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Robin Harper
Robin Charles Moreton Harper, FRSSA (born 4 August 1940) is a Scottish politician, who was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Lothians region (1999–2011).
He was co-convener of the Scottish Greens (2004–2008).
Harper became an MSP in the first elections to the Scottish Parliament in 1999, the first ever elected Green parliamentarian in the United Kingdom.
Harper was born in Thurso, Caithness. He was educated at St Marylebone Grammar School and Elgin Academy, Moray. He graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 1962. He worked as an English teacher in Kenya, then a Modern Studies teacher at Boroughmuir High School, Edinburgh.
Harper was a member of Lothian Children's Panel 1985–1988 and Lothian Health Council 1993–1998.
Harper joined the Ecology Party's Scottish branch in 1985. At the time the branch had only 35 members and its AGM that year was held in his flat. He was elected unopposed as its convenor and secretary and remained a leading figure as it became first the UK-wide Green Party then the independent Scottish Greens.
He stood, unsuccessfully, as a Green candidate in the 1995 Perth and Kinross by-election, and for Edinburgh Pentlands in the 1997 United Kingdom general election, finishing seventh and sixth respectively.
Harper stood for election at the first ever Scottish Parliament election in 1999, and was elected as an additional member for the Lothians region, becoming the first ever elected Green Party parliamentarian in British political history. In an emotional speech, he promised to be a critical voice on the environment in the newly created devolved Parliament. He criticised the Scottish Executive's decision to split ministerial responsibility for the environment in 2001. He served as his party's sole representative in the first Parliament (1999–2003) until the 2003 election, when the Scottish Green Party won another 6 seats in the regional lists. Harper was sworn in by giving the formal affirmation, also adding: "On behalf of the Scottish Green Party I wish to affirm that our priority will be to serve the people of Scotland who are sovereign in this land." He was the party's spokesman on education and young people. In 2004, he was a member of the Scottish Parliament team in the TV general knowledge show University Challenge: The Professionals. He and fellow team members Richard Baker (Labour), Stewart Stevenson (SNP) and Jamie Stone (Lib Dem) who was captain, beat a Welsh Assembly team by 110 points to 75.
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Robin Harper
Robin Charles Moreton Harper, FRSSA (born 4 August 1940) is a Scottish politician, who was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Lothians region (1999–2011).
He was co-convener of the Scottish Greens (2004–2008).
Harper became an MSP in the first elections to the Scottish Parliament in 1999, the first ever elected Green parliamentarian in the United Kingdom.
Harper was born in Thurso, Caithness. He was educated at St Marylebone Grammar School and Elgin Academy, Moray. He graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 1962. He worked as an English teacher in Kenya, then a Modern Studies teacher at Boroughmuir High School, Edinburgh.
Harper was a member of Lothian Children's Panel 1985–1988 and Lothian Health Council 1993–1998.
Harper joined the Ecology Party's Scottish branch in 1985. At the time the branch had only 35 members and its AGM that year was held in his flat. He was elected unopposed as its convenor and secretary and remained a leading figure as it became first the UK-wide Green Party then the independent Scottish Greens.
He stood, unsuccessfully, as a Green candidate in the 1995 Perth and Kinross by-election, and for Edinburgh Pentlands in the 1997 United Kingdom general election, finishing seventh and sixth respectively.
Harper stood for election at the first ever Scottish Parliament election in 1999, and was elected as an additional member for the Lothians region, becoming the first ever elected Green Party parliamentarian in British political history. In an emotional speech, he promised to be a critical voice on the environment in the newly created devolved Parliament. He criticised the Scottish Executive's decision to split ministerial responsibility for the environment in 2001. He served as his party's sole representative in the first Parliament (1999–2003) until the 2003 election, when the Scottish Green Party won another 6 seats in the regional lists. Harper was sworn in by giving the formal affirmation, also adding: "On behalf of the Scottish Green Party I wish to affirm that our priority will be to serve the people of Scotland who are sovereign in this land." He was the party's spokesman on education and young people. In 2004, he was a member of the Scottish Parliament team in the TV general knowledge show University Challenge: The Professionals. He and fellow team members Richard Baker (Labour), Stewart Stevenson (SNP) and Jamie Stone (Lib Dem) who was captain, beat a Welsh Assembly team by 110 points to 75.