Alex Neil (politician)

Alex Neil (born 8 June 1951) is a Scottish politician who served as the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Airdrie & Shotts constituency from 2011 to 2021, and previously for the Central Scotland region from 1999 to 2011.

Neil began his political career with the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the 1960s. Prior to entering the Scottish Parliament, he was a businessman and consultant.

During his time as an MSP, Neil held several ministerial positions in the Scottish Government. He served as Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment from 2011 to 2014, and as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing from 2014 to 2016.

He was a prominent advocate for Scottish independence and played a significant role in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum campaign.

Following his departure from the Scottish Parliament in 2021, Neil has remained active in public life, commenting on political issues and contributing to public discourse.