Lynda Clark

Labour MP Edinburgh Pentlands

Date of birth

26 February 1949

Political profile

Lynda Clark entered Parliament in a blaze of publicity in 1997 when she defeated the incumbent Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind to become the first female MP to represent an Edinburgh seat.

Thereafter, her Commons contributions came mostly on constitutional and devolution issues, before she became advocate general for Scotland in 1999, a post she retained after the 2001 election.

Ms Clark seems well qualified for her ministerial role, having come from a working class background to become Scotland's most senior female advocate, as well as being called to the Bar in England.

She used to specialise in medical law.

She is not standing at the next general election.

Contact

Commons office: 020 7219 2918