Angela Constance

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Angela Constance

| honorific-suffix = MSP

| image = Angela Constance - 53727458028 (cropped).jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = Official portrait, 2024

| office = Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs

| term_start = 29 March 2023

| term_end =

| firstminister = Humza Yousaf
John Swinney

| predecessor = Keith Brown

| successor =

| office2 = Chairman & Business Convener
of the Scottish National Party

| leader2 = Humza Yousaf
John Swinney

| term_start2 = 18 November 2023

| term_end2 =

| predecessor2 = Kirsten Oswald

| successor2 =

{{collapsed infobox section begin|last=yes|Cabinet and ministerial offices (2014–2023)

| cont=yes |titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}

| office3 = Minister for Drugs Policy

| term_start3 = 18 December 2020

| term_end3 = 29 March 2023

| firstminister3 = Nicola Sturgeon

| predecessor3 = Office established

| successor3 = Elena Whitham

| office4 = Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities

| term_start4 = 18 May 2016

| term_end4 = 26 June 2018

| firstminister4 = Nicola Sturgeon

| predecessor4 = Alex Neil

| successor4 = Aileen Campbell

| office5 = Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

| term_start5 = 21 November 2014

| term_end5 = 18 May 2016

| firstminister5 = Nicola Sturgeon

| predecessor5 = Michael Russell

| successor5 = John Swinney

| office6 = Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women’s Employment

| term_start6 = 22 April 2014

| term_end6 = 21 November 2014

| firstminister6 = Alex Salmond

| predecessor6 = Office established

| successor6 = Roseanna Cunningham

| office7 = Minister for Youth Employment

| term_start7 = 7 December 2011

| term_end7 = 22 April 2014

| firstminister7 = Alex Salmond

| predecessor7 = Office established

| successor7 = Annabelle Ewing

| office8 = Minister for Children and Young People

| term_start8 = 20 May 2011

| term_end8 = 7 December 2011

| firstminister8 = Alex Salmond

| predecessor8 = Adam Ingram

| successor8 = Aileen Campbell

| office9 = Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning

| term_start9 = 12 December 2010

| term_end9 = 20 May 2011

| predecessor9 = Keith Brown

| successor9 = Alasdair Allan

| firstminister9 = Alex Salmond

{{collapsed infobox section begin|last=yes|Parliamentary offices

| cont=yes |titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}

| office10 = Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Almond Valley
Livingston (2007–2011)

| predecessor10 = Bristow Muldoon

| majority10 = 12,130 (29.1%)

| term_start10 = 3 May 2007

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|07|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| birthname =

| nationality = Scottish

| party = Scottish National Party

| spouse = Garry Knox (m. 2000)

| children = Cyrus Knox (South African)

| alma_mater = University of Glasgow
University of Stirling

| profession = Social worker

| religion =

| signature =

| website =

| footnotes =

}}

Angela Constance (born 15 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs since 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Almond Valley since 2007.

Born in West Lothian, Constance studied at the University of Glasgow and University of Stirling, before working as a social worker in the Lothians. She served as a councillor for West Lothian Council, where she was a spokesperson for children's services and lifelong learning. In the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, Constance was elected as a member of the Scottish Parliament for the Livingston constituency. As an SNP backbencher she served as a member of the Scottish Commission for Public Audit and justice committee.

Constance was appointed to the Scottish Government in 2010 and served under First Minister Alex Salmond as the minister for skills and lifelong learning and the following year she was reshuffled as the minister for children and young people. She later served as the youth employment minister, before the portfolio was expanded and promoted to cabinet-level in 2014 as the Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women's Employment. Following the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon as depute leader of the SNP when she announced her candidacy for leader, Constance ran unsuccessfully in the 2014 depute leadership contest, losing to Stewart Hosie.

Sturgeon was successful in her bid for leader and was subsequently sworn in as first minister and appointed Constance as education secretary. In a cabinet reshuffle in 2016, she was appointed the equalities secretary and oversaw the introduction of social security powers in Scotland. Constance left government in 2018 to sit as a backbencher. In 2020, Sturgeon appointed her to the new portfolio of drugs policy minister after record high drug deaths in Scotland. On 29 March 2023, newly appointed First Minister Humza Yousaf re-appointed Constance to cabinet as the justice secretary. In November 2023, she became Chairman and Business Convener of the Scottish National Party.

Early life

Angela Constance was born on 15 July 1970 in Blackburn, West Lothian,Birth Certificate of Angela Constance, 1970, 669/2 108 Blackburn — National Records of Scotland the daughter of Simon Constance,Birth certificate of Simon Constance, 1948, 672/ 428 Uphall — National Records of Scotland a coalminer, and Mary Baird Constance (née Colquhoun).Marriage certificate of Simon Constance and Mary Baird Colquhoun, 1970, 685/1 26 Haymarket{{Cite web |title=Angela Constance: I lived in poverty as a child, that's why I'm fighting it now |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14523220.angela-constance-lived-poverty-child-fighting-now/ |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=HeraldScotland |date=29 May 2016 |language=en}} She was educated at West Calder High School and later Bo’ness Academy.{{Cite web |title=Angela Constance MSP {{!}} Bio |url=https://www.angelaconstance.scot/bio |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=www.angelaconstance.scot}}

Constance attended the University of Glasgow, where she gained an MA in Social Science. At Glasgow University, she served on the Students' Representative Council, becoming president of the council in 1991.{{Cite web |title=From SRC to Cab Sec Education |url=https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/news/archives/2014/december/headline_376742_en.html |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=www.gla.ac.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Angela Constance MSP {{!}} Bio |url=https://www.angelaconstance.scot/bio |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=www.angelaconstance.scot}} Alastair Allan was her sabbatical vice president. She earned a Certificate of Welfare Studies from West Lothian College and an MSc in Social Work from the University of Stirling.

Before her election to Holyrood, Constance worked as a social worker and was a Councillor for West Lothian Council where she was the SNP spokesperson for children's services and lifelong learning. She also stood for the SNP in the 2005 Livingston by-election, finishing second behind Scottish Labour with 32.7% of the vote.{{cite web|url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by2005.html|title=Results of Byelections in the 2005-2010 Parliament|last=Boothroyd|first=David|access-date=24 July 2023|website=United Kingdom Election Results|archive-date=27 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227081306/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by2005.html|url-status=dead}}

Cabinet minister (2014–2018)

File:Angela Constance 2016.jpg

During the 2014 SNP spring conference, First Minister and SNP leader Alex Salmond promoted Constance to the Scottish Cabinet in the position of Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women’s Employment. In the position, Constance was somewhat criticised by the opposition Scottish Labour Party in the Scottish Parliament, claiming that since Constance, youth unemployment in Scotland had actually risen. In response to this, Constance stated:

These figures, based on data for 2013, show that the employment prospects are improving across much of Scotland, with women’s employment driving much of this improvement. “They also show that Scotland continues to outperformed the UK across all headline labour market indicators, with a lower unemployment rate, higher employment rate and lower economic inactivity rate.

Previously, Constance was a junior Scottish cabinet member.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/benrileysmith/100267505/four-key-things-we-learnt-from-the-snp-conference/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417174833/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/benrileysmith/100267505/four-key-things-we-learnt-from-the-snp-conference/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-04-17|title=Four key things we learnt from the SNP conference|work=News – Telegraph Blogs}}

Following the election of Nicola Sturgeon as the First Minister, in November 2014, Constance was promoted as the Cabinet Secretary for Education within the Scottish Cabinet.

After the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Nicola Sturgeon reshuffled her Cabinet. On 18 May, Constance was appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities.

SNP Depute leadership bid, 2014

Following defeat in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Scottish National Party leader and First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond announced his resignation as SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/19/alex-salmond-resigns-first-minister-for-scotland |title=Alex Salmond resigns as first minister after Scotland rejects independence |first1=Severin |last1=Carrell |first2=Patrick |last2=Wintour |first3=Rowena |last3=Mason |work=the Guardian |date=19 September 2014 |access-date=31 May 2015 |archive-date=3 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103170617/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/19/alex-salmond-resigns-first-minister-for-scotland |url-status=live }} In the aftermath of his resignation, a leadership bid was launched, and the then Deputy First Minister of Scotland and SNP Depute leader Nicola Sturgeon was widely tipped to become Salmond's successor.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scottish-independence/scottish-referendum-nicola-sturgeon-edges-closer-to-snp-leadership-9746536.html |title=Scottish referendum: Nicola Sturgeon edges closer to SNP leadership following Alex Salmond's resignation |first=James |last=Cusick |work=The Independent |date=21 September 2014 |access-date=21 November 2014 |archive-date=1 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101095309/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scottish-independence/scottish-referendum-nicola-sturgeon-edges-closer-to-snp-leadership-9746536.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29297949|title=Scottish ministers 'back Sturgeon as next first minister'|work=BBC News|date=21 September 2014|access-date=21 June 2018|archive-date=29 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029024019/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29297949|url-status=live}}

On 30 September 2014, Constance officially launched her bid to become the Depute leader of the Scottish National Party,{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/msp-angela-constance-enters-race-4355615|title=MSP Angela Constance enters race to become next SNP deputy leader|work=dailyrecord|date=30 September 2014 |access-date=1 October 2014|archive-date=3 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141003082506/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/msp-angela-constance-enters-race-4355615|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.glasgowsouthandeastwoodextra.co.uk/news/scottish-headlines/constance-appeal-in-snp-deputy-bid-1-3558521 |title=Constance appeal in SNP deputy bid |newspaper=The Glasgow South and Eastwood Extra |date=2 October 2014 |orig-date=1 October 2014 |access-date=2014-10-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006070501/http://www.glasgowsouthandeastwoodextra.co.uk/news/scottish-headlines/constance-appeal-in-snp-deputy-bid-1-3558521 |archive-date=6 October 2014 |df=dmy-all }} competing against Stewart Hosie and Keith Brown.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29355222 |title=Scottish referendum: Keith Brown and Stewart Hosie launch SNP deputy bids |work=BBC News |date=25 September 2014 |access-date=21 June 2018 |archive-date=14 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514140003/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29355222 |url-status=live }} It was later revealed by Constance that she was "not seeking the position of Deputy First Minister".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29429784|title=Angela Constance calls on SNP to 'build' independence case|work=BBC News|date=1 October 2014|access-date=21 June 2018|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201103251/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29429784|url-status=live}}

The results of the election were announced at the SNP Autumn Conference on 14 November, with Constance losing the contest to Stewart Hosie, after being eliminated in the first round.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-30052053|title=Stewart Hosie elected deputy leader of the SNP|work=BBC News|date=14 November 2014|access-date=21 June 2018|archive-date=17 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217162919/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-30052053|url-status=live}}

Return to government (2020–)

=Minister for Drugs Policy (2020–2023)=

File:Extension to Edinburgh recovery service David McCartney with Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance.jpg

In December 2020 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon sacked Joe FitzPatrick as Public Health Minister after official figures revealed that 1,264 people in Scotland had died from drugs in 2019. The number of deaths was three and a half times higher the figure for England and Wales and by some margin the highest in Europe.{{Cite news|date=2020-12-18|title=Drug deaths in Scotland: Minister Joe FitzPatrick loses job|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-55368574|access-date=2021-05-09|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506152718/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-55368574|url-status=live}} Sturgeon described the SNP's record on drugs as "indefensible"{{Cite news|last=Sanderson|first=Daniel|date=2021-04-18|title=Nicola Sturgeon admits SNP's record on drug deaths is 'indefensible'|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/04/18/sturgeon-admits-snps-record-drug-deaths-indefensible/|access-date=2021-05-09|issn=0307-1235|archive-date=19 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419164123/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/04/18/sturgeon-admits-snps-record-drug-deaths-indefensible/|url-status=live}} and Constance was given a full time ministerial portfolio with responsibility for the crisis. The appointment was not universally welcomed; journalist Alex Massie opined in The Times that: "It says something, mind you, about the depth of talent available to Sturgeon that... she felt compelled to hand the drugs brief to Angela Constance, a minister she had previously demoted. Twice."{{Cite news|last=Massie|first=Alex|title=Sturgeon is using candour as shield against criticism|newspaper=The Times|language=en|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/sturgeon-is-using-candour-as-shield-against-criticism-swp2lvd6l|access-date=2021-05-09|issn=0140-0460|archive-date=19 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419164425/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sturgeon-is-using-candour-as-shield-against-criticism-swp2lvd6l|url-status=live}}

At the Scottish Parliament election on 6 May 2021, Constance was re-elected as MSP for Almond Valley. On 19 May 2021, she was re-appointed to the new government, retaining the post of Minister for Drugs Policy.{{cite news |title=Nicola Sturgeon appoints new health and education secretaries |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-57169123 |work=BBC News |date=19 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519230809/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-57169123 |archive-date=19 May 2021}}

In November 2023, Constance was appointed as the SNP's Business Convener (party chair), succeeding Kirsten Oswald.{{cite web | url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/23932601.angela-constance-named-new-snp-business-convener/ | title=Angela Constance takes over from Kirsten Oswald as new SNP business convener | date=18 November 2023 }} The Business Convener is responsible for chairing the SNP's Party Conference and the National Executive Committee; overseeing the party's management, administration and operations, as well as the coordination of election campaigns; working with the Chief Executive of Headquarters in setting priorities.

=Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs (2023–present)=

File:Building a New Scotland - Justice in an independent Scotland - 53678069175.jpg paper), 2024]]

On 29 March 2023, newly elected first minister Humza Yousaf appointed Constance as Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, marking a return to the Scottish cabinet for Constance following her departure from the cabinet during the third term of Nicola Sturgeon's premiership in 2018.{{cite web |title=New Cabinet unveiled |url=https://www.gov.scot/news/new-cabinet-unveiled/ |website=www.gov.scot |access-date=1 January 2025 |language=en}} Yousaf claimed he was "looking forward" to working with Constance on "delivering real, tangible improvements".{{cite web |title=Justice and Home Affairs: FM letter to Cabinet Secretary |url=https://www.gov.scot/publications/justice-and-home-affairs-fm-letter-to-cabinet-secretary/ |website=www.gov.scot |access-date=1 January 2025 |language=en}}

Following her appointment, Yousaf announced that both he and Constance had "agreed an ambitious range of outcomes" in order to modernise the Scottish justice system in order to "better focus on the needs of victims while ensuring rates of offending continue to be at historic lows". Additionally, Yousaf encouraged Constance to protect the independence of key justice agencies of the country as well as the Judiciary of Scotland. Additionally, Constance was tasked with reducing the court backlog created by the government restrictions introduced to mitigate Covid–19, work with both the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland to deliver a sustainable budget, conduct collaboration between Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to "further drive out inefficiencies and achieve operational efficiencies", responsible for the overview and implementation of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, updating of the Equally Safe strategy and support the implementation of "trauma-informed knowledge" and the associated skills framework for staff in justice organisations across Scotland.

Constance was re–appointed Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs by new first minister John Swinney in May 2024.{{cite web |title=New Scottish Cabinet |url=https://www.gov.scot/news/new-scottish-cabinet-1/ |website=www.gov.scot |access-date=1 January 2025 |language=en}}

Personal life

Constance has been married to Garry Knox since 2000.Marriage certificate of Angela Constance and Garry Richard Knox, 2000, 701/ 2 Queensferry — National Records of Scotland After her election to Holyrood, Constance announced she was expecting her first child, Cyrus in October 2007.

References

{{Reflist

| refs =

{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/10814387/Female-minister-promoted-by-Alex-Salmond-to-attract-women-voters-has-record-of-failure.html|title=Female minister promoted by Alex Salmond to attract women voters has 'record of failure'|date=7 May 2014|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=4 April 2018|archive-date=20 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920110922/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/10814387/Female-minister-promoted-by-Alex-Salmond-to-attract-women-voters-has-record-of-failure.html|url-status=live}}

}}