Campbell was born on 18 May 1980 in Perth, Scotland. She grew up on her parents' tenant farm in Perthshire and was educated at Collace Primary School and Perth Academy.[1] She studied Politics and History at the University of Glasgow. From 2005−06 Campbell was national convener of the SNP youth wing, the Young Scots for Independence.[2] Since graduating, she has worked as editor of construction magazine Keystone and was editorial assistant on a short-lived pro-independence newspaper, the Scottish Standard. Before her election to Parliament, Campbell also worked for Nicola Sturgeon and as a researcher for Shona Robison and Stewart Hosie.[3][4]
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Official parliamentary portrait, 2011
At the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, Campbell was the SNP candidate for the Clydesdale constituency where she finished second but was subsequently elected as an additional member for the South of Scotland region due to her being fifth on the SNP's regional list.
Campbell suffered a minor injury on 23 January 2008, receiving medical treatment at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary before returning to the parliament for a vote.[9] The vote was won by 64 votes to 62.[10]
In early 2009, Campbell launched the "Play it again" scheme with the Scottish Arts Council and others to encourage people across Scotland to donate their unwanted and unloved musical instruments to be passed on to children across the country to give them the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of music.[11][12] Campbell was nominated for Real Radio's "Best New Scottish Politician 2009 Award".[13]
Campbell was elected as MSP for Clydesdale on 5 May 2011 after receiving an 8.9% swing from Labour, giving her a majority of 4,216.
She served as Minister for Local Government and Planning from 25 May 2011 until 6 December 2011.[14] when she was moved to the position of Minister for Children and Young People. On 18 December 2014, Campbell began maternity leave and Fiona McLeod acted as Minister for Children and Young People until Campbell returned on 1 September 2015. This was the first time that a Minister of the Scottish Government had taken maternity leave.[5]
In the 2016 election she was re-elected as the MSP for Clydesdale with an increased majority.[7]
On 18 May 2016 she was moved to the post of Minister for Public Health and Sport in a reshuffle;[6] as part of her role as Public Health Minister she oversaw a 22% cut in government funding to drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes from £69.2 million to £53.8 million. At the time, Scottish Drugs Forum Chief Executive David Liddell said he was concerned that the cuts had "the potential to increase harm and drug-related deaths."[15] That year 867 Scots lost their lives to drugs – an increase of 23% on the previous year's figures – and the SNP insisted it was part of a trend seen across much Europe.[16] In December 2020 figures were released revealing that 1,264 people in Scotland had died from drug overdoses in 2019 – the highest number in Europe per head and more than double the number in 2014.[17] Sturgeon sacked Campbell's successor as Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick and in April 2021 said of the crisis: "I think we [the Scottish Government] took our eye off the ball."[18]
She was made Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government on 26 June 2018. Following her elevation to the cabinet The Times reported that her promotion, "has bemused many. It was on her watch that the named person legislation, which has caused the SNP so much trouble, was introduced, while her record on drugs policy is regarded by many inside the party as deplorable."[19]
In February 2020 Campbell wrote to MSPs voicing concerns about a Labour party proposal to provide women and trans men in Scotland with free sanitary products. Campbell said the Scottish Government had “grave concerns” over the plans' “deliverability” and cost. She also said she was worried about "people outside Scotland seeking access to the products".[20]
On 8 March 2020, she announced that she would step down at the next election to spend more time with her family.[8]
