Claire Baker

Claire Baker (born 4 March 1971) is a Scottish Labour Party politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Scotland and Fife since 2007.

Background

Claire Baker was born and bred in Fife, having grown up in Kelty, and attended primary and secondary schools in Fife. She is married to Richard Baker,MSP for North East Scotland.

Career

Prior to being elected for the Mid Scotland and Fife region in May 2007, Baker worked in a variety of research and policy posts. This included working as a Research Officer for the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Group, Research Officer for the trade union Amicus and a similar role for the Royal College of Nursing. Immediately prior to being elected to the Scottish Parliament, she was Policy Manager for the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the umbrella body for charities and community and voluntary organisations in Scotland. .

In the 2011 election, Baker contested the seat of Mid Fife and Glenrothes but lost to the SNP's Tricia Marwick, who subsequently resigned from the SNP to become the Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer. However, she was successfully returned to the Scottish Parliament as 2nd on Labour's Mid Scotland and Fife regional list.