Mhairi Black facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mhairi Black
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Official portrait, 2019
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| Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons | |
| In office 6 December 2022 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Leader | Stephen Flynn |
| Preceded by | Kirsten Oswald |
| Succeeded by | Pete Wishart |
| SNP Scotland Spokesperson in the House of Commons | |
| In office 7 January 2020 – 6 December 2022 |
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| Leader | Ian Blackford |
| Preceded by | Tommy Sheppard |
| Succeeded by | Philippa Whitford |
| Member of Parliament for Paisley and Renfrewshire South |
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| In office 7 May 2015 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Douglas Alexander |
| Succeeded by | Johanna Baxter |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 September 1994 Paisley, Scotland |
| Political party | Scottish National Party |
| Spouse |
Katie McGarvey
(m. 2022) |
| Education | Lourdes Secondary School |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
Mhairi Black (born 12 September 1994) is a Scottish politician. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Paisley and Renfrewshire South from 2015 to 2024. An MP is someone elected to represent an area in the UK Parliament.
From 2022 to 2024, she also served as the Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the House of Commons. When she was first elected in May 2015, Mhairi Black was 20 years old. This made her the youngest MP elected to the House of Commons since 1832. She was the youngest member of Parliament from 2015 to 2019. She decided not to stand for election again in 2024.
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Early Life and Education
Mhairi Black was born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1994. She went to Lourdes Secondary School in Glasgow. Later, she studied at the University of Glasgow.
In June 2015, she earned a degree in Politics. She received top marks for her studies. It's interesting to note that she was elected as an MP before she had even finished her university degree!
Political Career
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Mhairi Black became an MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South in the 2015 general election. She was still a student at the time. Her win was a big surprise because she defeated a well-known Labour Party MP, Douglas Alexander. This election showed a big change in how people were voting in Scotland.
She was the first person to be elected as an MP under new rules that lowered the age to stand for election from 21 to 18 years old.
First Speeches and Views
In July 2015, Mhairi Black was chosen to be part of the Work and Pensions Select Committee. This is a group of MPs who look closely at how the government handles jobs and support for people.
She gave her first speech in Parliament on 14 July 2015. In her speech, she talked about unemployment in her area. She also spoke about the need for food banks. She said that food banks show that the system meant to help people is not working. Her speech was very popular and was watched by millions of people online.
Mhairi Black has often said that she thinks the UK Parliament, known as Westminster, is old-fashioned. She felt that some of the ways things were done, like voting in person instead of electronically, wasted time. In an interview, she described Westminster as an "old boys' club" and felt it was "excluded from reality."
Key Issues and Re-election
In 2016, Mhairi Black introduced a new law idea called the Benefit Claimants Sanctions (Required Assessment) Bill. This bill aimed to change how benefits were given out. However, it did not become a law.
She was re-elected as an MP in the 2017 general election. She won again in the 2019 general election, increasing her number of votes.
In December 2022, she became the Deputy Leader of the SNP group in Westminster.
On 4 July 2023, Mhairi Black announced that she would not seek re-election in the 2024 general election. She said that Westminster was "one of the most unhealthy workplaces you could ever be in."
Political Beliefs
Mhairi Black describes herself as a "traditional socialist." This means she believes in fairness and equality for everyone. She looks up to politicians like Tony Benn and Margo MacDonald.
She has been a strong critic of the government's Universal Credit system. This system helps people with their living costs. Mhairi Black believes that delays in payments can cause big problems for people.
Personal Life
Mhairi Black married her partner, Katie McGarvey, in June 2022 in Glasgow.
She enjoys playing music. She can play both the guitar and the piano. In an interview, she even played the theme music from the movie Titanic.
In 2018, Mhairi Black was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2019
