Jackie Baillie
Dame Jacqueline Marie Baillie DBE (née Barnes; born 15 January 1964) is a politician who has served as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party since 2020. She has been Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Dumbarton constituency since 1999. She also served as acting Leader of the Scottish Labour Party in 2017 and again in 2021.
Jackie Baillie DBE MSP | |
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Official portrait, 2016 | |
Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party | |
Assumed office 3 April 2020 | |
Leader |
|
Preceded by | Lesley Laird |
Leader of the Scottish Labour Party | |
Acting 14 January 2021 – 27 February 2021 | |
UK party leader | Keir Starmer |
Preceded by | Richard Leonard |
Succeeded by | Anas Sarwar |
Acting 15 November 2017 – 18 November 2017 | |
UK party leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
Preceded by | Alex Rowley (Acting) |
Succeeded by | Richard Leonard |
Minister for Social Justice | |
In office 27 October 2000 – 8 November 2001 | |
First Minister | Henry McLeish |
Preceded by | Wendy Alexander |
Succeeded by | Iain Gray |
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Dumbarton | |
Assumed office 6 May 1999 | |
Preceded by | Constituency established |
Majority | 1,483 (3.8%) |
Scottish Labour portfolios | |
2009–2013 | Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing |
2014–2018 | Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work |
2020–2021 | Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance |
2021–2023 | Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health, Social Care and Equalities |
2023–present | Shadow Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care and Drugs Policy, General Election campaign co-coordinator |
Personal details | |
Born | Jacqueline Marie Barnes 15 January 1964 British Hong Kong |
Political party | Labour |
Spouse |
Stephen Baillie (m. 1982) |
Children | 1 |
Alma mater | New College Lanarkshire University of Strathclyde University of Glasgow |
Website | Official website |
Born in British Hong Kong, Baillie was educated at St Anne's School, Windermere before studying at Cumbernauld College and the University of Strathclyde. After working in local government, she was elected at the 1999 Scottish Parliament election and served in the Scottish Executive as Minister for Social Justice under Henry McLeish. In December 2014, she was appointed as Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Finance, Constitution and Economy; later Economy, Jobs and Fair Work.
After Kezia Dugdale resigned as Leader of the Scottish Labour Party and acting leader Alex Rowley was suspended, Baillie served as acting leader until Richard Leonard was elected as Scottish Labour leader in 2017. She was sacked by Leonard as economy spokesperson in October 2018, who also replaced her in the role. After she was elected Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Leonard reappointed Baillie to his Shadow Cabinet as Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Finance in April 2020. She again served as acting Scottish Labour leader for six weeks following Leonard's resignation in January 2021 and has been described by journalist Alex Massie as someone "who both loves to wind-up the SNP and is good at it".