Rhona Brankin (born 19 January 1950) was first elected to represent Midlothian in the Scottish Parliament in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003 and 2007.

Brankin is a graduate of the University of Aberdeen and before entering the Scottish Parliament she was a teacher and a lecturer on special educational needs. She was former chair of the Scottish Labour Party. She is married with two grown-up daughters.

Brankin was Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport in the Scottish Executive from 1999-2000 and Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development from 2000-2001. In October 2004 she was appointed Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care, returning to the Environment and Rural Development portfolio in June 2005.

In January 2007 she was promoted to Minister for Communities after the resignation of Malcolm Chisholm.

External links

• Scottish Parliament biography
• Constituency website
• Rhona Brankin MSP Biography at Scottish Executive website

Members of the Scottish Parliament in the Lothians region

Elected in the 2007 election Labour (5 seats), SNP (5 seats), Conservative (2 seats), Lib Dems, (2 seats), Greens (1 seat), Independent (1 seat) Constituency MSPs Sarah Boyack (Lab, Edinburgh Central) • Kenny MacAskill (SNP, Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) • Malcolm Chisholm (Lab, Edinburgh North and Leith) • David McLetchie (Con, Edinburgh Pentlands) • Mike Pringle (Lib Dem, Edinburgh South) • Margaret Smith (Lib Dem, Edinburgh West) • Mary Mulligan (Lab, Linlithgow) • Angela Constance (SNP, Livingston) • Rhona Brankin (Lab, Midlothian) Additional Members Gavin Brown (Con) • George Foulkes (Lab) • Robin Harper (Green) • Fiona Hyslop (SNP) • Margo MacDonald (Ind) • Ian McKee (SNP) • Shirley-Anne Somerville (SNP)

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