[1] She was also formerly a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the South Scotland region 2011−2016 and was the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform 2014−2016.

After spending five years living in Brussels and working as Head of Policy for Alyn Smith MEP,[2] McLeod returned to Scotland in 2009 to stand as an SNP candidate in the European Parliamentary elections.

[2] In 2011 McLeod was elected to the Scottish Parliament via the South Scotland regional list after losing in the constituency of Galloway and West Dumfries to Alex Fergusson.

On 21 November 2014, she was appointed Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, succeeding Paul Wheelhouse who was moved to another ministerial brief.

[1] In September 2019 McLeod was a member of the European Parliament's delegation to the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit[8] She served as MEP until 31 January 2020, when the Brexit process was completed.