Patricia Ferguson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patricia Ferguson
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Official portrait, 2024
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| Chair of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee | |
| Assumed office 12 September 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Pete Wishart |
| Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport | |
| In office 4 October 2004 – 17 May 2007 |
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| First Minister | Jack McConnell |
| Preceded by | Frank McAveety |
| Succeeded by | Linda Fabiani |
| Minister for Parliamentary Business | |
| In office 27 November 2001 – 4 October 2004 |
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| First Minister | Jack McConnell |
| Preceded by | Tom McCabe |
| Succeeded by | Margaret Curran |
| Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament | |
| In office 12 May 1999 – 27 November 2001 |
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| Presiding Officer | David Steel |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Murray Tosh |
| Member of Parliament for Glasgow West |
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| Assumed office 4 July 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency created |
| Majority | 6,446 (16.2%) |
| Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn Glasgow Maryhill (1999–2011) |
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| In office 6 May 1999 – 23 May 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Bob Doris |
| Member of Glasgow City Council for Drumchapel/Anniesland |
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| In office 5 May 2022 – 2 September 2024 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Patricia Josephine Ferguson
24 September 1958 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Political party | Scottish Labour |
| Spouse | Bill Butler |
| Alma mater | Glasgow College of Technology (HNC) |
Patricia Josephine Ferguson (born 24 September 1958) is a British politician. She has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow West since July 2024. Before becoming an MP, she was a Councillor for Glasgow City Council.
Patricia Ferguson also served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn from 1999 to 2016. She is a member of the Labour Party. From 2001 to 2007, she was part of the Scottish government, working with First Minister Jack McConnell.
Contents
Who is Patricia Ferguson?
Patricia Ferguson is a politician who has worked at different levels of government. She has been involved in Scottish politics for many years. She has held important roles in both the Scottish Parliament and the UK Parliament.
Her Early Life and Education
Patricia Josephine Ferguson was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 24 September 1958. She went to Garnethill Convent Secondary School in Glasgow from 1970 to 1976. Later, she studied at Glasgow College of Technology. There, she earned an HNC in Public Administration in 1978.
Starting Her Political Journey
Before becoming a politician, Patricia Ferguson worked in different jobs. From 1978 to 1990, she was an administrator for NHS Scotland. This is the health service in Scotland. She then worked for the Scottish Trades Union Congress from 1990 to 1994. This group helps workers. From 1994 to 1999, she worked for the Scottish Labour Party.
Serving in the Scottish Parliament
Patricia Ferguson was first elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) in 1999. She represented the Glasgow Maryhill area. She kept this seat until 2011. Then, her area joined with others to form the Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn constituency. She won the election for this new area in 2011. However, she lost her seat in 2016 to Bob Doris from the Scottish National Party (SNP).
Key Roles in Government
After being elected as an MSP in 1999, she became a Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. This role is like a vice-speaker. She held this position from 1999 to 2001. She also served on several committees in the Parliament.
In November 2001, she joined the Scottish government. She became the Minister for Parliament. This happened when Jack McConnell became the First Minister of Scotland. Later, in October 2004, she became the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport. This role involved looking after areas like travel, arts, and sports in Scotland. In 2006, her name was unfortunately used in a scam email. This happened after she visited Malawi as part of her government work.
Working in Local Government
In 2022, Patricia Ferguson was elected to Glasgow City Council. This is the local government for Glasgow. She represented the Drumchapel/Anniesland area. She served as a councillor until September 2024.
Becoming a UK Member of Parliament
In July 2024, Patricia Ferguson was elected to the United Kingdom Parliament. She became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow West. She won against Carol Monaghan, who was the previous MP for a similar area. This was not her first attempt; she had been the second-place candidate in 2019.
Leading a Committee
On 12 September 2024, Patricia Ferguson was chosen for an important role. She became the chair of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee. This committee looks into matters related to Scotland in the UK Parliament.
Her Family Life
Patricia Ferguson is married to Bill Butler. He is also a politician. He has been a Labour MSP and a councillor.
