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Fergus Ewing

Fergus Stewart Ewing (born 23 September 1957) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who served as the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism from 2016 to 2021,[a] having previously held two junior ministerial posts. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) since 1999, representing Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber until 2011, and then its successor seat Inverness and Nairn.

Fergus Ewing
MSP
Official portrait, 2021
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism[a]
In office
18 May 2016 – 20 May 2021
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byRichard Lochhead
Succeeded byMairi Gougeon
Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism
In office
20 May 2011 – 18 May 2016
First MinisterAlex Salmond
Nicola Sturgeon
Preceded byJim Mather
Succeeded byPaul Wheelhouse
Minister for Community Safety
In office
17 May 2007 – 20 May 2011
First MinisterAlex Salmond
Preceded byJohann Lamont
Succeeded byRoseanna Cunningham
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Inverness and Nairn
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 May 1999
Preceded byParliament re-established
Majority9,114 (20.0%)
Personal details
Born (1957-09-23) 23 September 1957 (age 67)
Glasgow, Scotland
Political partyScottish National Party (suspended for one week on 27 February 2024)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1983; died 2006)​
ParentWinnie Ewing
RelativesAnnabelle Ewing (sister)
EducationLoretto School, Edinburgh
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow

Background

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Ewing is the son of the veteran Scottish nationalist Winnie Ewing, who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons, as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), and an MSP. His father was an SNP local councillor. He has long been active in the Scottish National Party.

Educated at Loretto School, in Musselburgh, he read Law at the University of Glasgow[1] where he was a member of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association. At the age of 18, he was employed as his mother's secretary in the European Parliament.[2]

He married Margaret Ewing (then Margaret Bain) in 1983; she was the former MP for East Dunbartonshire (1974-79), and was elected to represent Moray in 1987. She held that seat until she stepped down in 2001, and represented the same area in the Scottish Parliament from 1999 until her death from breast cancer in March 2006. His sister, Annabelle Ewing, was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Perth until the 2005 general election and has been the MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife since 2011.

He is now in a relationship with Dr. Fiona Pearsall with whom he had a daughter in 2008.[3]

Member of the Scottish Parliament

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Ewing unsuccessfully contested Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber in the 1992 Westminster general election, and Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber in 1997. He was elected to represent Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber in the Scottish Parliament in 1999 and he held on to the seat in 2003[4] and 2007.[5]

He and his mother, Winnie Ewing both abstained from the vote to abolish Section 28[6] via the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000; he also opposed an outright ban on fox hunting. After the SNP's victory at the 2007 Scottish Parliament Election, Ewing was appointed as the Minister for Community Safety. After the SNP victory at the 2011 Scottish Parliament Election, he was appointed as the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, succeeding Jim Mather who stood down as an MSP. In February 2014 he voted against the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Scotland.[7] In November 2014 the portfolio became Business Energy & Tourism.

In 2019 civil servants complained to senior managers that Ewing had bullied them. Speaking to journalists Ewing said: "I completely reject all claims against me. A process is underway and that is entirely right and proper when such allegations are made. That process is at an early stage. I will make no further comment while that process is ongoing."[8][9] The previous year Ewing apologised to an official for his "forthright" manner, after a bullying complaint was lodged against him.[10][11]

After the 2021 election Ewing was replaced as a minister by Mairi Gougeon and became a backbencher. In a public letter to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Ewing revealed: "In our discussion yesterday, you indicated that you will form a slimmed down cabinet. Obviously, you have had to make some tough decisions and we agreed that this meant I should now step out of Government."[12]

In 2022 Ewing backed new oil and gas exploration and drilling projects in the North Sea, claiming that "we need all oil and gas production we can get in the short and the medium term", and that "the transition period away from hydrocarbons will last decades."[13] Hence, he condemned the Scottish Greens, the SNP's government partners, whose policies he described as "somewhat extreme".[14] On 20 April 2023, after a particularly robust intervention from Ewing on the subject of gas extraction, he was reminded officially about treating fellow members with respect by the Presiding Officer, which happened to be his sister, Annabelle Ewing. First Minister Humza Yousaf then quipped that he suspected it was not the first time she had had to tell her brother off.[15]

Ewing voted against Green minister Lorna Slater in a no-confidence vote on 20 June 2023, making him the only SNP MSP to do so.[16][17] It was reported the next day in the Herald and Scotsman that Ewing was set to lose the whip for this.[18][19] Later that day, his mother, died age 93, hailed as a "SNP political icon".[20] Yousaf said publicly that Ewing would not lose the whip, despite his repeated public criticism of the party,[21] but it was announced on 14 September that SNP MSPs would vote on disciplinary action against him.[22] The SNP members voted to suspend him from the SNP Group for one week, but on 1 October he announced he would appeal the suspension. [23] On 27 February Fergus Ewing lost the appeal and was suspended from the SNP.[24]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Rural Economy and Connectivity (2016–18); Rural Economy (2018–20)

References

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  1. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy". Scottish Government. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Mrs Ewing defends decision to employ son". The Scotsman. 20 September 1976.
  3. ^ "MSP Ewing celebrating first child". The Scotsman. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Previous MSPs: Session 2 (2003–2007): Fergus Ewing". Scottish Parliament. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Previous MSPs: Session 3 (2007–2011): Fergus Ewing". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  6. ^ Official Report; c 601, Scottish Parliament, 21 June 2000
  7. ^ "Scotland's same-sex marriage bill: How MSPs voted". BBC News. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Scottish cabinet minister denies bullying allegations". BBC News. 20 February 2020.
  9. ^ "Fergus Ewing 'completely rejects' bullying allegations". www.scotsman.com.
  10. ^ Philip, Andy (29 September 2018). "SNP minister Fergus Ewing says sorry after bullying allegations". Daily Record.
  11. ^ Edwards, Rob (29 September 2018). "'I can be forthright', says Fergus Ewing on bullying claim". theferret.scot.
  12. ^ Musgrove, Gavin (19 May 2021). "Fergus Ewing says it has been privilege to serve in departure letter to First Minister". Strathspey & Badenoch Herald.
  13. ^ Wilson, Paul (9 March 2022). "Former SNP energy secretary condemns 'extreme' Green oil and gas policies". The Scotsman. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  14. ^ PA Media (1 April 2023). "Ex-minister hits out at Greens and calls for end to powersharing deal". STV News.
  15. ^ "SNP MSP Fergus Ewing calls Greens 'wine bar revolutionaries'". BBC News. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  16. ^ PA Media (20 June 2023). "Lorna Slater no-confidence motion voted down by 68 votes to 55". STV News.
  17. ^ Paterson, Kirsteen (21 June 2023). "Drinks firms thank SNP rebel Fergus Ewing for 'courage' in vote against Lorna Slater". Holyrood Website. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  18. ^ "SNP: Former Cabinet minister Fergus Ewing 'set to lose party whip' after voting against Scottish Government minister Lorna Slater". The Scotsman. 21 June 2023.
  19. ^ "Fergus Ewing facing loss of SNP whip over 'sack Lorna Slater vote'". The Herald. 21 June 2023.
  20. ^ "SNP political icon Winnie Ewing dies aged 93". BBC News. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  21. ^ Elliards, Xander (27 July 2023). "Fergus Ewing to keep SNP whip after branding party policy 'extremist'". The National.
  22. ^ "SNP MSPs to vote on disiplinary action against Fergus Ewing". The National. 14 September 2023.
  23. ^ "Fergus Ewing to appeal against SNP suspension". BBC News. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  24. ^ "Fergus Ewing loses appeal against SNP suspension". 27 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
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Scottish Parliament
New parliament
 Member of the Scottish Parliament for Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber
1999–2011 		Constituency abolished
New constituency Member of the Scottish Parliament for Inverness & Nairn
2011–present 		Incumbent
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