Ex-Labour aide takes new job as SNP adviser

A FORMER senior aide to the last Labour First Minister, Jack 
McConnell, has taken up a job as an adviser to the SNP’s education secretary, Michael Russell.

Jeane Freeman, a former 
Labour party member who was Mr McConnell’s senior political adviser for almost four years, has already publicly backed Scottish independence.

The Scottish Government confirmed yesterday that Ms Freeman was working for the SNP minister.

A spokesman said: “Jeane 
Freeman has taken up a temporary part-time contract to provide specialist advice and support on key stakeholder 
engagement in the learning 
directorate.”

Ms Freeman was Mr Mc-Connell’s most senior political aide from 2001 to 2005, 
advising him on health, justice and finance, before leaving to set up her own consultancy 
business.

In recent years she has also served on the Parole Board for Scotland, the Scottish Police Services Authority and the 
Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.

She has also been the chair of the Golden Jubilee National 
Hospital in Glasgow.