Joan McAlpine
Encyclopedia
Joan McAlpine MSP is a Scottish journalist and Scottish National Party
Member
of the Scottish Parliament
for the South of Scotland
. She has a column in the The Scotsman
newspaper and author of the blog Go Lassie Go, which won a Scottish media blog award.
. She has an MA (Hons) in Scottish History and Economic History
from University of Glasgow
. She also has a Postgraduate Diploma in newspaper journalism from City University in London. McAlpine was formerly married to the writer and musician Pat Kane
, with whom she has two daughters.
McAlpine began her career at the Greenock Telegraph
in 1987. She went on to work for The Scotsman
and The Sunday Times
, where she won the Scottish Journalist of the Year award in 1999. In 2000 she was appointed editor of The Sunday Times Scotland and the following year became deputy editor of The Herald
; the first woman to hold the Herald post, although not the first Scottish female newspaper editor.
She currently writes a weekly column for The Scotsman. Her blog, Go Lassie Go, was voted Scotland's top media blog in 2010.
In 1994 McAlpine co-authored a book on the history of the anti-poll tax
campaign, A Time to Rage, with the political activist Tommy Sheridan
. In 1999 a programme Border Television
written and presented by McAlpine, Crossing the Border, received a commendation but no award at the New York Television Festival
.
in the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election. She has been a media adviser for the SNP and Alex Salmond
's speechwriter, as well as preparing for debates for the First Minister of Scotland
.
She currently is a member of the Scottish Parliamentary Committee on Education and Culture
and the Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the First Minister Alex Salmond MSP.
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 the South of Scotland
South of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)
South of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament...
. She has a column in the The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
newspaper and author of the blog Go Lassie Go, which won a Scottish media blog award.
Background
McAlpine was born in Gourock, Renfrewshire and attended St Ninian's Primary school in Gourock and St Columba's secondary in GreenockGreenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
. She has an MA (Hons) in Scottish History and Economic History
Economic history
Economic history is the study of economies or economic phenomena in the past. Analysis in economic history is undertaken using a combination of historical methods, statistical methods and by applying economic theory to historical situations and institutions...
from 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...
. She also has a Postgraduate Diploma in newspaper journalism from City University in London. McAlpine was formerly married to the writer and musician Pat Kane
Pat Kane
Pat Kane is a Scottish musician, and half of the pop duo Hue and Cry with his younger brother Greg.Independently of Hue & Cry, lead singer Kane writes on politics and culture...
, with whom she has two daughters.
McAlpine began her career at the Greenock Telegraph
Greenock Telegraph
The Greenock Telegraph is a local daily newspaper serving Inverclyde, Scotland.Founded in 1857, it was the first halfpenny daily newspaper in Britain. It was for a time Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, owing to the massive amount of maritime traffic moving in and out of Greenock's...
in 1987. She went on to work for The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
and The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, where she won the Scottish Journalist of the Year award in 1999. In 2000 she was appointed editor of The Sunday Times Scotland and the following year became deputy editor of The Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
; the first woman to hold the Herald post, although not the first Scottish female newspaper editor.
She currently writes a weekly column for The Scotsman. Her blog, Go Lassie Go, was voted Scotland's top media blog in 2010.
In 1994 McAlpine co-authored a book on the history of the anti-poll tax
Community Charge
The Community Charge, popularly known as the "poll tax", was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of the rates to part fund local government in Scotland from 1989, and England and Wales from 1990. It provided for a single flat-rate per-capita tax on every adult, at a rate set by the...
campaign, A Time to Rage, with the political activist Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician. He has had various prominent roles within the socialist movement in Scotland and is currently one of two co-convenors of the left-wing Scottish political party Solidarity....
. In 1999 a programme Border Television
Border Television
Border Television is the ITV franchise holder for the Border region, spanning the England/Scotland border and covering Dumfries & Galloway region, a small part of the south-west area of Ayrshire, the Scottish Borders, parts of north and west Northumberland and the majority of Cumbria...
written and presented by McAlpine, Crossing the Border, received a commendation but no award at the New York Television Festival
New York Television Festival
The New York Television Festival is a yearly gathering of artists, fans, and executives to celebrate independent small-screen productions. It was founded in 2005, and is held in venues in New York City....
.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
McAlpine was elected as a list MSP for the South of Scotland regionSouth Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)
South Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament...
in the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election. She has been a media adviser for the SNP and Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
's speechwriter, as well as preparing for debates for the First Minister of Scotland
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
.
She currently is a member of the Scottish Parliamentary Committee on Education and Culture
Committees of the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament has a number of committees, with small numbers of Members appointed to deal with particular topics or issues.Much of the work of the Scottish Parliament is done in committee...
and the Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the First Minister Alex Salmond MSP.
External links
- Go Lassie Go - official website
- Scottish Parliament Member's page
- The Guardian articles
- The Scotsman articles