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William Dalrymple (historian)
Jamie Greene | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2016 | |
| Member of the Scottish Parliament for West Scotland (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2016 | |
| Scottish Conservative portfolios | |
| 2020–2021 | Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills |
| 2021–2023 | Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 March 1980 Greenock, Scotland |
| Nationality | British / Canadian (dual) |
| Political party | Scottish Liberal Democrats (since 2025) Scottish Conservatives (until 2025) |
| Website | http://www.jamiegreene.uk/ |
Jamie Gillan Greene (born 19 March 1980) is a Scottish politician who has served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the West Scotland region since 2016. Now a Liberal Democrat, Greene was a member of the Scottish Conservatives until April 2025.
Early life and career
Greene was born in Greenock, Inverclyde, and holds dual British and Canadian citizenship. He was educated at James Watt College in the town.[1] Prior to his election he worked in the broadcast, media and digital technology industries, most recently as a senior executive for the multinational broadcast network Viacom International.[1]
Political career
In the 2015 United Kingdom general election, Greene stood for the UK Parliament as the Conservative candidate for North Ayrshire and Arran where he came third.[2]
In 2016, Greene stood for the Scottish Parliament as the Conservative candidate for the Cunninghame North constituency where he came second, then as second on the West Scotland regional list for the Scottish Conservatives.[3][4] He stood again in 2021, achieving 10,451 votes, an increase of 3.5% from the 2016 election, though failed to be elected. He was instead reelected to the Scottish on the West Scotland regional list.
Greene was appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the current term of Parliament, later replaced by Russell Findlay in a reshuffle, and preciously served as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity
He is Deputy Convenor of the Public Audit Committee and Deputy Chair of the Scottish Commission for Public Audit, a non parliamentary board which oversees Audit Scotland.
Prior to this he previously held roles as the Scottish Conservative spokesperson for transport and infrastructure, technology, connectivity and the digital economy as well as digital broadcasting.[5] He sat on the Education and Skills committee having previously sat on the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee, the Equalities and Human Rights and Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committees respectively of the Scottish Parliament.[6]
After his election in Term 5 of the Scottish Parliament (2016–21) he also instigated and was Co-Convenor of the Scottish Parliaments' first Cross-Party-Group (CPG) on LGBTI+ issues. He is also Convenor of the CPG on Taiwan. An active member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) he has represented the Scottish Parliament on a number of engagements serving in parliamentary training and election monitoring and observing functions.
Greene initially expressed an interest in standing for the 2020 Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party Leadership Election, but announced in January 2020 that he was dropping-out to support incumbent acting-leader Jackson Carlaw who was later replaced by Douglas Ross.
Greene announced that he would run in the Scottish Conservative Leadership election to replace Douglas Ross, who announced he would stand down after the 2024 General Election. Greene removed himself from the leadership contest prior to nominations closing and subsequently endorsed Murdo Fraser for the leadership.
On 3 April 2025, Greene left the Conservative Party in protest of Russell Findlay's leadership, claiming the party had adopted a "Reform-esque agenda" and "Trump-esque narrative" under Findlay that risked marginalising the party as it abandoned the centre ground.[7][8] The next day, Greene joined the Scottish Liberal Democrats.[9]
Personal life
Greene is openly gay and heads Holyrood's LGBT+ Cross Party Group.[10][11] In his leisure time he has a keen interest for Silversmithery.[12]
References
- ^ a b "GREENE, Jamie Gillan". Who's Who. Vol. 2021 (online ed.). A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ "Ayrshire North & Arran Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
- ^ "Election 2016: West Scotland. Scottish Parliament region". BBC News. 6 May 2016.
- ^ "Cunninghame North Scottish Parliament constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
- ^ "Scottish Conservative appointments for new parliamentary term". Scottish Conservative Party. 26 May 2016. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
- ^ "Jamie Greene MSP". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
- ^ VanReenen, Danyel (3 April 2025). "Tory MSP Jamie Greene quits party over 'Reform-lite agenda'". STV News.
- ^ Learmonth, Andrew (3 April 2025). "'The party has left me:' Jamie Greene quits Scottish Tories". The Herald (Glasgow).
- ^ "Former Tory MSP Jamie Greene defects to Lib Dems". BBC News. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ^ Davidson, Peter (3 June 2021). "Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross slammed for wearing Pride badge after previous voting record". Daily Record.
- ^ Young, Gregor (8 September 2021). "Emma Roddick appointed co-convener of LGBT+ Holyrood group". The National.
- ^ Scottish Political Guide 2023-24. Edinburgh: Holyrood. 2023. p. 38.
External links
- Scottish Parliament profiles of MSPs: Jamie Greene