Amy Callaghan
{{short description|Scottish politician, MP for East Dunbartonshire}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Amy Callaghan
| image = Official portrait of Amy Callaghan MP crop 2.jpg
| honorific-suffix =
| office2 = SNP Spokesperson for Pensions and Intergenerational Affairs
| party = Scottish National Party
| leader2 = Ian Blackford
| term_start2 = 8 January 2020
| term_end2 = 10 December 2022
| predecessor2 = Position established
| successor2 = Position abolished
| majority2 =
| education = University of Strathclyde
| nationality = Scottish
| term_start3 = 12 December 2019
| term_end3 = 30 May 2024
| office3 = Member of Parliament
for East Dunbartonshire
| predecessor3 = Jo Swinson
| successor3 = Constituency abolished
| caption = Official portrait, 2020
| office = SNP Spokesperson for Health in the House of Commons
| leader = Stephen Flynn
| term_start = 4 September 2023
|term_end = 5 July 2024
| predecessor = Martyn Day
| successor = Office not in use
}}
Amy Callaghan (born 21 May 1992){{cite tweet |user=AmyCallaghanSNP |last=Callaghan |first=Amy |title=Thirty flirty and thriving |number=1528057010813652998 |accessdate=16 July 2022}} is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who served as the member of parliament (MP) for East Dunbartonshire from 2019 until 2024 when the seat was abolished and she came second in the newly established seat of Mid Dunbartonshire.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/S14000018 |title=Dunbartonshire East parliamentary constituency – Election 2019 |website=BBC News |access-date=14 December 2019 |archive-date=13 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213045442/https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/S14000018|url-status=live}} She unseated the then Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, with a narrow majority of 149 votes or 0.3%, overturning her majority of 5,339 votes two years earlier.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/13/jo-swinson-lib-dems-on-course-for-grim-night |title=Jo Swinson quits as Lib Dem leader after losing her own seat |last1=Walker |first1=Peter |last2=Murphy |first2=Simon |last3=Brooks |first3=Libby |date=13 December 2019 |work=The Guardian |access-date=14 December 2019 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=13 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213165740/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/13/jo-swinson-lib-dems-on-course-for-grim-night|url-status=live}} She was SNP Health spokesperson since and sat on the Health and Social Care Select Committee during her time in Parliament.{{Cite web |date=October 6, 2023 |title=Health and Social Care Committee Membership |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/81/health-and-social-care-committee/membership/ |access-date=October 6, 2023 |website=UK Parliament}}
Background
Callaghan attended primary and secondary school in Clydebank.{{Cite web |title=About Amy |url=https://www.amycallaghan.scot/about |access-date=2022-08-19 |publisher=Amy Callaghan }} She then attended the University of Strathclyde where she gained a BA Honours in politics.{{cite news |last=Diamond |first=Claire |date=17 December 2019 |title=Election 2019: Who is the young SNP MP who beat Jo Swinson? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-50808566 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217145925/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-50808566 |archive-date=17 December 2019 |access-date=17 December 2019 |website=BBC News}} Before pursuing a political career, Callaghan worked in retail, hospitality and social care. In 2015 she began her work with the SNP as a Parliamentary Assistant in the Scottish Parliament for the former Scottish Government Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Aileen McLeod MSP. Following the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Callaghan worked as Office Manager to Rona Mackay, the MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden.
Callaghan was diagnosed with melanoma when she was 19 and cites her experience of cancer as motivation to safeguard the NHS, saying, "It can never be jeopardised."{{Cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/general-election-2019-who-is-amy-callaghan-the-msp-who-beat-jo-swinson-1-5061924 |title=General Election 2019: Who is Amy Callaghan, the MSP who beat Jo Swinson? |first=Lauren |last=Walker |work=The Scotsman |access-date=13 December 2019 |archive-date=13 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213103051/https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/general-election-2019-who-is-amy-callaghan-the-msp-who-beat-jo-swinson-1-5061924 |url-status=live}} She has been cancer-free since 2014.
In June 2020, Callaghan's office announced that she had suffered a brain haemorrhage and had undergone emergency neurosurgery.{{cite tweet |author=Office of Amy Callaghan |user=AmyCallaghanSNP |number=1272438889412734977 |date=15 June 2020 |title=Statement from the Office of Amy Callaghan MP |access-date=15 June 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200615081840/https://twitter.com/AmyCallaghanSNP/status/1272438889412734977 |archive-date=15 June 2020}} She spent four months recovering in the Physically Disabled Rehabilitation Unit at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-54555089 |title=SNP MP Amy Callaghan out of hospital after brain haemorrhage |website=BBC News |date=15 October 2020 |access-date=15 October 2020 |archive-date=18 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018074753/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-54555089 |url-status=live }}
- {{Cite tweet |user=amycallaghansnp |last=Callaghan |first=Amy |number=1316726910571905026 |title=After 4 months in hospital, today I've been discharged. I'm coming home. To the miracle team at @NHSGGC PDRU – now my second family – thank you. I can never, ever repay you. I was wheeled in here. Now I'm walking out. I'm just getting started too |access-date=15 October 2020}}
Voluntary activities
Callaghan volunteered as a member of the Children's Panel for three years. Her voluntary activities have also supported the Teenage Cancer Trust, Young Lives Vs Cancer and the James Lind Alliance.{{Cite web |last=Callaghan |first=Amy |date=19 August 2022 |title=Activity |website=LinkedIn |url=https://uk.linkedin.com/in/amy-callaghan-a4a235a9 }} She has co-authored research papers aimed at helping young people with cancer.{{Cite journal |last1=Aldiss |first1=Susie |last2=Fern |first2=Lorna A. |last3=Phillips |first3=Robert S. |last4=Callaghan |first4=Amy |last5=Dyker |first5=Karen |last6=Gravestock |first6=Helen |last7=Groszmann |first7=Michael |last8=Hamrang |first8=Leila |last9=Hough |first9=Rachael |last10=McGeachy |first10=Demi |last11=Morgan |first11=Sue |last12=Smith |first12=Sam |last13=Upadhyaya |first13=Sheela |last14=Veitch |first14=Helen |last15=Veitch |first15=Lara |date=2019-08-01 |title=Research priorities for young people with cancer: a UK priority setting partnership with the James Lind Alliance |url=https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/8/e028119 |journal=BMJ Open |volume=9 |issue=8 |pages=e028119 |doi=10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028119 |issn=2044-6055 |pmid=31383701|pmc=6688702 }}
Political career
Callaghan was selected as the Scottish National Party's candidate for the seat of East Dunbartonshire in September 2019.{{cite news |url=https://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/news/politics/snp-choose-candidate-to-fight-east-dunbartonshire-seat-1-5014248 |title=SNP choose candidate to fight East Dunbartonshire seat |date=30 September 2019 |website=Kirkintilloch Herald |access-date=14 December 2019 |archive-date=14 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214113919/https://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/news/politics/snp-choose-candidate-to-fight-east-dunbartonshire-seat-1-5014248 |url-status=live}} At the December 2019 general election, she won the seat, only narrowly beating the incumbent MP and Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson.
On 7 January 2020, she was appointed as the SNP's spokesperson for pensions and intergenerational affairs.{{cite news |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/18143239.snp-westminster-reshuffle-sees-big-changes-party/ |title=SNP Westminster reshuffle sees some big changes for the party |date=7 January 2020 |website=The National |access-date=5 March 2020 |archive-date=24 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224101754/https://www.thenational.scot/news/18143239.snp-westminster-reshuffle-sees-big-changes-party/ |url-status=live}} She made her maiden speech in parliament nine days later, during which she spoke about Scottish independence and protecting the NHS from the Tories.{{cite news |date=16 January 2020 |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/18166711.watch-amy-callaghans-brilliant-maiden-speech-snp-mp/ |title=WATCH: Amy Callaghan's 'brilliant' maiden speech as SNP MP |website=The National |access-date=2 April 2020 |archive-date=17 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217051451/https://www.thenational.scot/news/18166711.watch-amy-callaghans-brilliant-maiden-speech-snp-mp/ |url-status=live}}
In March 2020, she was selected as a member of the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee.{{Cite web |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/81/health-and-social-care-committee/news/144999/health-and-social-care-committee-membership-agreed/ |title=Health and Social Care Committee membership agreed |publisher=UK Parliament |date=2 March 2020 |archive-date=3 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303142022/https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/81/health-and-social-care-committee/news/144999/health-and-social-care-committee-membership-agreed/ |access-date=6 June 2023 }} She was later discharged from the committee in June 2020 because of her brain haemorrhage and subsequent period of recovery.{{Cite web |title=Business without Debate |website=Hansard |date=29 June 2020 |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2020-06-29/debates/417917F3-86A7-4E72-8A84-C4512D8B9C73/BusinessWithoutDebate |access-date=2020-07-31 |archive-date=5 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805014459/https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2020-06-29/debates/417917F3-86A7-4E72-8A84-C4512D8B9C73/BusinessWithoutDebate |url-status=live}}
During her recovery, Callaghan contributed to parliamentary debates virtually under processes that had been introduced to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.{{Cite news |title=SNP MP Amy Callaghan makes virtual return to parliament after suffering brain haemorrhage |first=Stephen |last=Mcilkenny |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19128650.amy-callaghan-mp-makes-virtual-return-parliament-suffering-brain-haemorrhage/ |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=Herald Scotland }} However, following the removal of these processes, in February 2022 she returned to the House of Commons to deliver a speech in person. She described her return as "against doctor's orders".{{Cite news |last=McCall |first=Chris |date=2022-02-07 |title=SNP MP Amy Callaghan returns to Westminster 'against doctor's orders' |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/snp-mp-amy-callaghan-returns-26158157 |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=Daily Record }}
Callaghan said she was travelling to London to raise the issue of a constituent who had suffered a stroke and was struggling with financial support. In what the Daily Mirror described as a "powerful return to Parliament", she pushed the work and pensions secretary, Thérèse Coffey, to commit to "revisiting the current levels of Universal Credit", claiming that the current level of support left people "barely getting by".{{Cite news |last=Bloom |first=Dan |date=2022-02-07 |title=MP who had stroke at 28 blasts 'woeful' benefits in powerful return to Commons |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/mp-who-stroke-aged-28-26164663 |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=Daily Mirror }}
She has spearheaded the campaign for a proxy voting system.{{Cite news |title=Amy Callaghan steps up call for proxy voting at Westminster |first=Judith |last=Duffy |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/19937894.snp-mp-amy-callaghan-steps-call-proxy-voting-westminster/ |access-date=6 June 2023 |website=The National |date=20 February 2022}}
- {{Cite news |title=Amy Callaghan returns to Westminster as she blasts 'antiquated' voting rules |first=Richard |last=Mason |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/19905372.amy-callaghan-returns-westminster-blasts-antiquated-voting-rules/ |access-date=6 June 2023 |website=The National |date=7 February 2022 }} In January 2022, she wrote to then Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, urging him to bring back proxy voting and virtual participation for those with long-term health conditions; Rees-Mogg subsequently suggested he was against the introduction of digital voting as MPs would not take votes "seriously" if they participated remotely.{{Cite news |date=2022-01-10 |title=Jacob Rees-Mogg Accused Of "Patronising" MPs With Reluctance To Update Voting System |first=Eleanor |last=Langford |url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/jacob-rees-mogg-patronising-mps-proxy-voting |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=Politics Home }}
On her physical return to the House of Commons in February 2022, Callaghan stepped up her calls for proxy voting during a speech in parliament and in a serious of interviews including with the Daily Record. In March 2022, she raised the issue again in the House of Commons, describing parliamentary procedures as "exclusionary".{{Cite web |publisher=UK Parliament |work=Hansard |date=17 March 2022 |title=Business of the House |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2022-03-17/debates/D0DB19BE-DF00-4430-9205-46D498352591/BusinessOfTheHouse }}
On 7 June 2022, Callaghan was forced to withdraw her comment in the House of Commons for using the word "lying" in relation to the prime minister, Boris Johnson. She criticised Johnson for "partying, lying, amending the ministerial code, voter suppression, [and] watering down human rights". The deputy speaker, Nigel Evans, interrupted Callaghan and asked her to withdraw the word "lying", which she agreed to do.{{Cite news |title=SNP MP made to withdraw 'lying' Boris comment in 'outrageous' Commons moment |first=Laura |last=Webster |date=7 June 2022 |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/20192911.snp-mp-amy-callaghan-instructed-take-back-lying-boris-comment-house-commons/ |access-date=6 June 2023 |website=The National }}
In June 2022, Callaghan's colleague Patrick Grady was found to have committed "unwanted physical touching, with sexual intent" on a junior member of the SNP Westminster Group's staff. Following an investigation by an independent expert panel, Grady was suspended from the House of Commons for two sitting days. The expert group found that Grady's behaviour was a "significant breach" of the UK Parliament's sexual misconduct policy. However, for reasons set out in the report, the expert panel concluded that the suspension from parliament "should be short".{{Cite web |author=Independent Expert Panel |date=14 June 2022 |title=The Conduct of Mr Patrick Grady MP |url=https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/mps-lords--offices/standards-and-financial-interests/independent-expert-panel/hc-368---the-conduct-of-mr-patrick-grady-mp.pdf |publisher=House of Commons}}
In a leaked recording of an SNP group meeting, Callaghan can be heard telling her fellow MPs, "I think we should be rallying together for this campaign, but also regardless of our position on Patrick's situation, we should be rallying together around him to support him at this time as well. I don't think we are very good as a party at supporting each other and I think we should be making sure that he feels supported at this point, so if we can all reach out to him, or do so if you feel able to, we should probably be doing that."{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/patrick-grady-affair-shows-snp-needs-vital-reform-say-mps-jcjqcnsl2 |title=Patrick Grady affair shows SNP needs vital reform, say MPs |last=Andrews |first=Kieran |date=21 June 2022 |work=The Times |url-access=subscription}}
- {{cite news |url=https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,snp-mp-amy-callaghan-sorry-for-insensitive-comments-at-patrick-grady-meeting |title=SNP MP Amy Callaghan sorry for 'insensitive' comments at Patrick Grady meeting |last=Wilson |first=Louise |date=20 June 2022 |work=Holyrood}} Her comments had been greeted with applause from colleagues, but Callaghan later issued an apology, describing her remarks as "insensitive, poorly worded and misplaced".{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-61870273 | title=SNP MP apologises after 'insensitive' Patrick Grady comments | work=BBC News | date=20 June 2022 }} Then First Minister and SNP party leader, Nicola Sturgeon, subsequently told the Scottish Parliament, "I cannot comment on whether [the leaked recording] is an accurate overall reflection of the discussion, but what I have heard suggests that more concern was shown for the perpetrator of the behaviour than for its victim."{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIFARmOd6NQ |title=First Minister's Questions – 23 June 2022 |publisher=The Scottish Parliament |date=23 June 2022 |website=YouTube }}
- {{cite news |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/scotland/nicola-sturgeon-hits-out-at-unacceptable-snp-group-meeting-on-patrick-grady-case-1703643 |title=Nicola Sturgeon hits out at 'unacceptable' SNP group meeting on Patrick Grady case |last=Green |first=Chris |date=23 June 2022 |work=i}}
Callaghan launched East Dunbartonshire's first ever hospitality awards in June 2022 following what she described as a "a tough tough two years for the sector".{{Cite news |date=2022-08-15 |title=Bearsden patisserie crowned best hospitality business |url=https://www.glasgowworld.com/business/bearsden-patisserie-crowned-best-hospitality-business-3805829 |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=Glasgow World}}
She chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Children, Teenagers and Young Adults with Cancer.{{Cite web |title=All-Party Parliamentary Group on Children, Teenagers and Young Adults with Cancer (APPG CTYAC) |url=https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/about-us/our-policy-work/all-party-parliamentary-group-children-teenagers-and-young-adults-cancer |access-date=2022-08-19 |publisher=Teenage Cancer Trust}}
Callaghan was promoted to the SNP's frontbench team as Health Spokesperson in September 2023.{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Kevin |date=2023-09-04 |title=Stephen Flynn reshuffles SNP frontbench team at Westminster |url=https://news.stv.tv/politics/stephen-flynn-unveils-reshuffle-of-snp-frontbench-team-at-westminster |access-date=2023-10-06 |website=STV News |language=en-GB}} She also sat on the UK Parliament's Health and Social Care Select Committee.{{Cite web |date=October 6, 2023 |title=Health and Social Care Committee Membership |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/81/health-and-social-care-committee/membership/ |access-date=October 6, 2023 |website=UK Parliament}}
During the 2024 UK general election, Callaghan lost in her bid for re-election in the newly formed seat of Mid Dunbartonshire, trailing the Liberal Democrats' Susan Murray by 9,673 votes.{{Cite news |title=Mid Dunbartonshire – General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/S14000097 |access-date=2024-07-07 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
Campaigning and personal life
Callaghan campaigned to have VAT removed from sunscreen to reduce rates of melanoma.{{Cite web |title=VAT Burn |url=https://www.amycallaghan.scot/vat-burn |access-date=2023-10-06 |website=Amy Callaghan MP |language=en}} The campaign is supported by several leading cancer charities.{{Cite web |title=VAT Burn |url=https://www.amycallaghan.scot/vat-burn |access-date=2023-10-06 |website=Amy Callaghan MP |language=en}}
Callaghan has a small dog called Alfie.{{Cite news |title=Politicians and their pets: Amy Callaghan MP |website=Holyrood |date=2 May 2022 |url=https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,politicians-and-their-pets-amy-callaghan-mp-and-alfie |access-date=6 June 2023 }}
References
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External links
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{{UK MP links |parliament=4770 |publicwhip=Amy_Callaghan |theywork=amy_callaghan}}
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{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=Jo Swinson}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for East Dunbartonshire|years=2019–2024}}
{{s-non|reason=Constituency abolished}}
{{s-end}}
{{Former SNP MPs|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Callaghan, Amy}}
Category:21st-century Scottish women politicians
Category:21st-century Scottish politicians
Category:Alumni of the University of Strathclyde
Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Scottish constituencies