{{Short description|Scottish Labour politician (born 1961)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use British English|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Sarah Boyack | honorific_suffix = | image = Sarah Boyack MSP, 2019.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2019 | office = [[Minister for Transport and Planning]]{{efn|Transport and the Environment (1999–2000)}} | first_minister = {{ubl|[[Donald Dewar]]|[[Jim Wallace]] (acting)|[[Henry McLeish]]}} | term_start = 19 May 1999 | term_end = 27 November 2001 | predecessor = ''Office established'' | successor = [[Wendy Alexander]] | office1 = [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]]<br />for [[Lothian (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|Lothian]]<br />{{nobold|(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)}} | predecessor1 = [[Kezia Dugdale]]{{efn|Normally, regional MSPs do not have individual predecessors and successors. However, Dugdale retired her seat during a sitting parliament so was succeeded by Boyack.}} | term_start1 = 15 July 2019 | term_end1 = 9 April 2026 | term_start2 = 5 May 2011 | term_end2 = 23 March 2016 | office3 = [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]]<br />for [[Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Edinburgh Central]] | predecessor3 = ''Constituency established'' | successor3 = [[Marco Biagi (politician)|Marco Biagi]] | term_start3 = 6 May 1999 | term_end3 = 22 March 2011 | office4 = Scottish Labour portfolios | suboffice4 = [[Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment|Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment]] | subterm4 = 2014–2016 | suboffice5 = [[Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government|Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government]] | subterm5 = 2019–2021 | suboffice6 = [[Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform|Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform]] | subterm6 = 2021–present | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|05|16|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Glasgow]], Scotland | death_date = | death_place = | birth_name = Sarah Herriot Boyack | party = [[Scottish Labour]] [[Co-operative Party|Co-operative]] | spouse = {{marriage|Andrew Walters|2000|2003|reason=div}} | alma_mater = [[University of Glasgow]]<br />[[Heriot-Watt University]] | profession = [[Town planner]] | website = [http://www.sarahboyack.com/ www.sarahboyack.com] }} '''Sarah Herriot Boyack''' (born 16 May 1961) is a [[Scottish Labour]] politician who served as a [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] (MSP) for the [[Lothian (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|Lothian]] region from 2019 to [[2026 Scottish Parliament election|2026]], and previously from [[2011 Scottish Parliament election|2011]] to [[2016 Scottish Parliament election|2016]]. She formerly represented the [[Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Edinburgh Central]] constituency from [[1999 Scottish Parliament election|1999]] to 2011.
==Early life and career== Boyack was born in May 1961 in [[Glasgow]] and brought up in [[Edinburgh]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/cBI3t3Kk4SAU0VJOtf0VHxgZYKo/appointments|title=Sarah Herriot BOYACK – Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)|website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-03-14}}</ref><ref name="lothianlife-20080522" /> Her father, Jim Boyack, was an important figure in the Labour Party and the campaign for [[Scottish devolution]].<ref name="bbc-20141104" /> She was educated at the state comprehensive [[Royal High School, Edinburgh]], where she was one of the first female pupils.<ref name=lothianlife-20080522>{{cite news |url=http://www.lothianlife.co.uk/2008/05/sarah-boyacks-glass-is-not-just-half-full-%E2%80%93-its-positively-fizzing/ |title=Sarah Boyack's glass is not just half full – it's positively fizzing! |author=Christine Richard |newspaper=Lothian Life |date=22 May 2008 |accessdate=17 November 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171121150341/http://www.lothianlife.co.uk/2008/05/sarah-boyacks-glass-is-not-just-half-full-%E2%80%93-its-positively-fizzing/ |archive-date=21 November 2017 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
Starting in 1979, Boyack studied [[Modern History]] and [[Political science|Politics]] at the [[University of Glasgow]], graduating with a [[Scottish MA]] Honours degree.<ref name="sp-persinfo">{{cite web |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/currentmsps/27308.aspx |title=Sarah Boyack – Personal Information |publisher=Scottish Parliament |accessdate=6 November 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106231349/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/currentmsps/27308.aspx |archive-date=6 November 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> She became active in the Labour club, where she was a protégé of [[Margaret Curran]]. She was chair of the Labour club from 1981 until 1982, and chair of the [[National Organisation of Labour Students]] from 1985 until 1986. During her time at Glasgow, she was involved in supporting the twinning with [[Bir Zeit University]] in the [[West Bank]]. After graduating, she gained a [[Diploma]] in [[Town and Country Planning]] at [[Heriot-Watt University]].<ref name="sp-persinfo" />
Boyack worked as a [[town planner]] in the [[London Borough of Brent]] then as a strategic planner in [[Central Regional Council]] in Stirling.<ref name="hm-201203">{{cite news |url=http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1w5as/HolyroodmagazineIssu/resources/15.htm |title=A new brief puts the focus on spending prioities |author=Kate Shannon |newspaper=Holyrood Magazine Supplement |date=March 2012 |accessdate=17 November 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129062403/http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1w5as/HolyroodmagazineIssu/resources/15.htm |archive-date=29 November 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> She then became a lecturer at the School of Planning and Housing at [[Heriot-Watt University]] and was Convener of the Scottish Branch of the [[Royal Town Planning Institute]] in 1997.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sarahboyack4leader.com/about-sarah/ |title=About Sarah | Sarah Boyack |accessdate=2014-11-16 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129012148/http://www.sarahboyack4leader.com/about-sarah/ |archive-date=29 November 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
==Political career==
=== Member of the Scottish Parliament: 1999–2016 === Boyack was elected to the new [[Scottish Parliament]] in the [[1999 Scottish Parliament election|1999 election]] for the [[Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Edinburgh Central]] constituency. She was Minister for Transport and the Environment in the [[Scottish Executive]] from 1999 until 2000. Then, she was Minister for Transport and Planning from 2000 until 2001, during which time she introduced one of Scottish Labour's flagship policies of [[Free travel pass|free bus travel]] for people over 60 and disabled people.<ref name="lothianlife-20080522" /> While in this role, Boyack was the second minister to face a [[Confidence motions in the Scottish Parliament|vote of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2001-02-15 |title=Boyack rides out confidence vote |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/1170997.stm |access-date=2026-01-18 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The motion was lodged by the [[Scottish National Party]] (SNP) as they objected to the Executive awarding trunk road maintenance contracts to private companies rather than [[Local government in Scotland|local authorities]]. Boyack survived this vote as only 33 MSPs voted in favour with 70 voting against, and 16 MSPs abstaining.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-02-16 |title=Labour rebels save Boyack Transport minister survives SNP's no confidence motion |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12233532.labour-rebels-save-boyack-transport-minister-survives-snps-no-confidence-motion/ |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=The Herald |language=en}}</ref>
Re-elected for her constituency in the [[2003 Scottish Parliament election]], Boyack was elected by MSPs as Convener of the Scottish Parliament [[Committees of the Scottish Parliament|Environment and Rural Development Committee]] in June 2003. In this role, she received the RSPB Goldcrest Award in November 2004 for the most outstanding contribution to the development of environmental policy in Scotland since devolution.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/centenary/awards/index.asp|title=Centenary awards – The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051101191319/http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/centenary/awards/index.asp|archive-date=1 November 2005|accessdate=29 October 2014}}</ref> Later, in December 2005, she was named the Scottish Renewables Best Politician.<ref name="lothianlife-20080522" /> She stood down from the committee in January 2007, when she returned to the Scottish Executive as Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2007/01/09112513 |title=New Communities Minister |publisher=Scotland.gov.uk |date=2007-01-09 |accessdate=2013-10-29}}</ref>
Boyack lost her Edinburgh Central constituency seat in the [[2011 Scottish Parliament election]] to [[Marco Biagi (politician)|Marco Biagi]] of the SNP. However, she was elected on the [[Lothian (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|Lothian]] regional list as one of seven additional members. Following a [[landslide victory]] by the SNP in the election, Boyack co-chaired a [[review of the Labour Party in Scotland]] with [[Jim Murphy]], commissioned by [[Ed Miliband]] in May 2011 and which reported back in Autumn of that year.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wintour|first=Patrick|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/may/11/ed-miliband-reivew-scottish-labour-party|title=Ed Miliband orders review of Scottish Labour party|date=2011-05-11|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-03-14|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/scotland-travel/rivals-braced-for-labour-leadership-race-5xggh3z90p8|title=Rivals braced for Labour leadership race|work=[[The Times]]|access-date=2020-03-14|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}</ref>
On 28 October 2014, Boyack declared she would stand in [[2014 Scottish Labour leadership election|the upcoming election]] to become the [[Leader of the Scottish Labour Party]].<ref name="bbc-20141104">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29878869 |title=Profile: Sarah Boyack, Scottish Labour leadership candidate |publisher=BBC |date=4 November 2014 |accessdate=6 November 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110112652/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29878869 |archive-date=10 November 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="bbc-20141028">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29802723 |title=Scottish Labour leadership: MSP Sarah Boyack is first candidate to stand |publisher=BBC |date=28 October 2014 |accessdate=6 November 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029033846/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29802723 |archive-date=29 October 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> She came third to [[Jim Murphy]] and [[Neil Findlay]] with 9.24% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-30461687 |title=MP Jim Murphy named Scottish Labour leader |publisher=BBC |date=13 December 2014 |accessdate=13 December 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213112020/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-30461687 |archive-date=13 December 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
She served as a member of the Parliament's Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment (RACCE) Committee during its scrutiny of the [[Land Reform]] Bill 2015.<ref>[[Rob Gibson|Gibson, Rob]] (2020), ''Reclaiming Our Land'', Highland Heritage Educational Trust, p. 219, {{isbn|9781527281813}}</ref>
=== Outside the Scottish Parliament: 2016–2019 ===
Boyack again contested the Edinburgh Central seat in the [[2016 Scottish Parliament election]], but was defeated by [[Scottish Conservative]] leader [[Ruth Davidson]], who stood for the same constituency. Boyack was also placed third on the Lothian regional list of Labour candidates behind [[Kezia Dugdale]] and [[Neil Findlay]], but did not return to Holyrood following the election since Labour won only two list seats.<ref>{{cite news |last=McPherson |first=Gareth |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/politics/scottish-politics/168160/holyrood-no-eight-former-msps-will-looking-new-jobs/ |title=Holyrood no more — eight former MSPs who will be looking for new jobs |publisher=D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd |newspaper=The Courier |date=6 May 2016 |accessdate=7 May 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507125349/https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/politics/scottish-politics/168160/holyrood-no-eight-former-msps-will-looking-new-jobs/ |archive-date=7 May 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Ian |last=Swanson |url=http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/holyrood-2016-lothian-list-msps-in-full-1-4120672 |title=Holyrood 2016: Lothian list MSPs in full |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |publisher=Johnston Press |date=6 May 2016 |accessdate=7 May 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507122622/http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/holyrood-2016-lothian-list-msps-in-full-1-4120672 |archive-date=7 May 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
In February 2017, Boyack was appointed as Head of Public Affairs at the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, the membership body for social housing providers in Scotland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.holyrood.com/articles/news/former-labour-msp-appointed-head-public-affairs-sfha|title=Former Labour MSP appointed as head of public affairs at SFHA|date=22 February 2017|website=Holyrood Magazine|accessdate=22 April 2019}}</ref>
=== Return following Kezia Dugdale's resignation: 2019–present ===
On 30 April 2019, it was announced Boyack would return to the Scottish Parliament as a list MSP, following [[Kezia Dugdale]]'s decision to vacate her seat in the summer. As an unsuccessful Labour candidate on the [[Lothian (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|Lothian regional list]] in 2016, Boyack was the next person on the list if a seat was vacated.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-48110592 |title=Sarah Boyack to return to Holyrood as Labour MSP |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=30 April 2019 |accessdate=2 May 2019}}</ref> She joined the [[Labour Co-operative]] group upon her return.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://party.coop/publication/co-operative-party-annual-review-2019/ |title=Annual Review 2019 |publisher=[[Co-operative Party]] |access-date=16 July 2024}}</ref> In September 2019, Scottish Labour leader [[Richard Leonard]] appointed her as [[Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government|Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Local Government]].<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=2019-09-17}}</ref>
Boyack nominated [[Anas Sarwar]] 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=2021-01-24|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>
Boyack backed the UK Government's decision to introduce means-testing for the Winter Fuel Payment, voting in the Scottish Parliament against calls to reverse the decision.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-08 |title=How every MSP voted as Holyrood rejected the UK's Winter Fuel Payment cut |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/24639083.winter-fuel-payment-cuts-full-list-labour-msps-oppose/ |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref>
On 16 June 2025, Boyack announced she would not contest the [[2026 Scottish Parliament election|2026 Holyrood election]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-15 |title=Labour MSP Sarah Boyack to stand down at election |url=https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,labour-msp-sarah-boyack-to-stand-down-at-election |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=Holyrood Website |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life == Boyack married former long-term partner Andrew Walters in December 2000. They had planned to marry in the October but postponed the wedding due to the death of [[Donald Dewar]]. The couple divorced in 2003 and they had no children together.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/boyack-separates-from-husband-1-652761|title=Boyack separates from husband|date=21 June 2003|work=The Scotsman|access-date=14 March 2020}}{{dead link|date=February 2024|bot=medic}}</ref>
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.sarahboyack.com/ sarahboyack.com] Constituency website * {{SP-MSP}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110506151110/http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/speech-to-scottish-conference-by-sarah-boyack-msp 19 March 2011] Speech on environment and rural affairs at the Scottish Labour website *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100730132329/http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/msp/sarah_boyack/745/ Sarah Boyack] Biography at the Scottish Labour website *[https://www.theyworkforyou.com/msp/sarah_boyack theyworkforyou.com] *[http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=Sarah_Boyack&mpc=Edinburgh_Central&house=scotland Voting Record — Sarah Boyack MSP, Edinburgh Central] *[https://www.sfha.co.uk/who-we-are/staff Scottish Federation of Housing Associations] Staff page of Scottish Federation of Housing Associations
{{s-start}} {{s-par|sct}} {{s-new|Parliament|reason=[[Scotland Act 1998]]}} {{s-ttl |title=[[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] for {{nowrap|[[Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Edinburgh Central]]}} |years=[[1999 Scottish Parliament election|1999]]–[[2011 Scottish Parliament election|2011]] }} {{s-aft|after=[[Marco Biagi (politician)|Marco Biagi]]}} {{s-off}} {{s-break}} {{s-non |reason = New office |rows=2 }} {{s-ttl | title=[[Minister for Transport and the Environment]] | years=1999–2000 }} {{s-non | reason = Office abolished }} {{s-break}} {{s-ttl | title=[[Minister for Transport and Planning]] | years=2000–2001 }} {{s-aft |after=[[Wendy Alexander]] | as = Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning }} {{succession box| before=[[Alex Johnstone (politician)|Alex Johnstone]] | title=Convener of the [[Committees of the Scottish Parliament|Scottish Parliament Environment and Rural Development Committee]] | years=2003–2007 | after=[[Maureen Macmillan]]}} {{s-bef| before=[[Rhona Brankin]] }} {{s-ttl | title=[[Minister for Environment|Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development]] | years=2007 }} {{s-aft | after=[[Michael Russell (Scottish politician)|Michael Russell]] | as= Minister for Environment }} {{s-end}}
{{Former Labour MSPs}} {{Scottish Labour Party leadership election, 2014}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyack, Sarah}} [[Category:1961 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Labour MSPs]] [[Category:Labour Co-operative MSPs]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh constituencies]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow]] [[Category:Alumni of Heriot-Watt University]] [[Category:People educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 1999–2003]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2003–2007]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2007–2011]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2011–2016]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2016–2021]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2021–2026]] [[Category:Ministers of the Scottish Government]] [[Category:Women members of the Scottish Government]] [[Category:20th-century Scottish women politicians]] [[Category:Scottish urban planners]] [[Category:Women urban planners]]