Joe FitzPatrick

Joseph Martin FitzPatrick (born 1 April 1967) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who served as Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing from 2018 to 2020 and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Dundee City West since the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections, succeeding retiring Labour MSP Kate Maclean. He also served as the Scottish Government Minister for Parliamentary Business, a post he held from September 2012 to June 2018.

"Joe Fitzpatrick" redirects here. For other uses, see Joe Fitzpatrick (disambiguation).

Joe FitzPatrick

MSP
Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing
In office
26 June 2018 – 18 December 2020
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byAileen Campbell
Succeeded byMairi Gougeon
Minister for Parliamentary Business
In office
5 September 2012 – 26 June 2018
First MinisterAlex Salmond
Nicola Sturgeon
LeaderTricia Marwick
Preceded byBruce Crawford &
Brian Adam
Succeeded byGraeme Dey
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Dundee City West
Dundee West (2007-2011)
Assumed office
3 May 2007
Preceded byKate Maclean
Majority8,828
Personal details
Born (1967-04-01) 1 April 1967
Dundee
Political partyScottish National Party
Alma materAbertay University
Websitewww.joe.fitzpatrick.scot

He was sacked as minister in December 2020 after drug-related deaths in Scotland rose for a sixth year.[1][2][3]

Life and career

FitzPatrick was educated at Whitfield Primary School, Whitfield High School, Inverness College and Abertay University.

He studied Forestry at Inverness College and worked for the Forestry Commission in Angus and Tillhill Forestry in ArgyIl.

He was elected President of Inverness College Students Association and was re-elected as the College's first Sabbatical President. He was elected to the National Executive of NUS (Scotland) in 1990 and was given specific responsibility for LGBT issues. He was later elected as the Area Convenor for the National Union of Students (North of Scotland Area) in 1991-92.

Before his election to the Scottish Parliament, FitzPatrick worked for Dundee SNP parliamentarians Shona Robison MSP and Stewart Hosie MP and was also a Dundee City councillor, SNP group whip and finance spokesperson. He also represented the council on a number of posts on outside bodies including:
1999–2003 Campaign for Rail Electrification Aberdeen to Edinburgh (CREATE)
1999–2003 COSLA Convention
1999–2002 Dundee City Council Sports Association for the Disabled
1999–2003 City of Dundee Sports Council
1999–2004 Member of the Board, Dundee Ice Rink
2005–2006 Member of the Board, Dundee Ice Arena
2001–2002 COSLA Royal Blind Asylum School
2001–2003 COSLA Spokesperson Consumer and Protection Services
2003–2007 COSLA Association for Public Services Excellence

After being elected MSP for Dundee West, he was elected as the SNP Group Secretary in the Parliament and was a member of the Finance Committee and SNP substitute on the Health Committee. He was also the Parliamentary Liaison Officer to John Swinney MSP (Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth).

In 2007 FitzPatrick was elected to the SNP's National Executive Committee. In 2009 he co-ordinated the SNP's successful European Election Campaign.[4]

In 2011 FitzPatrick was re-elected to the slightly enlarged Dundee City west seat with an increased majority and 57.6% of the vote. FitzPatrick went on to be appointed Convener of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee. He was Co-convener of the Cross Party Group on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and Convener of the Cross Party Group on Computer Games Technology prior to his appointment as Minister for Parliamentary Business in September 2012.

In 2007 FitzPatrick was one of four openly LGBT MSPs, along with Patrick Harvie, Iain Smith and Margaret Smith

In 2011 FitzPatrick was one of seven openly LGBT MSPs, along with Marco Biagi, Derek Mackay, Ruth Davidson, Kevin Stewart, Jim Eadie and Patrick Harvie.[5]

In 2016 FitzPatrick was one of ten openly LGBT MSPs LGBT politicians from Scotland

See also

References
  1. "Drug deaths in Scotland: Minister Joe FitzPatrick loses job". BBC News. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  2. "Scotland's public health minister quits over drug death figures". The Independent. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  3. "Public health minister Joe FitzPatrick quits over drug deaths". STV News. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  4. Gordon, Tom (30 May 2009), "Labour accused of dishonesty over leaflet 'charade", The Herald, Glasgow, retrieved 30 May 2009
  5. Harrison, Iain (21 December 2008), "Gay MSPs stay in closet", The Times, London, retrieved 22 December 2008
Scottish Parliament
Preceded by
Kate Maclean		 Member of the Scottish Parliament for Dundee West
2007–present		 Incumbent
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.