Jeane Freeman

Jeane Tennent Freeman (born 28 September 1953) is a Scottish retired businesswoman and politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport from 2018 to 2021.

Jeane Tennent Freeman was born on 28 September 1953 in Ayr.

Freeman was raised in South Ayrshire with her two brothers, to a trade union, Labour supporting family.

Her mother was an nurse and her father, son of an immigrant family, was an aircraft fitter and was in the RAF during WWII.

After coming back from war, he was determined to create social justice, something that Freeman aspired to continue from her father.

Freeman was educated at Ayr Academy and from 1975 to 1979, she attended the Glasgow College of Technology, studying sociology and politics.

Freeman also trained to be a nurse and went on to earn a degree.

Freeman was a leading member of the Communist Party's student wing and in 1979 she became the first woman to chair the National Union of Students Scotland.

In 1983 Freeman was a member of the Communist party's Congress Arrangements Committee which oversaw the running of that year's party congress.

In 1987, she established Apex Scotland, a criminal justice employment organisation, for which she served as CEO until 2000.

In 1987, Freeman established Apex Scotland, a criminal justice employment organisation for which she served as Chief Executive for twelve years.

Later Freeman joined the Scottish Labour Party and was a member until the late 1990s.

Freeman later served as a political advisor to the Labour First Minister Jack McConnell from 2001 to 2005.

Between 2001 and 2005, Freeman served as a senior political adviser to First Minister Jack McConnell.

In this role, she worked on the Scottish Budget, the government's legislative programme, relations with the UK government, and in the Finance, Health and Justice portfolios.

She left the position voluntarily, though there were reports of a row between Freeman and John Elvidge, which were dismissed by the Scottish Executive.

Months after she left, the Scottish Executive hired her consultancy firm, Freeman Associates, in a consultancy capacity, generating accusations of cronyism.

As a member of Scottish Labour, Freeman had never supported Scottish independence.

Her experience of working in the Scottish Executive, became an option "worth considering".

She was appointed as a member of the Parole Board for Scotland in 2006 and has also played roles on the Scottish Police Services Authority Board.

In 2008 she was appointed to the board of the National Waiting Times Centre, the special health board that runs the Golden Jubilee National Hospital.

She was appointed as a Lay Member to the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland, commencing November 2011 for a four-year period.

In the 2013/14 financial year Freeman worked for a number of bodies, including Police Scotland, the NHS National Waiting Time Centre and the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.

She billed taxpayers for 376 days work - leading her to be dubbed 'the Quango Queen' in the press.

A spokesman for Freeman said, "A contracted day does not mean sitting in an office – indeed, many boards meet during the evening. It is entirely routine for members of public boards to have a number of other interests."

In the run up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, she and several other women, founded the Women for Independence.

Freeman campaigned in support for Scottish independence and in the aftermath of the Yes Scotland campaign's defeat in the referendum, she joined the Scottish National Party.

Freeman was active in the campaign for Scottish independence since the announcement of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.

In January 2015 she was reappointed as the Chair to the National Waiting Times Centre Board.

A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency from 2016 to 2021.

Born into a Labour-supporting, working-class family in South Ayrshire, Freeman attended the Glasgow College of Technology, studying sociology and politics.

She became politically active at an early age and was a member of the Communist Party's student wing, before joining the Labour Party.

The following year Freeman was selected as the SNP's candidate for the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency in the 2016 Scottish Parliament election.

She was elected to the 5th Scottish Parliament and was subsequently appointed a junior ministerial post as Minister for Social Security.

In this role, she worked alongside the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities to establish Social Security Scotland, which claims as her "greatest achievement".

In March 2016 she stepped down from this role.

Following a 2018 cabinet reshuffle of the Second Sturgeon government, Freeman was promoted to the Scottish Cabinet as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport.

During Freeman's tenure as the Scottish Health Secretary, she played a vital role to Scotland's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She led press briefings to the public, was criticised for handling of care homes and announced Scotland's preparation plan for delivering COVID-19 vaccines.

In 2020, she announced her intention to step down as an MSP, therefore relinquishing her role as Health Secretary.