Christine Grahame

Christine Grahame MSP
Official portrait, 2021
Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
In office 12 May 2016 – 14 May 2021 Serving with Linda Fabiani and Lewis Macdonald
Presiding Officer	Ken Macintosh
Preceded by	John Scott and Elaine Smith
Succeeded by	Annabelle Ewing and Liam McArthur
Convener of the Justice Committee
In office 14 June 2011 – 23 March 2016
Preceded by	John Lamont
Succeeded by	Margaret Mitchell
In office 6 September 2001 – 31 March 2003
Preceded by	Alasdair Morgan
Succeeded by	Pauline McNeill
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 2011
Preceded by	Jeremy Purvis
Majority	5,868 (15.8%)
Member of the Scottish Parliament for South of Scotland (1 of 7 Regional MSPs)
In office 6 May 1999 – 5 May 2011
Personal details
Born	Christine Grahame (1944-09-09) 9 September 1944 (age 79) Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England
Political party	Scottish National Party
Alma mater	University of Edinburgh
Occupation	Solicitor
Website	www.christinegrahame.com

Christine Grahame (formerly Creech; born 9 September 1944) is a Scottish politician who served as a Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament from 2016 to 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency since 2011, having previously represented the South of Scotland region from 1999 to 2011.

Born in Staffordshire, England, and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, she attended the University of Edinburgh and Moray House College of Education. After graduating, Grahame worked as an English teacher in secondary schools. In 1984, she graduated from the Edinburgh University again, but this time with a Bachelor of Laws degree. After gaining Diploma in Legal Practice she worked as a solicitor. Grahame was the SNP's candidate for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale in the 1992 UK General election, but failed to win the seat. In 1999, she ran for equivalent constituency in the new Scottish Parliament. Although she was unsuccessful, she was elected as an additional member of the South of Scotland region.

Grahame ran for Depute Leader of the Scottish National Party in the 2004 leadership election, but was defeated by Nicola Sturgeon. In 2011, she was elected MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale. Following the 2016 election to the 5th Scottish Parliament, Grahame was elected Deputy Presiding Officer. She held the position alongside Linda Fabiani from 2016 until 2021. She has served on the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body since May 2021.^[1]