Susan Deacon
Encyclopedia
Susan Deacon is a Scottish
politician, academic, commentator and a former Scottish Cabinet Minister.
She was Labour MSP for Edinburgh East & Musselburgh from 1999–2007 and served as Scotland’s first Cabinet Minister for Health and Community Care following the creation of the Scottish Parliament
in 1999. Since standing down from Parliament
in 2007, she has combined a number of roles in academic and charitable life with work in the private and public sector.
In 2010, she became an Honorary Professor, School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh
; she is chairman of Scottish Power Renewables
, the UK's largest wind farm provider; and was appointed as Early Years Champion for the Scottish Government.
, she completed an MA (Hons) in Social Policy and Politics at Edinburgh University and later an MBA. She joined the Labour Party
at 17 while still at school and, as a student, was a campaigner against apartheid, nuclear disarmament
and a supporter of the miners’ strike. She was vice president of Edinburgh University Students' Representative Council
, chair of Scottish Labour Students
and rose rapidly through Labour ranks serving on the Scottish Labour Party’s National Executive and playing a leading role in Edinburgh City politics during the 1980s. She was a founder member of the pro-devolution
Labour pressure group, Scottish Labour Action, which campaigned for non-payment against the poll tax
and pressed the Labour Party into join the Scottish Constitutional Convention
.
She began her career in local government in 1987 where she worked as in both research and management roles within West Lothian
and then East Lothian
district councils. In 1994 Deacon joined Eglinton Management Centre in Edinburgh, as a senior training consultant, and then became director of MBA programmes at Edinburgh Business School
, at Heriot Watt University. Following the birth of her first child, she worked as a business consultant and organised several major national policy conferences in the run-up to Scottish devolution.
as MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
in May 1999
and, though tipped for ministerial office, her appointment by First Minister Donald Dewar
as Scotland’s first Minister for Health and Community Care came as a surprise to many. Viewed as coming from the left of the Party and with no background in health – she had been education spokesperson in Dewar's election campaign team – Deacon had been initially rejected as a candidate by Scottish Labour's controversial vetting
process, eventually becoming the only person to appeal successfully. Despite this rocky start, Deacon quickly gained respect in the new Parliament and was widely regarded as one of Labour's most effective performers - and was even tipped as a possible future First Minister.
Henry McLeish
reappointed Deacon as Health Minister when he took over as First Minister following the death of Donald Dewar in November 2000 and she continued until McLeish’s resignation in November 2001. Deacon was offered a Cabinet position by incoming First Minister Jack McConnell
in November 2001 but, by then pregnant with her second child, decided instead to leave Government and return to the backbenches.
During her time as Health Minister, Deacon led major changes in the governance and leadership of the National Health Service in Scotland and championed reforms in child health, mental health
and older people's care
. She was responsible for the first Scottish Health Plan, which laid many foundations upon which subsequent health policy in Scotland has been built, though she is known to have been angered by what she dubbed as Jack McConnell's "Day Zero" approach on taking office which she claimed meant a loss of momentum in delivering improvements in the NHS in Scotland.
A critic of the flagship policy of free personal care
, she argued against its introduction saying future costs were unknown and may not be sustainable – a view rejected by the Scottish Parliament
. She won plaudits for her strong stance against militant anti-abortion campaigners, though was criticised by the Roman Catholic Church
for her position on issues such as teenage pregnancy
and contraception
.
Deacon was re-elected as an MSP in 2003, securing the largest Labour majority in Edinburgh, and had been selected to fight her Edinburgh East and Musselburgh seat again in the 2007 election.
. Deacon said she had had enough of the ‘raw tribalism
of party politics
’ and that there was a need to rekindle the enthusiasm and hope that was there in the beginning. Her decision was met with surprise with one commentator describing her as ‘one of the bright lights of devolution
’s early days’.
Since leaving Parliament, Deacon has stepped back from party politics while continuing to be an active player in wider public policy
debate and an occasional political commentator. She was appointed Professor of Social Change at Queen Margaret University, which includes work on social entrepreneurship
and health inequalities and has engaged with the Nationalist Scottish Government
in the development of policy and practice on issues such as drugs and early years. In June 2010, she left Queen Margaret to take up a new position as Honorary Professor, School of Social and Political Science, at the University of Edinburgh
.
She has spoken widely on leadership and change, arguing for greater cooperation across political and sectoral boundaries and less reliance on top-down policy and "the near paralysis of process and analysis".
In June 2010, Deacon was appointed by the Scottish Government's Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning to ‘champion’ the importance of children’s early years and “to lead a wide-ranging, national dialogue on how best to take action to improve children’s early years of life.”
, Pfizer UK Foundation
, Dewar Arts Awards Trust and is Chair of the Hibernian Community Foundation – the charity set up by Hibernian Football Club.
On 19 July 2010 Deacon was appointed Chairman of ScottishPower Renewables Ltd, part of the Iberdrola Group
which is headquartered in Spain. She is also a trustee of the Iberdrola Foundation. An adviser to various local and national organisations, she is also a member of the steering group of the National Trust for Scotland
Strategic Review.
, and their two children.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
politician, academic, commentator and a former Scottish Cabinet Minister.
She was Labour MSP for Edinburgh East & Musselburgh from 1999–2007 and served as Scotland’s first Cabinet Minister for Health and Community Care following the creation 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...
in 1999. Since standing down from 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...
in 2007, she has combined a number of roles in academic and charitable life with work in the private and public sector.
In 2010, she became an Honorary Professor, School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
; she is chairman of Scottish Power Renewables
Iberdrola Renovables
- Iberdrola Renovables was a subsidiary of Iberdrola, headquartered in Valencia, Spain, which included companies in the domains of renewable energy, particularly wind power...
, the UK's largest wind farm provider; and was appointed as Early Years Champion for the Scottish Government.
Early life
Educated at Musselburgh Grammar SchoolMusselburgh Grammar School
Musselburgh Grammar School is a large state secondary school that serves as the main secondary school for Musselburgh and the surrounding areas. It dates back to the sixteenth century, although the present building was erected in 1835. Until the 1950s the school was a 'proper' Grammar School, and...
, she completed an MA (Hons) in Social Policy and Politics at Edinburgh University and later an MBA. She joined the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
at 17 while still at school and, as a student, was a campaigner against apartheid, nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament refers to both the act of reducing or eliminating nuclear weapons and to the end state of a nuclear-free world, in which nuclear weapons are completely eliminated....
and a supporter of the miners’ strike. She was vice president of Edinburgh University Students' Representative Council
Students' Representative Council
A Students' Representative Council represents student interests in the government of a university, school or other educational institution. Generally the SRC forms part of a broader Students' Association which may include other functions such as societies, entertainments and sports Universities...
, chair of Scottish Labour Students
Scottish Labour Students
Scottish Labour Students , is a student society, affiliated to the Scottish Labour Party and forms an important part of the UK-wide organisation Labour Students....
and rose rapidly through Labour ranks serving on the Scottish Labour Party’s National Executive and playing a leading role in Edinburgh City politics during the 1980s. She was a founder member of the pro-devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
Labour pressure group, Scottish Labour Action, which campaigned for non-payment against the poll tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
and pressed the Labour Party into join the Scottish Constitutional Convention
Scottish Constitutional Convention
The Scottish Constitutional Convention was an association of Scottish political parties, churches and other civic groups, that developed a framework for a Scottish devolution. It is credited as having paved the way for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.The Convention was...
.
She began her career in local government in 1987 where she worked as in both research and management roles within West Lothian
West Lothian Council
West Lothian Council is one of 32 local authorities in Scotland and has 32 elected members Councillors who are elected every 4 years.The Council makes its decisions at its meetings, or those of its Committees and Sub-Committees....
and then East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
district councils. In 1994 Deacon joined Eglinton Management Centre in Edinburgh, as a senior training consultant, and then became director of MBA programmes at Edinburgh Business School
Edinburgh Business School
Edinburgh Business School is the Graduate School of Business of Heriot-Watt University , Edinburgh, Scotland. Heriot-Watt University is the eighth oldest higher educational institution in the UK, and awards degrees by Royal Charter...
, at Heriot Watt University. Following the birth of her first child, she worked as a business consultant and organised several major national policy conferences in the run-up to Scottish devolution.
Ministerial role
Deacon was elected to the Scottish ParliamentScottish 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...
as MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
in May 1999
Scottish Parliament election, 1999
The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members...
and, though tipped for ministerial office, her appointment by First Minister Donald Dewar
Donald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar was a British politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in Scotland from 1966-1970, and then again from 1978 until his death in 2000. He served in Tony Blair's cabinet as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1997-1999 and was instrumental in the creation...
as Scotland’s first Minister for Health and Community Care came as a surprise to many. Viewed as coming from the left of the Party and with no background in health – she had been education spokesperson in Dewar's election campaign team – Deacon had been initially rejected as a candidate by Scottish Labour's controversial vetting
Vetting
Vetting is a process of examination and evaluation, generally referring to performing a background check on someone before offering him or her employment, conferring an award, etc...
process, eventually becoming the only person to appeal successfully. Despite this rocky start, Deacon quickly gained respect in the new Parliament and was widely regarded as one of Labour's most effective performers - and was even tipped as a possible future First Minister.
Henry McLeish
Henry McLeish
Henry Baird McLeish is a Scottish Labour Party politician, author and academic. Formerly a professional association football player, McLeish was the Member of Parliament for Central Fife from 1987 to 2001 and the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Fife from 1999 to 2003, during which...
reappointed Deacon as Health Minister when he took over as First Minister following the death of Donald Dewar in November 2000 and she continued until McLeish’s resignation in November 2001. Deacon was offered a Cabinet position by incoming First Minister Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
in November 2001 but, by then pregnant with her second child, decided instead to leave Government and return to the backbenches.
During her time as Health Minister, Deacon led major changes in the governance and leadership of the National Health Service in Scotland and championed reforms in child health, mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
and older people's care
Elderly care
Elderly care or simply eldercare is the fulfillment of the special needs and requirements that are unique to senior citizens. This broad term encompasses such services as assisted living, adult day care, long term care, nursing homes, hospice care, and In-Home care.-Cultural and geographic...
. She was responsible for the first Scottish Health Plan, which laid many foundations upon which subsequent health policy in Scotland has been built, though she is known to have been angered by what she dubbed as Jack McConnell's "Day Zero" approach on taking office which she claimed meant a loss of momentum in delivering improvements in the NHS in Scotland.
A critic of the flagship policy of free personal care
Personal care
Personal care or toiletries is the industry which manufactures consumer products used for beautification and in personal hygiene.-Subsectors:Subsectors of personal care include cosmetics and feminine hygiene....
, she argued against its introduction saying future costs were unknown and may not be sustainable – a view rejected by 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...
. She won plaudits for her strong stance against militant anti-abortion campaigners, though was criticised by the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
for her position on issues such as teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy of a female under the age of 20 when the pregnancy ends. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy...
and contraception
Contraception
Contraception is the prevention of the fusion of gametes during or after sexual activity. The term contraception is a contraction of contra, which means against, and the word conception, meaning fertilization...
.
Backbench MSP
As a backbench MSP, Deacon became regarded an independent voice, serving on several Parliamentary Committees, including Enterprise and Audit. She chaired the Cross Party Group on Sexual Health and was involved in work on reproductive health and HIV/Aids both in the UK and abroad. The only Scottish member of the influential RSA UK Commission on Illegal Drugs, Communities and Public Policy, Deacon was a critic of Government drugs policy. Her opposition to the Iraq War won her support among Labour Party members and the Scottish public, but left relationships strained with parliamentary colleagues.Deacon was re-elected as an MSP in 2003, securing the largest Labour majority in Edinburgh, and had been selected to fight her Edinburgh East and Musselburgh seat again in the 2007 election.
After the Scottish Parliament
In the summer of 2006, she announced her decision to stand down from the Scottish ParliamentScottish 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...
. Deacon said she had had enough of the ‘raw tribalism
Tribalism
The social structure of a tribe can vary greatly from case to case, but, due to the small size of tribes, it is always a relatively simple role structure, with few significant social distinctions between individuals....
of party politics
Party Politics
Party Politics is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes papers in the field of Political Science. The journal's editors are David M Farrell and Paul Webb...
’ and that there was a need to rekindle the enthusiasm and hope that was there in the beginning. Her decision was met with surprise with one commentator describing her as ‘one of the bright lights of devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
’s early days’.
Since leaving Parliament, Deacon has stepped back from party politics while continuing to be an active player in wider public policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
debate and an occasional political commentator. She was appointed Professor of Social Change at Queen Margaret University, which includes work on social entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurship is the work of social entrepreneurs. A social entrepreneur recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve social change . While a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a...
and health inequalities and has engaged with the Nationalist Scottish Government
Government of the 3rd Scottish Parliament
The Government of the 3rd Scottish Parliament was formed after the 2007 elections to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government is headed by First Minister Alex Salmond.- First Salmond government :...
in the development of policy and practice on issues such as drugs and early years. In June 2010, she left Queen Margaret to take up a new position as Honorary Professor, School of Social and Political Science, at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
.
She has spoken widely on leadership and change, arguing for greater cooperation across political and sectoral boundaries and less reliance on top-down policy and "the near paralysis of process and analysis".
In June 2010, Deacon was appointed by the Scottish Government's Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning to ‘champion’ the importance of children’s early years and “to lead a wide-ranging, national dialogue on how best to take action to improve children’s early years of life.”
Other appointments
Deacon has served on various boards, including the Traverse TheatreTraverse Theatre
The Traverse Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1963.The Traverse Theatre commissions and develops new plays or adaptations from contemporary playwrights. It also presents a large number of productions from visiting companies from across the UK. These include new plays,...
, Pfizer UK Foundation
Pfizer UK
Pfizer UK is the principal subsidiary of the multinational pharmaceutical company Pfizer in the United Kingdom. Pfizer UK employs over 4,000 people and spends around £550 million per year on research and development in the UK...
, Dewar Arts Awards Trust and is Chair of the Hibernian Community Foundation – the charity set up by Hibernian Football Club.
On 19 July 2010 Deacon was appointed Chairman of ScottishPower Renewables Ltd, part of the Iberdrola Group
Iberdrola Renovables
- Iberdrola Renovables was a subsidiary of Iberdrola, headquartered in Valencia, Spain, which included companies in the domains of renewable energy, particularly wind power...
which is headquartered in Spain. She is also a trustee of the Iberdrola Foundation. An adviser to various local and national organisations, she is also a member of the steering group of the National Trust for Scotland
National Trust for Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland describes itself as the conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland's natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to...
Strategic Review.
Personal life
Deacon lives in East Lothian with her long-term partner John Boothman, a senior News Editor with BBC ScotlandBBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
, and their two children.
External links
- Members Page at the Scottish Parliament Site
- Susan Deacon MSP Biography at Labour party website