29 Facts About Maggie Chapman

Maggie Chapman was born on 27 June 1979 and is a Scottish politician and lecturer who is a Scottish Green Member of the Scottish Parliament for North East Scotland.

Maggie Chapman was co-convenor of the Scottish Greens from November 2013 to August 2019, serving with Patrick Harvie, and was the party's lead candidate for the 2019 European election.

Maggie Chapman was a councillor for the Leith Walk ward of The City of Edinburgh Council from 2007 to 2015 and represented the Scottish Greens on the Smith Commission for further devolution of powers to the Scottish Parliament.

Maggie Chapman was the lead Green candidate for the North East region at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, and was elected as one of eight Green MSPs.

Maggie Chapman's family had moved from South Africa in 1978 for her father to take up the post of director at the college of music.

Maggie Chapman grew up there, educated at a mixed-race school, with the country having achieved independence from the United Kingdom as the Republic of Zimbabwe whilst she was a baby.

Maggie Chapman's mother was a nurse who worked as a theatre sister and midwife.

Maggie Chapman moved to Scotland to study Zoology at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 2001.

Maggie Chapman went on to complete a Master's degree in Environmental Management at the University of Stirling in 2003, then returned to Edinburgh University to study for a PhD in Geography.

Maggie Chapman has worked in the west of Scotland in Environmental Management, and as a community carer throughout Edinburgh.

Maggie Chapman retains a role in teaching through her support for the Educational Institute of Scotland.

Maggie Chapman was first elected as a councillor for the Leith Walk ward in the 2007 City of Edinburgh Council election, becoming one of the three first Green councillors in Edinburgh.

Maggie Chapman has organised and voted against the privatisation of council services and cuts to services.

Maggie Chapman was selected as the party's lead candidate for the North East region.

Maggie Chapman was the party's lead candidate in the 2014 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom for the Scotland constituency.

Maggie Chapman is a socialist, environmentalist, anti-cuts activist, peace activist and feminist.

Maggie Chapman has been active in a number of political campaigns, including the Radical Independence Campaign.

In September 2014, Maggie Chapman became a member of the Smith Commission into further devolution for the Scottish Parliament.

In 2015, Maggie Chapman was challenged as co-convenor by activist Zara Kitson in the party's internal elections.

Maggie Chapman stood in the 2016 Scottish Parliament election as the party's lead candidate for the North East region but despite the Greens increasing their number of MSPs from two to six, Chapman was not elected.

At the 2019 Scottish Green leadership election, Maggie Chapman lost to Lorna Slater.

Maggie Chapman was criticised for comments she made during a discussion on gender recognition reform with broadcaster LBC.

Maggie Chapman was installed as rector at a ceremony in March 2015, having intimated that she would be active in the role.

Maggie Chapman ran for a second term in November 2017, but the election was annulled after allegations that her supporters had torn down posters belonging to rival candidates, which Maggie Chapman and her campaign team denied.

Maggie Chapman won re-election, defeating Aberdeen law student Israr Khan by a margin of 1,248 votes to 891.

On 10 May 2023, Maggie Chapman was sanctioned after the standards committee found she had failed to declare a financial interest during an evidence session on the Gender Recognition Reform Bill.

In October 2023, Maggie Chapman tweeted that the Hamas attack on Israel, which killed 1,300 and took more hostage, was "decolonisation", not "terrorism".

Maggie Chapman later deleted her posts after facing criticism and said that she did not support the initial statement.

Maggie Chapman's father, Neil Chapman, was a professional classical musician.