Karen Gillon

Karen Macdonald Gillon (née Turnbull; born 18 August 1967) is a Scottish Labour Party politician who served as Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the constituency of Clydesdale from 1999 to 2011.

She was educated at the state comprehensive Jedburgh Grammar School before going on to study at the University of Birmingham.

Gillon was co-chair of the Cross Party Group on Malawi and worked with civic society across Scotland and in the constituency of Clydesdale, to develop better links between the two countries.

She was defeated in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election by the candidate from the SNP, Aileen Campbell, by 4,216 votes (14.1%).

[2] Gillon is a Christian and has described the Beatitudes as the best example in the Bible of turning prayer into action.