{{Short description|Scottish Labour Co-op politician}} {{use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Paul O'Kane | honorific_suffix = | image = Paul O'Kane 2021.jpg | office = Deputy [[Convener]] of the [[Committees of the Scottish Parliament|Health, Social Care and Sport Committee]] | term_start = 22 June 2021 | term_end = 25 April 2023 | predecessor = [[Emma Harper]] | office1 = [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] for [[West Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|West Scotland]]<br />{{nobold|(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)}} | term_start1 = 6 May 2021 | term_end1 = 9 April 2026 | predecessor1 = | successor1 = | office2 = | term_start2 = | term_end2 = | predecessor2 = | successor2 = | office5 = Scottish Labour portfolios | suboffice5 = [[Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy|Shadow Minister for Public Health, Social Care and Drugs Policy]] | subterm5 = 2021–2023 | suboffice6 = [[Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice|Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Social Security, and Equalities]] | subterm7 = 2025–2026 | suboffice7 = [[Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills|Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education and Equalities]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps/paul-okane|title=Paul O'Kane|website=www.parliament.scot}}</ref> | subterm6 = 2023–2025 | birth_name = Paul Francis O'Kane | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1988|3|21}} | birth_place = [[Paisley, Renfrewshire]], Scotland | party = [[Scottish Labour]] [[Co-operative Party|Co-operative]] | alma_mater = University of Glasgow }} '''Paul Francis O'Kane''' (born 21 March 1988) is a [[Scottish Labour]] and [[Co-operative Party|Co-operative]] politician. He served as a [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] (MSP) for the [[West Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|West Scotland]] region from [[2021 Scottish Parliament election|2021]] until [[2026 Scottish Parliament election|2026]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=O'Kane, Paul, (born 21 March 1988), Member (Lab) West Scotland, Scottish Parliament, since 2021 |url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/display/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-295999 |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO |date=2023 |language=en |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u295999|isbn=978-0-19-954088-4 }}</ref>
== Early life == Born in [[Paisley, Renfrewshire|Paisley]] Raised in [[Neilston]], Paul O'Kane attended St Thomas' Primary in Neilston and [[St Luke's High School]] in [[Barrhead]], where he was Head Boy. From there he went onto study at the [[University of Glasgow]] for an MA (Hons) in English Literature and Politics. Whilst attending the University of Glasgow, he was chair of the University Labour Club.
== Third Sector career == After graduating from university in 2010, O'Kane worked as a Development Officer with Volunteer Centre East Dunbartonshire.<ref name=":0" /> He then worked for the Beardmore Trust in Clydebank. Prior to his election to the [[Scottish Parliament]], he worked for seven years with ENABLE Scotland, a major learning disability charity and social care provider, leaving the role of Policy and Participation Manager upon his election to Parliament.
== Political career == O'Kane worked as a parliamentary researcher to two Scottish Labour MPs, [[Jim Murphy]] (2007–10) and [[Gemma Doyle (politician)|Gemma Doyle]] (2012–13).<ref name=":0" /> He served as a member of [[East Renfrewshire|East Renfrewshire Council]] from [[2012 East Renfrewshire Council election|2012]], representing the people of Neilston, Uplawmoor and Newton Mearns North<ref>{{Cite web|title=Local Elections Archive Project - 2012 - East Renfrewshire|url=https://www.andrewteale.me.uk/leap/results/2012/435/|access-date=2021-05-10|website=www.andrewteale.me.uk|archive-date=2020-11-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127152422/https://www.andrewteale.me.uk/leap/results/2012/435/|url-status=live}}</ref> and served as Deputy Education convenor. He was re-elected in [[2017 East Renfrewshire Council election|2017]] to represent the new council ward [[Newton Mearns North and Neilston (ward)|Newton Mearns North and Neilston]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Local government elections 2017 - East Renfrewshire Council|url=https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/local-government-elections-2017|access-date=2021-05-10|website=www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk|language=en|archive-date=2021-05-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510155721/https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/local-government-elections-2017|url-status=live}}</ref> following boundary changes and became Deputy Leader of East Renfrewshire Council as well as Convenor for Education and Equalities. He was the Scottish Labour group leader on the council from 2017 to 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Council deputy leader quits role after being elected as an MSP|url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/19358196.council-deputy-steps-holyrood-election/ |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Glasgow Times |date=9 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> He stood down as a councillor at the [[2022 Scottish local elections|2022 council elections]].<ref name=":0" />
On 6 April 2015, he was chased down a street in [[Barrhead]] by a man with a chainsaw while campaigning for Jim Murphy in the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-06-15 |title=Man chased councillor with chainsaw |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-36537879 |access-date=2023-04-04}}</ref>
O'Kane was chosen to defend the [[Renfrewshire South (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Renfrewshire South constituency]] at the [[2016 Scottish Parliament election]], succeeding retiring MSP [[Hugh Henry]]. Finishing second with 9,864 votes (33.2%), he was unsuccessful in retaining the constituency, which saw the [[Scottish National Party]]'s [[Tom Arthur (Scottish politician)|Tom Arthur]] win the seat.<ref>{{cite web|title = Scottish Parliamentary Election 2016 - Renfrewshire Website|url = https://www1.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/3846/Scottish-Parliamentary-Election-2016|website = Renfrewshire Council|access-date = 6 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title = Renfrewshire South - Scottish Parliament constituency - Elections 2016|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/scotland-constituencies/S16000140 |work = BBC News|access-date = 18 September 2025}}</ref>
===Member of the Scottish Parliament=== At the [[2021 Scottish Parliament election]], O’Kane re-contested Renfrewshire South, coming second with 10,426 votes (30.0%). He was placed fourth on the party list for the [[West Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|West Scotland region]], and was one of the three successful Labour candidates to be elected.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Scottish Election 2021: List MSPs confirmed for West Scotland|url=https://www.helensburghadvertiser.co.uk/news/19289234.scottish-election-2021-list-msps-confirmed-west-scotland/|access-date=2021-05-08|website=Helensburgh Advertiser|date=8 May 2021 |language=en|archive-date=2021-05-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508205716/https://www.helensburghadvertiser.co.uk/news/19289234.scottish-election-2021-list-msps-confirmed-west-scotland/|url-status=live}}</ref>
He served as Deputy [[Convenor]] of the [[Committees of the Scottish Parliament|Health, Social Care and Sport Committee]] from 2021<ref>{{Cite web|title=Session 6 Health Social Care and Sport Committee|url=https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-health-social-care-and-sport-committee|access-date=2021-06-22|website=www.parliament.scot|language=en}}</ref> until 2023 and Scottish Labour Shadow Minister for Public Health, Social Care and Drugs Policy. In April 2023, he was promoted to the position of Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Social and Equalities replacing [[Pam Duncan Glancy]] who moved to the Education and Skills Portfolio.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2023/04/scottish-labour-say-they-are-election-ready/ |title=Scottish Labour say they are election ready|date=10 April 2023 }}</ref> In December 2025 he was appointed Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education and Equalities <ref>{{cite web |title=Labour MSP resigns over friendship with convicted sex offender |date=6 December 2025 |url=https://news.stv.tv/politics/labour-msp-pam-duncan-glancy-resigns-from-shadow-cabinet-over-friendship-with-convicted-sex-offender}}</ref>
In the [[2026 Scottish Parliament election]] he was the Labour candidate in [[Renfrewshire South (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Renfrewshire West and Levern Valley]] but was unsuccessful.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Daniel |date=2025-02-27 |title=Scottish Parliament elections 2026: Full list of Labour candidates for Holyrood |url=https://labourlist.org/2025/02/scottish-parliament-holyrood-elections-2026-labour-party-candidates-who-my-local/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=LabourList |language=en-GB}}</ref> In early 2026 the Scottish Labour Party announced their Regional List rankings as voted for by Party members. Despite placing 3rd after his Party colleagues Jackie Baillie (who was automatically number one by virtue of being Deputy Leader) and Neil Bibby who was number two, he was ‘zipped’ due to the gender balancing mechanism approved by the Scottish Executive Committee of the Scottish Labour Party <ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-02 |title=Labour leadership contenders at risk of losing seats in May elections|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/future-labour-leadership-contenders-danger-losing-seats-holyrood-wipeout-8kv6rmp6t |publisher=The Times |access-date=2026-05-15}}</ref> to number four in favour of Katy Clark. As he was fourth on the regional list he was not re-elected to the Scottish Parliament.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-07 |title=Scottish Parliament Election 2026 Region Guide - West Scotland |url=https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/26088229.scottish-parliament-election-2026-region-guide---west-scotland/ |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=East Lothian Courier |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life == O'Kane is the first openly gay man elected to the Scottish Parliament for Scottish Labour.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/scottish-labour-msp-paul-okane-24092243|title=Scottish Labour's Paul O'Kane "honoured" to be first gay man elected for party|first=Stephanie|last=Brawn|date=12 May 2021|website=Daily Record}}</ref> O'Kane married his husband in August 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/renfrewshire/after-17-years-artery-scottish-25992232|title=After 17 years the artery of Scottish Labour's first publicly-gay MSP will flow|first=Stephen|last=Houston|date=22 January 2022|website=Daily Record}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> According to [[Who's Who (UK)|''Who's Who'']], O'Kane's recreations are "travelling, reading, going to the theatre, spending time with family and friends".<ref name=":0" /> O'Kane has UK and Irish citizenship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=* |url=https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/meeting-of-parliament-23-01-2024?meeting=15665&iob=133637#16203 |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=www.parliament.scot |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{SP-MSP}}
{{Former Labour MSPs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:OKane, Paul}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Labour Co-operative MSPs]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2021–2026]] [[Category:LGBTQ members of the Scottish Parliament]] [[Category:21st-century British politicians]] [[Category:People from East Renfrewshire]] [[Category:Politicians from Paisley, Renfrewshire]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow]] [[Category:1988 births]] [[Category:Scottish gay politicians]]