Jeane Freeman

Not to be confused with Jean Freeman or Jean Frémon.

Jeane Freeman
OBE
Freeman in 2018
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport
In office
28 June 2018 – 20 May 2021
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byShona Robison
Succeeded byHumza Yousaf
Minister for Social Security
In office
19 May 2016 – 28 June 2018
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byChristina McKelvie
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
In office
5 May 2016 – 5 May 2021
Preceded byAdam Ingram
Succeeded byElena Whitham
Personal details
Born
Jeane Tennent Freeman

(1953-09-28) 28 September 1953 (age 71)
Ayr, South Ayrshire, Scotland
Political partyScottish National Party
Other political
affiliations		Communist Party of Great Britain
Labour Party
Alma materGlasgow College of Technology
WebsiteParliamentary website

Jeane Tennent Freeman OBE (born 28 September 1953)[1][2] is a Scottish retired businesswoman and politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport from 2018 to 2021.[3] A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency from 2016 to 2021.

Born into a Labour-supporting, working-class family in South Ayrshire, Freeman attended the Glasgow College of Technology, studying sociology and politics.[4][5][6] She became politically active at an early age and was a member of the Communist Party's student wing, before joining the Labour Party.[7] In 1987, she established Apex Scotland, a criminal justice employment organisation, for which she served as CEO until 2000.[8] Freeman later served as a political advisor to the Labour First Minister Jack McConnell from 2001 to 2005.[9] In the run up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, she and several other women, founded the Women for Independence.[10] Freeman campaigned in support for Scottish independence and in the aftermath of the Yes Scotland campaign's defeat in the referendum, she joined the Scottish National Party.[11]

The following year Freeman was selected as the SNP's candidate for the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency in the 2016 Scottish Parliament election.[12][13] She was elected to the 5th Scottish Parliament and was subsequently appointed a junior ministerial post as Minister for Social Security. In this role, she worked alongside the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities to establish Social Security Scotland, which claims as her "greatest achievement".[14] Following a 2018 cabinet reshuffle of the Second Sturgeon government, Freeman was promoted to the Scottish Cabinet as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport. During Freeman's tenure as the Scottish Health Secretary, she played a vital role to Scotland's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[15] She led press briefings to the public, was criticised for handling of care homes and announced Scotland's preparation plan for delivering COVID-19 vaccines.[16] In 2020, she announced her intention to step down as an MSP, therefore relinquishing her role as Health Secretary.[17]

  1. ^ "Jeane Tennent FREEMAN - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Jeane Freeman on Instagram: "Best birthday present from my best girl!"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference scotministers-may-2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ YouTube (10 June 2014). "Jeane Freeman - Aye! Talks". YouTube.
  5. ^ YouTube (12 September 2015). "An Independent Woman". YouTube.
  6. ^ Linkedin. "Jeane Freeman profile".
  7. ^ Linklater, John (14 June 1979). "Jeane, advocate of reason for the students". Glasgow Herald. p. 4. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference spa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Gordon, Tom (27 May 2012). "McConnell's chief of staff among first 100 to sign up for independence". Sunday Herald. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  10. ^ Campbell, Karen (20 April 2015). "Why do women in Scotland vote? Because the referendum taught us that politics is about power". The Independent. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBC 14Nov2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference CT 19Aug2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kane decision was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ "Covid briefing: Cases rise by almost 400 but no new deaths recorded". HeraldScotland. March 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Thomson, Graeme (24 August 2020). "Jeane Freeman to quit Holyrood as SNP Health Secretary announces election plan". Daily Record. Retrieved 25 May 2021.