1. Fiona Jane Hyslop was born on 1 August 1964 and is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Transport since 2024.
35 Facts About Fiona Hyslop
1. 2.
Fiona Hyslop was born in Ayrshire and spent her early years in England, before moving back to Scotland.
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Fiona Hyslop attended the University of Glasgow, where she earned a Masters of Art in Economic History and Sociology.
4.
Fiona Hyslop moved to Edinburgh and worked for the Standard Life Assurance Company.
5.
Fiona Hyslop joined the SNP in 1986 and spent her spare time campaigning in local elections.
6.
Fiona Hyslop unsuccessfully stood election to the British House of Commons for both the Edinburgh Leith and Edinburgh Central constituencies in the 1990s.
7.
Fiona Hyslop was demoted to junior Minister for Culture and External Affairs, which was later promoted to cabinet-level in 2011.
8.
Fiona Hyslop served as Culture Secretary from 2011 to 2020, where she then added economy on to her portfolio, as Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture.
9.
Fiona Hyslop returned to the government as Minister for Transport in June 2023 under First Minister Humza Yousaf.
10.
Fiona Hyslop was promoted to Cabinet Secretary for Transport in February 2024 and was reappointed to the position by Yousaf's successor, John Swinney.
11.
Fiona Jane Hyslop was born in Irvine, Ayrshire, on 1 August 1964.
12.
Fiona Hyslop's father died at a young age and her mother, a midwife, was left as a single parent to two children.
13.
When Fiona Hyslop was 14, her mother married her step-father, a general practitioner, who had two children.
14.
Fiona Hyslop's step-brother was hospital catering manager and her step-sister was in the police, giving Hyslop a sense of the importance of public services.
15.
Fiona Hyslop studied social sciences at the University of Glasgow and earned a Masters of Art in Economic History and Sociology.
16.
Fiona Hyslop earned a Post-graduate Diploma in Industrial Administration from the Scottish College of Textiles.
17.
Fiona Hyslop moved to Edinburgh, where she worked for the Standard Life Assurance Company from 1986 to 1999.
18.
Fiona Hyslop helped campaign for the Scottish National Party at a local by-election even though she was not a member.
19.
Fiona Hyslop described herself as never being a "joiner" and joined the SNP after she read their manifesto, and felt that Scottish independence most suited her interests.
20.
Fiona Hyslop became the party's election agent for three regional candidates in the 1988 Scottish local elections and managed to win a seat.
21.
Whilst working in Edinburgh, Fiona Hyslop spent her spare time campaigning for the SNP and was an active member of the Young Scots Nationalists, the SNP's youth wing.
22.
Fiona Hyslop worked along with Charlie Reid of the Proclaimers and Angus Robertson.
23.
Fiona Hyslop worked on motions to move the SNP to a more centre-left, social democratic party.
24.
Fiona Hyslop became Vice Convener for Policy and served on the SNP Executive Committee.
25.
Fiona Hyslop stood as a candidate in the 1988 Edinburgh District Council elections, and in the 1990 and 1994 Lothian Regional Council elections.
26.
Fiona Hyslop stood as candidate for Edinburgh Leith and Edinburgh Central in the 1992 and 1997 UK General Elections respectively.
27.
In 2003, Fiona Hyslop sought re-election to the 2nd Scottish Parliament, this time as a candidate for the Linlithgow constituency.
28.
Fiona Hyslop lost the seat, again, but increased her vote share and retained her seat on the Lothian list.
29.
In December 2009, opposition parties called for Fiona Hyslop to be sacked, as Scottish Labour Leader Iain Gray stated that schools were in "crisis".
30.
In 2011 election to the 3rd Scottish parliament, Fiona Hyslop ran, again, for the Linlithgow constituency.
31.
Nicola Sturgeon succeeded Salmond and Fiona Hyslop remained in Sturgeon's new cabinet.
32.
Fiona Hyslop added Europe onto her portfolio as Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs.
33.
Fiona Hyslop was re-elected to the Scottish Parliament in the 2021 election.
34.
Fiona Hyslop was reappointed to the position by Yousaf's successor, John Swinney.
35.
Fiona Hyslop met her husband, Kenneth Anderson, through the SNP and the couple married in 1994.