Jamie Hepburn
Encyclopedia
Jamie Hepburn is a Scottish
politician. He is a Scottish National Party
Member
of the Scottish Parliament
for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
. He is the second youngest elected member of the Scottish Parliament for the 2007–2011 session after his SNP colleague Aileen Campbell
.
He was elected during the 2007 election
for the Central Scotland region, having also contested the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
seat at that election, finishing second behind Cathie Craigie
. In this election he was one of only two candidates to win more than 40% in the constituency contested and not win the seat, the other being Alasdair Morrison
in the Western Isles
.
Educated at Hyndland Secondary School
and the University of Glasgow
, Hepburn graduated with a Politics and History degree. Whilst a student, Hepburn ran the unsuccessful campaign for Alasdair Gray
to become the Rector of the University of Glasgow and was the Senior Vice-President at the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
, a post once held by his SNP Parliamentary colleague Alasdair Allan
. Before his election he was convener of both the Federation of Student Nationalists
and the Young Scots for Independence
, as well as SNP candidate for the Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
constituency at the 2005 general election. He also previously worked for Alex Neil, a fellow SNP MSP.
Hepburn was a member of the Scottish Parliament Rural Affairs and Environment Committee and a substitute member of the Equal Opportunities Committee until 26 June 2008 when he became a member of the European and External Relations Committee, and a substitute to the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, before being switched to a substitute member of the Public Petitions Committee. He subsequently was moved to the Public Audit and Equal Opportunities Committees towards the latter part of the third session of the Scottish Parliament. He is presently the Deputy Convener of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee. Hepburn also served as the convener of the Cross Party Group on Human Rights and Civil Liberties in the Scottish Parliament's third session.
It was Hepburn's written question which revealed that projects in Scotland funded by the Private Finance Initiative
will cost the taxpayer some £22.3 billion over a 40 year period.
He was one of six SNP MSPs to attend the "Big Blockade" event at the Faslane naval base
organised by Faslane 365 on 1 October 2007 and has been active in calling for greater transparency about allegations that American government agencies facilitated extraordinary rendition
flights through Scottish airports. He has also called for any Scottish airport that is being sold by BAA Limited to be brought under public control.
Hepburn has also signed up to the People's Charter
, a campaigning document prepared by trade unionists as an alternative to neoliberalism
and has drawn criticism from some elements of the Scottish media for having tabled a motion on Venezuela
.
He was placed third on the SNP list for Central Scotland for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election
.
His wife Julie was the SNP candidate for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
at the 2010 general election.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
politician. He is a Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
Member
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
. He is the second youngest elected member of the Scottish Parliament for the 2007–2011 session after his SNP colleague Aileen Campbell
Aileen Campbell
Aileen Campbell is the Scottish Government Minister for Local Government and Planning and is Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Clydesdale....
.
He was elected during the 2007 election
Scottish Parliament election, 2007
The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the third general election to the devolved Scottish Parliament since it was created in 1999...
for the Central Scotland region, having also contested the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
seat at that election, finishing second behind Cathie Craigie
Cathie Craigie
Cathie Craigie was a Scottish Labour politician and was Member of the Scottish Parliament for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency from 1999 to 2011. She was re-elected in 2003 with a majority of 520 votes, and increased this to 2,079 in 2007...
. In this election he was one of only two candidates to win more than 40% in the constituency contested and not win the seat, the other being Alasdair Morrison
Alasdair Morrison
Alasdair Morrison is a Scottish Labour Party politician. He was born on 18 November 1968 in Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides. He was educated at Paible School, North Uist, and the Nicolson Institute, Isle of Lewis....
in the Western Isles
Western Isles (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Na h-Eileanan an Iar is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
.
Educated at Hyndland Secondary School
Hyndland Secondary School
Hyndland Secondary School is a non-denominational state comprehensive school in the Hyndland area of Glasgow, Scotland.The school provides secondary education for children from the local area, although there are many children from other areas of the city...
and the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, Hepburn graduated with a Politics and History degree. Whilst a student, Hepburn ran the unsuccessful campaign for Alasdair Gray
Alasdair Gray
Alasdair Gray is a Scottish writer and artist. His most acclaimed work is his first novel Lanark, published in 1981 and written over a period of almost 30 years...
to become the Rector of the University of Glasgow and was the Senior Vice-President at the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council was founded on 9th March 1886 and recognised as the legal representative body for students of the University of Glasgow by the Universities Act 1889. The SRC is responsible for representing students' interests to the management of the University...
, a post once held by his SNP Parliamentary colleague Alasdair Allan
Alasdair Allan
Dr Alasdair Allan is the Scottish Government's Minister for Learning and Skills and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Na h-Eileanan an Iar.-Career:...
. Before his election he was convener of both the Federation of Student Nationalists
Federation of Student Nationalists
The Federation of Student Nationalists is the student wing of the Scottish National Party , representing students in Scottish higher education...
and the Young Scots for Independence
Young Scots for Independence
Young Scots for Independence is the youth wing of the Scottish National Party . It is not to be confused with Federation of Student Nationalists, which is for those in higher education, and whose membership is not restricted by age, unlike the YSI.The YSI is autonomous from the SNP and as such is...
, as well as SNP candidate for the Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East (UK Parliament constituency)
Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created for the 2005 general election, replacing Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and part of Strathkelvin and Bearsden....
constituency at the 2005 general election. He also previously worked for Alex Neil, a fellow SNP MSP.
Hepburn was a member of the Scottish Parliament Rural Affairs and Environment Committee and a substitute member of the Equal Opportunities Committee until 26 June 2008 when he became a member of the European and External Relations Committee, and a substitute to the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, before being switched to a substitute member of the Public Petitions Committee. He subsequently was moved to the Public Audit and Equal Opportunities Committees towards the latter part of the third session of the Scottish Parliament. He is presently the Deputy Convener of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee. Hepburn also served as the convener of the Cross Party Group on Human Rights and Civil Liberties in the Scottish Parliament's third session.
It was Hepburn's written question which revealed that projects in Scotland funded by the Private Finance Initiative
Private Finance Initiative
The private finance initiative is a way of creating "public–private partnerships" by funding public infrastructure projects with private capital...
will cost the taxpayer some £22.3 billion over a 40 year period.
He was one of six SNP MSPs to attend the "Big Blockade" event at the Faslane naval base
HMNB Clyde
Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy...
organised by Faslane 365 on 1 October 2007 and has been active in calling for greater transparency about allegations that American government agencies facilitated extraordinary rendition
Extraordinary rendition
Extraordinary rendition is the abduction and illegal transfer of a person from one nation to another. "Torture by proxy" is used by some critics to describe situations in which the United States and the United Kingdom have transferred suspected terrorists to other countries in order to torture the...
flights through Scottish airports. He has also called for any Scottish airport that is being sold by BAA Limited to be brought under public control.
Hepburn has also signed up to the People's Charter
The People's Charter (21st century)
The People's Charter is a campaigning document which was devised by a commission of Trade Unionists with the intention of uniting the left and providing an alternative to the neoliberal political agenda....
, a campaigning document prepared by trade unionists as an alternative to neoliberalism
Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is a market-driven approach to economic and social policy based on neoclassical theories of economics that emphasizes the efficiency of private enterprise, liberalized trade and relatively open markets, and therefore seeks to maximize the role of the private sector in determining the...
and has drawn criticism from some elements of the Scottish media for having tabled a motion on Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
He was placed third on the SNP list for Central Scotland for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election
Scottish Parliament election, 2011
The 2011 Scottish Parliament general election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament.The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, a remarkable feat as the mixed member proportional representation system is used to...
.
His wife Julie was the SNP candidate for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East (UK Parliament constituency)
Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created for the 2005 general election, replacing Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and part of Strathkelvin and Bearsden....
at the 2010 general election.