Hannah was brought up in Livingston and attended Broxburn Academy and the University of Stirling. She started her career in commercial television with STV Glasgow and GMTV London and then worked with the SNP as part of their 2007 central campaign team producing and presenting SNPtv online. For the next 3 years Hannah managed the First Minister of Scotland’s constituency office.
Hannah was elected SNP MP for Livingston on May 7th 2015 taking 56.9% of the vote and has held various positions as an SNP Spokesperson including Business, Innovation and Skills, Trade and Investment and recently appointed Culture, Digital, Media and Sport spokesperson.
Hannah is also a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Deaths abroad and Consular Services and a leading advocate for LGBT Rights.
1 Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?
Livingston has been my home since birth and I’m now fortunate enough to represent it in the House of Commons so I have to say I feel most at home in my constituency, but I have also holidayed in my family caravan in a wee place called Arisaig, in the West highlands, since I was a child. It’s a place I return to every year, where I find peace away from what is a very busy life and I feel equally at home there too.
2 What are your proudest achievements?
Getting elected in 2015. My mum stood in the seat in 2010 and was defeated, she didn’t want to stand again in 2015 so I stepped up and got to beat the man who had beaten her, it was a really proud moment and she was with me every step of the way working on my campaign.
3 What inspires you?
On an everyday basis 2 things inspire me- my constituency work, the variety of issues and people I represent is vast, I get huge drive and inspiration from solving their issues and doing the best I can for them.
Secondly my 4 year old niece. I want a better more equal world for her. She’s such a determined wee soul but I often look at the environment young women are growing up in and still feel there are so many challenges, I want to do everything to make sure she and every other young girl have equal opportunities and are free from the threat of violence and intimidation.
4 What has been biggest obstacle in your career?
Quite honestly being a woman. I’ve worked in the media industry and the energy industry and have experienced some pretty unbelievable discrimination - which has at times pushed me to my limits.
5 Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?
Without a doubt my mother (she seems to be featuring rather a lot!) she brought my brother and I up alone with no additional financial support and held down a full time job as a university lecturer most of our young lives. I saw her battle and struggle to get by whilst being a community activist, on every local committee she could and generally a stalwart of the community. She has been sound counsel and support for me at every stage in my career.
6 What is the best aspect about your current role?
The casework, there is no greater sense of purpose and worth than solving the cases of my constituents and improving their lives.
7 And the worst?
Not being able to solve cases or help people who are in need, we try to help everyone but sometimes it’s just not possible. Also the exhaustion, I find balancing the travel, work and personal life a real challenge sometimes. I took up surfing a few years ago but don’t manage to get to the sea nearly as much as I’d like, it’s such a singularly all-consuming sport that you are forced to switch off, which I Iove.
8 What are your long term goals?
To be a mother, to see Scotland become Independent and to be fulfilled in whatever I do and wherever I am in my life, that’s not just restricted to work but in my personal life too.
9 If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?
Realistically I’ll never become PM as an SNP MP but if I was I think the single greatest thing that could be done would be to reverse the benefit cuts that are having such a devastating impact on society and take much more radical measures on gender inequality.
10 If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why.
Flora Macdonald – the Jacobite Heroine – she played a key role in the post Culloden events and was a woman of incredible determination and fortitude. I think she’d just have some incredible stories to tell and I’m sure I could learn a thing or two from her.
