Angela Crawley
Angela Crawley | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2019 | |
| SNP Attorney General Spokesperson in the House of Commons | |
| In office 1 February 2021 – 10 December 2022 | |
| Leader | Ian Blackford |
| Preceded by | Stuart McDonald |
| Succeeded by | Patricia Gibson (2023) |
| Member of Parliament for Lanark and Hamilton East | |
| In office 7 May 2015 – 30 May 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Jimmy Hood |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 June 1987 Hamilton, Scotland |
| Political party | Scottish National Party |
| Alma mater | University of Stirling University of Glasgow |
| Website | Official website |
Angela Crawley (born 3 June 1987) is a Scottish National Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lanark and Hamilton East from 2015 to 2024. Crawley served as the SNP Shadow Attorney General from 2021 to 2022. She was previously the SNP spokesperson for Women and Equalities and a member of the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee.[1][2][3]
Early life and career
Born in Hamilton, Crawley attended John Ogilvie High School. She studied Politics at the University of Stirling, graduating with a BA degree. She then spent several years living and working in Brighton for the Educational Travel Group.[4] After being elected to Parliament, she received an LLB degree in law from the University of Glasgow.
She first stood for election to South Lanarkshire Council for the Hamilton South ward and was elected at the 2012 local elections[5] with 1,255 first preferences and taking the second seat in the ward, exceeding the quota.
In 2014, she was appointed as the National Convenor of the SNP's youth wing, Young Scots for Independence; also sitting on the party's National Executive Committee.
In 2017, Crawley was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for her work in Parliament.[6] She very narrowly retained her Lanark and Hamilton East seat at the 2017 snap general election, at what was a tight three way marginal behind the Conservatives and Labour. It was the tighest three-way marginal between three parties for any seat since 1945.[7]
In December 2016, Crawley stated in Parliament her view that "the law must be updated to recognise an individual's gender identity, which has nothing to do with their birth gender and everything to do with the gender they believe they are". Conservative MP Ben Howlett described Crawley in his response "as a great champion on trans issues".[8][non-primary source needed]
Crawley has prioritised campaigning on LGBTQ+ Equality in Parliament. On 27 February 2017, she launched a new campaign for transgender and non binary equality.[9] This involved her setting up a petition. In 2022, Crawley led a debate on 50 Years of Pride in the UK, stating that "trans people in 2022 are facing the same hate crime and discrimination that many of the LGBTI community faced in the 1980s," and asserting that LGBTQ+ rights are human rights.[10]
Crawley has called for victims of domestic abuse to be exempted from the child maintenance charge, and wrote a letter to the then Home Secretary Amber Rudd on the issue in 2018.[11][12][13]
In 2021, Crawley launched a campaign for paid miscarriage leave in the UK including the introduction of a Private Members Bill on the issue along with a national petition.[14][15][16] She reintroduced the Private Members Bill in the 2022 Parliament.[17][18]
On 15 June 2022, Crawley lead a debate in Westminster on the merits of introducing a universal basic income (UBI).[19][20]
On 23 June 2023, she announced that she would not stand at the 2024 general election to spend more time with her family.[21]
Personal life
In February 2016, she was included in The Independent's group photograph of 28 LGBT MPs and peers.[22]
References
- ^ "Women and Equalities Committee - members". House of Commons. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
- ^ "Election 2015: Lanark & Hamilton East parliamentary constituency". BBC News. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ Thomson, Ross (8 May 2015). "Angela Crawley wins Lanark seat from Jim Hood". Carluke Gazette. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ Carr, Tim (18 May 2015). The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015: Profiles of the New MPs and Analysis of the 2015 General Election Results. Biteback Publishing. ISBN 9781849549240.
- ^ Provan, Gillian (4 May 2012). "Tears of shock and delight at South Lanarkshire's local elections". STV News. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "30 Under 30 Europe 2017: Law & Policy". Forbes. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ^ "Lanark & Hamilton East parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". BBC News. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ^ "Transgender Equality - Thursday 1 December 2016 - Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
- ^ "Angela launched new campaign for transgender and non-binary equality". 27 February 2017.
- ^ "Debate: 50 Years of Pride in the UK - 30th Jun 2022".
- ^ "May pushed to scrap 'cruel' child maintenance fees". The National. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ^ "Angela Crawley MP: "Time to axe the tax for survivors of domestic abuse"". CommonSpace. Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ^ "MP calls for an end to 'shameful tax'". Carluke Gazette. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ^ "Miscarriage: 'It's a loss, not an illness'". BBC News.
- ^ "Give workers the right to paid leave for miscarriage before 24 weeks, MPS urged". Independent.co.uk. 23 September 2021.
- ^ paidmiscarriageleave.co.uk
- ^ "Inside the fight for all UK parents to get paid miscarriage leave". 8 July 2022.
- ^ "MP emotional during paid miscarriage leave plea: 'Forgive me if I take a minute'".
- ^ Bartynek, Shirley (11 June 2022). "Lanarkshire MP to lead universal basic income debate in Westminster". The Daily Record. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
- ^ "Universal Basic Income – in Westminster Hall at 4:30 pm on 15th June 2022". TheyWorkForYou. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
- ^ "Third SNP MP announces plans to step down at next General Election". Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ Leftly, Mark (20 February 2016). "Gay MPs: The photograph that shows Westminster's attitude towards LGBT politicians is changing". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022.
External links
- profile on SNP website
