James Kelly (Scottish politician)

James Kelly
Official portrait, 2016
General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party
In office
5 September 2021 – 3 April 2023
LeaderAnas Sarwar
Preceded byDrew Smith (acting)
Succeeded byJohn Paul McHugh
Parliamentary offices
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Glasgow
(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)
In office
5 May 2016 – 6 May 2021
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Rutherglen
Glasgow Rutherglen (2007–2011)
In office
3 May 2007 – 24 March 2016
Preceded byJanis Hughes
Succeeded byClare Haughey
Scottish Labour portfolios
2012–2013Chief Whip of the Scottish Labour Party
2013–2014Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities
2014–2017Shadow Minister for Parliamentary Business
2017–2019Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance[a]
2019–2020Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice
Mar–May 2021Shadow Minister for Parliamentary Business
Personal details
Born
James Anthony Kelly

(1963-10-23) 23 October 1963 (age 61)
Political partyScottish Labour and Co-operative
SpouseAlexa Kelly
Children2
OccupationComputer analyst
Websitehttps://www.jameskelly.scot/

James Anthony Kelly (born 23 October 1963) is a Scottish politician who has served as General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party since 2021. He was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Glasgow region between 2016 and 2021, having previously been MSP for Rutherglen (formerly Glasgow Rutherglen) from 2007 to 2016.

Kelly has held a number of Scottish Labour frontbench posts including Finance Spokesperson and Justice Spokesperson under Richard Leonard from 2017 to 2020. He served as the Scottish Labour Party's Parliamentary Business Manager at Holyrood as well as Spokesperson for Community Safety and Drugs Policy.


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