Christine Jardine

Christine Jardine is a former journalist and editor of the Press Association in Scotland. She went on to teach journalism at the University of the West of Scotland, Robert Gordon University and the University of Strathclyde. For half a decade she ran the postgraduate practical journalism course at the Scottish Centre for Journalism Studies. In 2011, Jardine became an adviser to the coalition government on Scottish media. She was defeated in the 2015 election by the former SNP leader and first minister Alex Salmond. In 2017, Jardine successfully contested Edinburgh West, taking the seat from the SNP on a swing of 5.8 per cent and with a majority of 2,988. After entering parliament, Jardine joined the Scottish Affairs Committee and became the Liberal Democrats spokesperson on work and pensions as well as digital, culture, media and sport. Jardine backed Remain in the 2016 EU referendum. Jardine has been a vice chair of a number of APPGs relating to: the belt and road initiative; immigration detention; motor neurone disease; and MS. In 2020, Jardine was appointed SNP spokesperson on trade, the Treasury and Brexit.