Ann McKechin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ann McKechin
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Official portrait, c. 2008–09
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| Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland | |
| In office 8 October 2010 – 7 October 2011 |
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| Leader | Ed Miliband |
| Preceded by | Jim Murphy |
| Succeeded by | Margaret Curran |
| Shadow Minister for Scotland | |
| In office 11 May 2010 – 8 October 2010 |
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| Leader | Harriet Harman (Acting) |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Tom Greatrex |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland | |
| In office 16 September 2008 – 11 May 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | David Cairns |
| Succeeded by | David Mundell |
| Member of Parliament for Glasgow North Glasgow Maryhill (2001–2005) |
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| In office 7 June 2001 – 30 March 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Maria Fyfe |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Grady |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 April 1961 Paisley, Scotland |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Strathclyde |
Ann McKechin (born 22 April 1961) is a former British Labour Party politician. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) for two different areas in Glasgow, Scotland. An MP is someone who represents the people in their local area in the UK Parliament.
Ann McKechin was an MP for Glasgow Maryhill from 2001 to 2005. Then, she represented Glasgow North from 2005 until 2015. She worked as a junior minister under Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Later, she became part of the Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband. This is a group of senior politicians from the main opposition party who challenge the government. She lost her seat in the 2015 general election to the Scottish National Party.
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Early Life and Education
Ann McKechin was born in Paisley, Scotland, on 22 April 1961. Her parents were Anne and William Joseph McKechin. She went to Paisley Grammar School and Sacred Heart High School.
After school, she studied Scots law at the University of Strathclyde. In 1983, she started working as a solicitor at Pacitti Jones in Glasgow. A solicitor is a lawyer who gives legal advice and represents clients. By 1990, she became a partner in the firm, meaning she was one of the owners. She left the law firm in 2000.
Before becoming an MP, Ann McKechin was active in the Labour Party in Glasgow Kelvin. She held several roles there starting in 1995. She also tried to become a Member of the European Parliament in 1999 but was not elected.
Journey to Parliament
Ann McKechin was first elected to the House of Commons in the 2001 general election. The House of Commons is where MPs meet to make laws for the UK. She became the MP for the Glasgow Maryhill area. She took over from the previous Labour MP, Maria Fyfe, who retired. She won the Maryhill seat with a large number of votes.
For the 2005 election, the boundaries of the voting areas changed. The Maryhill area was removed. Ann McKechin was then elected for the new Glasgow North area. Her winning margin was smaller this time, compared to the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
Roles in Government and Opposition
In the House of Commons, Ann McKechin had several important roles. In 2005, she briefly worked as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Jacqui Smith. This role meant she assisted a government minister. Jacqui Smith was a minister in charge of trade and industry, and later education.
McKechin also served on different select committees. These are groups of MPs who look closely at specific topics or government departments. She was on the Scottish Affairs committee from 2001 to 2005. She also joined the International Development committee from 2005.
On 16 September 2008, she became a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Scotland Office. This meant she was a junior minister working for the government department that deals with Scotland. She took over from David Cairns.
In October 2010, Ann McKechin was chosen to be part of the Shadow Cabinet. She was made the Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. This role meant she was the main opposition spokesperson for Scottish affairs. However, she was replaced by Margaret Curran in a shadow cabinet reshuffle on 7 October 2011. A reshuffle is when a leader changes the roles of people in their team.
End of Parliamentary Career
Ann McKechin lost her seat in the 2015 general election. This means she did not get enough votes to remain an MP. Patrick Grady of the Scottish National Party won the seat instead.
