Clare Haughey

Clare Joan Haughey (née Donnelly, born April 1967)^[3] is a Scottish politician who served as Minister for Children and Young People from 2021 to 2023,^[4] having previously served as Minister for Mental Health from 2018 to 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Rutherglen since in the 2016.

Clare Haughey MSP
Official portrait, 2021
Minister for Children and Young People
In office 20 May 2021 – 29 March 2023
First Minister	Nicola Sturgeon
Preceded by	Maree Todd
Succeeded by	Natalie Don
Minister for Mental Health
In office 27 June 2018 – 20 May 2021
First Minister	Nicola Sturgeon
Preceded by	Maureen Watt
Succeeded by	Kevin Stewart
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Rutherglen
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 May 2016
Preceded by	James Kelly
Majority	5,166 (12.8%)[1]
Personal details
Born	Clare Joan Donnelly April 1967 (age 58) Glasgow, Scotland[2]
Political party	Scottish National Party
Website	clarehaughey.scot

Nursing career

Haughey trained as a mental health nurse and worked as a clinical nurse manager.^[5] Her family were based in Australia for some years.^[6]

Political career

In September 2015, the SNP branch selected her as the candidate for the Rutherglen constituency, ahead of the 2016 Scottish Parliament election.^[7] The constituency had been held by Labour since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 until the election in May 2016, when Haughey defeated the incumbent James Kelly.^[8]

On 27 June 2018, Haughey was appointed as the Scottish Government's Minister for Mental Health.^[9]

She retained the Rutherglen seat in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, with an increased majority and just over 50% of the vote share.^[10][1]

On 19 May 2021, Haughey was appointed to the new government as Minister for Children and Young People.^[11][12]

On 29 March 2023, Haughey was appointed as the Convenor of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee.