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Scottish National Party politician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kaukab Stewart (born 1967 or 1968)[2] is a Pakistani-born Scottish politician who has served as Minister for Equalities since May 2024.[3] A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Glasgow Kelvin since May 2021.
Kaukab Stewart | |
|---|---|
 Stewart in 2024 | |
| Minister for Equalities | |
| Assumed office 8 May 2024 | |
| First Minister | John Swinney |
| Preceded by | Emma Roddick |
| Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development | |
| In office 20 February 2024 – 8 May 2024 | |
| First Minister | Humza Yousaf |
| Preceded by | Christina McKelvie |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Kelvin | |
| Assumed office 8 May 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Sandra White |
| Majority | 5,458 (15.1%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1967/68 (age 55-56) Pakistan[1] |
| Political party | Scottish National Party |
| Spouse | Richard Stewart |
| Children | 2 |
| Profession | Educator |
| Website | kaukabstewart |
At the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, she became one of the first women of colour elected to the Scottish Parliament, alongside Pam Gosal.[4][5]
Stewart was born to Pakistani parents in Pakistan[6] and moved with her family to Northampton, England when she was two years old, where she attended Northampton School for Girls. She then moved to Glasgow, Scotland, aged sixteen[7] and attended Bellahouston Academy in Glasgow and Moray House School of Education in Edinburgh.[8]
Prior to her election, she worked as a primary school teacher for nearly 30 years,[9][10] alongside pursuing a political career, which she earlier admitted as challenging even with a "sympathetic headteacher....you have a duty to the kids, who must come first."[11]
She married Richard Stewart[12] on 14 September 1989.[13] They have two children.[8]
Stewart joined the Scottish National Party in 1994. "For me it is all about the fact that I was always a supporter of equal rights and self-determination," she explained. "I always wanted control over my own affairs and it was a natural progression to put that into a Scotland context. To be able to do what you want to do, when you want to do it and how you want to do it is very important to me."[7]
She stood unsuccessfully as a SNP candidate in the first Scottish Parliament election since devolution, against Donald Dewar for Glasgow Anniesland at the 1999 Scottish Parliament election.[14][15] Eleven years later, she stood unsuccessfully against former Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling at the 2010 general election.[16][17] Speaking about these experiences in September 2020, Stewart said: "In these elections I knew my chances of being elected were close to zero but it was that dream of a better nation which inspired me to carry on... It's thanks to the hard work of the activists I worked with then that we are where we are today."[18]
On 6 November 2020, Stewart was selected as the SNP candidate in Glasgow Kelvin for the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.[19] At the election, she was elected as Kelvin's Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) with a majority of 5,458 votes.[20] Her election was noted in the UK press and abroad, such as The Japan Times and Le Parisien.[21][22]
Stewart was appointed in June 2021 as deputy convenor of the Holyrood education committee which scrutinises Scottish education policy and its lead bodies.[23] In the same year she was interviewed for Channel 4 The Political Slot on her party's vision for equality in Scotland.[6]
In January 2023, she was one of a number of Scottish politicians who drew media attention and criticism after being photographed smiling in front of a sign reading 'Decapitate TERFs' and a drawing of a guillotine at a Glasgow rally.[24] She subsequently claimed that she had not seen the sign in question and commented that "Violent hate speech is totally unacceptable and has absolutely no place in our public discourse."[25] This explanation met with some ridicule, including from the author J.K. Rowling, who commented, "I too beam with delight when having my photograph taken with things of which I am entirely unaware".[26] The sign was reported to Police Scotland.[27] Fellow MSP Murdo Fraser described the sign as "clearly a hate crime and a public order offence".[28]
Stewart was appointed Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development in the first Yousaf government following a reshuffle in February 2024.[29][30] She was later appointed Minister for Equalities in the Swinney government.
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