottish Greens since 2008, and is on ...
and
Eleanor Scott
Eleanor Roberta Scott (''née'' Ettles, born 23 July 1951) is a Scottish politician and physician. She was Scottish Greens Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Highlands and Islands from 2003–2007, then female co-convener of the pa ...
.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
In the
2011 Scottish Parliament election
The 2011 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 to Members of the 4th Scottish Parliament, elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament.
The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, ...
, Johnstone was elected as an
additional member for the
Lothian region
Lothian (; sco, Lowden, Loudan, -en, -o(u)n; gd, Lodainn ) is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Sc ...
.
She unsuccessfully contested
Edinburgh Central in the
2016 Scottish Parliament election
The 2016 Scottish parliament election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2016 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the fifth election held since the devolved parliament was established in 1999. It was the first parliamentary electi ...
but finished fourth behind the
Scottish Conservatives
The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party ( gd, Pàrtaidh Tòraidheach na h-Alba, sco, Scots Tory an Unionist Pairty), often known simply as the Scottish Conservatives and colloquially as the Scottish Tories, is a centre-right political par ...
'
Ruth Davidson
Ruth Elizabeth Davidson, Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links (born 10 November 1978), is a Scottish politician who served as Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 2011 to 2019 and Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party in the Scottish ...
, the
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party (SNP; sco, Scots National Pairty, gd, Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from ...
's Alison Dickie and
Scottish Labour
Scottish Labour ( gd, Pàrtaidh Làbarach na h-Alba, sco, Scots Labour Pairty; officially the Scottish Labour Party) is a social democratic political party in Scotland. It is an autonomous section of the UK Labour Party. From their peak of ...
's
Sarah Boyack
Sarah Herriot Boyack (born 16 May 1961) is a Scottish Labour politician who has served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Lothian region since 2019, and previously from 2011 to 2016. She formerly represented the Edinburgh Cent ...
. She was again returned on the regional list. On 22 May, she was announced as the Scottish Greens spokesperson on Health and Sport, Social Security, Children and Young People.
She served as Co-Leader of the Scottish Greens in the Scottish Parliament, serving with
Patrick Harvie
Patrick Harvie (born 18 March 1973) is a Scottish politician who has served as Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights since 2021. He has served as one of two co-leaders of the Scottish Greens since 2008, and is on ...
from March 2019 to May 2021. In 2020, she introduced a measure to grant protected species status to the
mountain hare
The mountain hare (''Lepus timidus''), also known as blue hare, tundra hare, variable hare, white hare, snow hare, alpine hare, and Irish hare, is a Palearctic hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats.
Evolution
The mountai ...
in Scotland, which was accepted on 17 June 2020.
Johnstone previously represented the Green Party at
First Minister's Questions and in September 2019 sketch writer Stephen Daisley commented, "Going by her performance at First Minister's Questions, they
he Greensshould dump the rest and put her in charge full-time. Unlikely as it sounds, she was the star of this week’s FMQs, giving
Nicola Sturgeon
Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2014. She is the first woman to hold either position. She has been a member of ...
the toughest time she’s had in parliament in many a week."
Presiding Officer
On 13 May 2021, Johnstone stood unopposed in the election to appoint the 6th Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. A yes/no vote was held on her nomination, and she won with 97 Yes votes,
29 No votes, two abstentions and one
spoilt vote
In voting, a ballot is considered spoilt, spoiled, void, null, informal, invalid or stray if a law declares or an election authority determines that it is invalid and thus not included in the vote count. This may occur accidentally or deliberat ...
.
The Presiding Officer is required to be impartial, so Johnstone had to give up her party affiliation with the Scottish Greens to take on the role.
Johnstone is the second woman in the post. The first was
Tricia Marwick
Patricia Marwick (née Lee; born 5 November 1953) is a Scottish politician who served as Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament from 2011 to 2016. She was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) from 1999 to 2016. Elected as a member of ...
, who was Presiding Officer from 2011 to 2016.
She is also the first Green MSP to serve as Presiding Officer. She is also the second Presiding Officer to be elected unopposed, after
George Reid
Sir George Houston Reid, (25 February 1845 – 12 September 1918) was an Australian politician who led the Reid Government as the fourth Prime Minister of Australia from 1904 to 1905, having previously been Premier of New South Wales f ...
in 2003.
On 14 May 2021, SNP MSP
Annabelle Ewing and Liberal Democrat
Liam McArthur were elected as the two Deputy Presiding Officers.
This is the first time since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 that neither the Presiding Officer nor any of the deputies has been a Labour or Conservative MSP.
On 16 March 2022, Johnstone was appointed to the Privy Council by Her Majesty The Queen and therefore granted the title '
The Right Honourable
''The Right Honourable'' ( abbreviation: ''Rt Hon.'' or variations) is an honorific style traditionally applied to certain persons and collective bodies in the United Kingdom, the former British Empire and the Commonwealth of Nations. The term is ...
'. She said in response to her appointment: Johnstone said: “It was a great privilege to be elected Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament last May, and it was an honour to be made a Privy Counsellor by Her Majesty The Queen this afternoon. “This appointment is recognition of the important role the Scottish Parliament and the Office of Presiding Officer plays and I am pleased to accept it.”
Political views
Personal life
Johnstone has a husband and daughter.
Notes
References
External links
*
*
profileon Scottish Green Party
Alison Johnstone's MSP websiteprofileon Edinburgh Greens
;Video
Scottish Greens candidate Alison Johnstone aiming for Lothians seat 2011–
STV
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnstone, Alison
1965 births
Living people
People educated at St Augustine's High School, Edinburgh
Councillors in Edinburgh
Leaders of the Scottish Green Party
Presiding Officers of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Green Party MSPs
Members of the Scottish Parliament 2011–2016
Members of the Scottish Parliament 2016–2021
Members of the Scottish Parliament 2021–2026
Female members of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish pacifists
Scottish Green Party councillors
Politicians from Edinburgh
Women councillors in Scotland
Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom