title: Stephanie Callaghan
text: # Stephanie Callaghan
  
  Stephanie Callaghan (born 24 April 1971) is a Scottish politician who has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Uddingston and Bellshill since May 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she was a councillor for South Lanarkshire, representing the Hamilton North and East ward from 2016 to 2022.
  
  ## Early life and career
  
  Callaghan was born in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire. She attended the University of Strathclyde. She worked as a manager for Holland and Barrett and took on trainees through Right Track, an organisation assisting young people find jobs and learn skills. She then went on to work for the organisation as a placement officer and then a project coordinator. In her roles, she helped early school leavers and long-term unemployed young people to find jobs.
  
  ## Political career
  
  ### Early political years
  
  While at university in the late 1980s, Callaghan joined the Scottish Labour Party when she was 18. She has campaigned against the Poll Tax and student loans. In the aftermath of the Yes Scotland campaign's defeat in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, she joined the Scottish National Party.
  
  Callaghan was elected to South Lanarkshire Council on 21 January 2016 in a by-election for the Hamilton North and East ward, following the death of Lynn Adams. She was re-elected in the following year's Scottish local elections.
  
  ### Scottish Parliament
  
  On 8 May 2021, she was elected as Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Uddingston and Bellshill.
  
  