About

At 23, Emma was the youngest MSP elected in the 2021 Scottish Parliament Elections. She lived in Ross-shire as a child, attending Bridgend Primary School and, later, Alness Academy. In her late teens, she moved to Inverness for a temporary position at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), alongside casual Deliveroo work on her bike. When she was 19, she accepted a position with the Scottish Ambulance Service. Emma now lives in Merkinch, Inverness. 

In 2019, Emma was elected as councillor for Inverness Central in the local by-election; a role which she maintained alongside her parliamentary position until May 2022.

Emma is passionate about social justice and tackling issues facing her region such as the housing crisis and rural poverty.

Following the appointment of Humza Yousaf MSP as First Minister in March 2023, Emma was asked to join the Scottish Government and became Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees.

Prior to her appointment as a Scottish Government Minister, Emma was the Deputy Convener of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee in the Scottish Parliament and was a member of the Cross-Party Groups on Disability, Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions, Mental Health, Women’s Health, Housing, and Poverty, as well as co-convening the LGBTI+ CPG.  

Having personal experience of mental health issues, Emma champions reform of mental health services. In 2020, following a successful and years-long petition, she succeeded in having an option for mental health emergencies added to Scotland’s NHS24 service. 

In addition to her parliamentary role, Emma is a board member of the Merkinch Partnership and, during lockdown, ran a COVID-19 support group in her local area. In her spare time, she takes part in local art groups and comedy clubs, plays several instruments, and is a season ticket holder for her beloved Inverness Caledonian Thistle.