Johanna Baxter is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Paisley and Renfrewshire South since 2024.[1]

Johanna Baxter
Official portrait, 2024.
Member of Parliament
for Paisley and Renfrewshire South
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byMhairi Black
Majority6,527 (15.8%)
Personal details
BornMarch 1979 (age 45)
Saltcoats, Scotland
Political partyLabour

Early life and education

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Born in Saltcoats, Baxter became a union representative at 18. Baxter funded her way through university by working at a call centre.[2]

Career

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Baxter served as head of local government for Unison Scotland.[2] She was Chair of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party in 2022-2023.[3] She contested the seat of Renfrewshire North and West in the 2021 Hollyrood election and the seat of Cunninghame North in the 2016 Hollyrood election.

Baxter was a member of Labour's NEC, and in 2016 criticised the lack of a secret ballot for a decision on whether to allow then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on to the leadership ballot, saying that it led to intimidation by Corbyn supporters against NEC members who voted against allowing him to stand for the Labour leadership: "The only reason to vote against that is so the intimidation can continue. It’s the most shameful act I have ever seen. He showed his true colours in that vote. I have had people tweet and post my personal mobile online, directing people to me, directing their mob at me," Baxter said.[4]

House of Commons

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In the 2024 General Election, Baxter was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Paisley and Renfrewshire South with 19,583 votes (47.4%) and a majority of 6,527 over the second place SNP candidate.[5]

On 24 July 2024, Baxter made her maiden speech in the House of Commons during a debate on education and opportunity.[6]

Personal Life

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Baxter is married to Mark Glover, Executive Chairman of SEC Newgate UK.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Paisley and Renfrewshire South | General Election 2024". Sky News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Johanna Baxter". Scottish Labour. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Members of the NEC". Labour Party. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  4. ^ Elgot, Jessica (13 July 2016). "Corbyn 'endorsed bullying by voting against secret ballot'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Paisley and Renfrewshire South results - General election results 2024". BBC News. July 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  6. ^ Johanna Baxter (24 July 2024). "Education and Opportunity". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 752. United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 758–761.
  7. ^ Kersley, Andrew (5 September 2024). "Crackdown on 'Westminster Influence' Urged After 'Extraordinary' Number of Labour MPs Report Family Members Work as Lobbyists". Byline Times. ISSN 2632-7910. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
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