{{Short description|Scottish Labour Co-op politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use British English|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Rhoda Grant | honorific_suffix = | image = File:Official Portrait of Rhoda Grant MSP (cropped).jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2016 | office = [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]]<br />for [[Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|Highlands and Islands]]<br />{{nobold|(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)}} | term_start = 3 May 2007 | term_end = 9 April 2026 | term_end1 = 31 March 2003 | term_start1 = 6 May 1999 | office2 = Scottish Labour portfolios | suboffice2 = [[Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity|Spokesperson for Rural Economy and Connectivity]] | subterm2 = 2016–2017 | suboffice3 = [[Minister for Parliamentary Business|Shadow Minister for Parliamentary Business]] | subterm3 = 2017–2018 | suboffice4 = Spokesperson for Equalities | subterm4 = 2017–2019 | suboffice5 = [[Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government|Spokesperson for Finance]] | subterm5 = 2019–2020 | suboffice6 = Spokesperson for the Eradication of Poverty and Inequality | subterm6 = Apr–Nov 2020 | suboffice7 = [[Cabinet Secretary for Justice|Spokesperson for Justice]] | subterm7 = 2020–2021 | suboffice8 = [[Spokesperson for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands]] | subterm8 = 2021–present | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|06|26|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Stornoway]], [[Outer Hebrides]], Scotland | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Scottish Labour]] [[Labour Co-operative|Co-operative]] | spouse = | children = | alma_mater = [[Open University]] | website = [https://www.rhodagrant.org.uk/ Official Website] }}
'''Rhoda Grant''' (born 26 June 1963) is a Scottish politician who served as a [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] (MSP) for the [[Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|Highlands and Islands]] region from [[2007 Scottish Parliament election|2007]] to [[2026 Scottish Parliament election|2026]], having previously represented the same region from [[1999 Scottish Parliament election|1999]] to [[2003 Scottish Parliament election|2003]]. A member of the [[Scottish Labour]] and [[Co-operative Party]], She is currently the [[Opposition Shadow Cabinets of the Scottish Parliament|Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands.]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-16 |title=Rhoda Grant – Regional Labour MSP for the Highlands and Islands |url=https://www.rhodagrant.org.uk/ |access-date=2023-08-14 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Early life and career == Grant was born in 1963 in [[Stornoway]], [[Outer Hebrides]] and studied for a degree in social sciences from the [[Open University]]. Prior to her election, Grant worked for the [[trade union]] [[UNISON]] and [[Highland Regional Council]].
== Political career == [[File:RhodaGrantMSP20110511.JPG|left|thumb|Official parliamentary portrait, 2011]]In the [[1999 Scottish Parliament election]], Grant was elected to a list seat for the [[Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|Highlands and Islands]] region.<ref name="session1">{{cite web |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/31605.aspx |title=Previous MSPs: Session 1 (1999-2003): Rhoda Grant |date=21 February 2013 |publisher=Scottish Parliament |access-date=11 October 2014}}</ref> In the [[2003 Scottish Parliament election|2003 election]], she fought the [[Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber]] constituency but came second to [[Fergus Ewing]] of the [[Scottish National Party]], who held the seat by 1,000 votes. In that election, she also lost her regional list seat.
In the [[2007 Scottish Parliament election]], Grant was again elected as a regional list MSP for Highlands and Islands,<ref name="session3">{{cite web |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/26587.aspx |title=Previous MSPs: Session 3 (2007-2011): Rhoda Grant |date=26 April 2011 |publisher=Scottish Parliament |access-date=11 October 2014}}</ref> as the [[Scottish Green Party]]'s vote share collapsed and Labour won three list seats, and she was re-elected in the [[2011 Scottish Parliament election|2011 election]].
In 2013, Grant campaigned for filters to be put in place to make the viewing or downloading of [[internet pornography]] more difficult, arguing there had been a significant connection between pornography, the sex industry, abuse and [[violence against women]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/campaigners-we-need-more-controls-to-back-up-scottish-anti-porn-laws.21411684 |title=Campaigners: 'We need more controls to back up Scottish anti-porn laws' |work=[[Sunday Herald]] |first=Rachel |last=Loxton |date=23 June 2013 |access-date=11 October 2014}}</ref>
Grant was appointed [[Opposition Shadow Cabinets of the Scottish Parliament|Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Women and Equality]] by new leader [[Richard Leonard]] on 19 November 2017, and was also its parliamentary business manager between 19 November 2017 and 4 October 2018, when she was succeeded by [[Neil Findlay]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://labourlist.org/2017/12/richard-leonards-new-scottish-shadow-cabinet/|title=New Scottish shadow cabinet in full|date=2017-12-19|website=LabourList|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/devolution/2018/10/richard-leonard-stamps-his-authority-scottish-labour-high-stakes|title=Richard Leonard stamps his authority on Scottish Labour with high-stakes reshuffle|website=www.newstatesman.com|date=4 October 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-07-14}}</ref> She became [[Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government|Spokesperson for Finance]] on 2 September 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-labour-reshuffle-as-sarah-boyack-returns-to-frontline-politics-1-4995872|title=Scottish Labour reshuffle as Sarah Boyack returns to frontline politics|website=www.scotsman.com|language=en|access-date=2019-09-04}}</ref> She served as Spokesperson for Eradication of Poverty and Inequality from April to November 2020<ref>{{Cite web|date=2 September 2019|title=Scottish Labour reshuffle as Sarah Boyack returns to frontline politics|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-labour-reshuffle-as-sarah-boyack-returns-to-frontline-politics-1-4995872|access-date=2019-10-23|website=www.scotsman.com|language=en}}</ref> and [[Cabinet Secretary for Justice|Spokesperson for Justice]] from November 2020 to March 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ponsonby|first=Bernard|date=2020-11-16|title=Anas Sarwar returns to Labour frontbench in reshuffle|url=https://news.stv.tv/politics/anas-sarwar-returns-to-labour-frontbench-in-reshuffle|access-date=2021-01-18|website=STV News|language=en-GB}}</ref>
Grant defended Richard Leonard after calls for him to resign in September 2020, saying:
{{Cquote | quote = The crisis facing our country requires bold thinking and it requires a united Scottish Labour Party, under the leadership of Richard Leonard, fighting for the real change we need.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-02|title=Three Scottish Labour MSPs call for Richard Leonard to resign|url=https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,three-scottish-labour-msps-call-for-richard-leonard-to-resign|access-date=2020-09-04|website=Holyrood Website|language=en}}</ref> }}Grant nominated [[Monica Lennon]] in the [[2021 Scottish Labour leadership election]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Scottish Leadership Election 2021 - Nominations|url=http://scottishlabour.org.uk/people/2021-leadership-election/nominations/|access-date=2021-01-26|website=Scottish Labour|language=en|archive-date=16 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416234857/https://scottishlabour.org.uk/people/2021-leadership-election/nominations/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Grant was one of 5 Labour MSPs who was absent for a Scottish Parliament vote calling for the UK Government to reverse its decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hutcheon |first=Paul |date=2024-10-09 |title=Winter Fuel Payment rebel breaks silence on why he defied Anas Sarwar |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/winter-fuel-payment-rebel-breaks-33853618 |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life == Grant is married and has a sister for whom she cat-sits.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-15|title=Working from home: Rhoda Grant|url=https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,working-from-home-rhoda-grant|access-date=2021-01-26|website=Holyrood Website|language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{SP-MSP}} * [https://www.rhodagrant.org.uk/ Rhoda Grant website] * [http://www.caithness.org/fpb/election2007/scottishparliament/index.htm Caithness News Bulletins Elections 2007] Caithness Community website
{{Former Labour MSPs}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grant, Rhoda}} [[Category:1963 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Labour Co-operative MSPs]] [[Category:Scottish trade unionists]] [[Category:Alumni of the Open University]] [[Category:Female members of the Scottish Parliament]] [[Category:People from Stornoway]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 1999–2003]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2007–2011]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2011–2016]] [[Category:People educated at Plockton High School]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2016–2021]] [[Category:20th-century Scottish women politicians]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2021–2026]]