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 | Independent (since July 2025) |
| Other political affiliations |
Scottish National Party (until July 2025) |
| 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 served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Paisley and Renfrewshire South from 2015 to 2024. She was also the Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the House of Commons from 2022 to 2024.
Mhairi Black was first elected as an MP in 2015. She won her seat in Paisley and Renfrewshire South. She was re-elected in 2017 and again in 2019.
When she was first elected in May 2015, she was 20 years old. This made her the youngest MP elected to the House of Commons since 1832. She was the youngest member of the House 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 had not finished her degree when she was first elected as an MP. She still had one final exam to take.
Political Career (2015–2024)
Becoming an MP in 2015
Mhairi Black became an MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South in the 2015 general election. She was still a university student at the time. She defeated Douglas Alexander, a well-known Labour MP. Her win was seen as a big surprise.
She was widely reported to be the youngest MP in a very long time. The law about who can be an MP changed in 2006. It lowered the age to 18. Mhairi Black was the first person elected under this new rule.
Working in Parliament
On 1 July 2015, Mhairi Black joined the Work and Pensions Select Committee. This committee looks at government policies on jobs and welfare. 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 welfare system is not working. Her speech was viewed millions of times online.
Re-election in 2017
In 2017, Mhairi Black thought about not running for election again. She felt that "so little gets done" in Parliament. Despite her concerns, she decided to stand in the 2017 general election.
She was re-elected, but with a smaller number of votes than before. In April 2017, she faced protests in her area. People were upset about the possible closure of a children's hospital ward.
Re-election in 2019
Mhairi Black ran for election again in the 2019 general election. She was the SNP candidate for Paisley & Renfrewshire South. She won with more than half of the votes.
Her majority, which is the difference in votes between her and the next candidate, increased greatly. It was more than double her majority from the 2015 election.
Deputy Leader of the SNP
In December 2022, Mhairi Black became the Deputy Leader of the SNP in Westminster. This meant she had a more senior role within her party in the UK Parliament.
On 4 July 2023, she announced that she would not seek re-election as an MP. She said that Westminster was a "challenging environment" to work in. In the 2024 general election, her former seat was won by Johanna Baxter of the Scottish Labour Party.
After Politics (2024–Present)
Mhairi Black decided not to run in the 2024 general election. She said she was looking for "new adventures" after leaving Parliament. After performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, she started a tour with her stage show. The show is called Politics Isn't For Me.
Leaving the SNP
In July 2025, Mhairi Black announced that she had left the SNP. She mentioned disagreements over certain political issues. These included the party's stance on equality for different groups of people and global events.
Political Views
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Mhairi Black has often spoken about her views on Westminster. She has called it an "old boys' club" and "excluded from reality." She has also talked about feeling that some MPs were arrogant or sexist.
In June 2016, she proposed a new law 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 describes herself as a "traditional socialist." She looks up to politicians like Tony Benn, Keir Hardie, and Margo MacDonald.
Personal Life
Mhairi Black plays the guitar and piano. She showed this in an interview in 2015. She even played the theme music from the movie Titanic.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2019
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Mhairi Black in 2015
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Mhairi Black at a protest in Paisley Cross, July 2016
