Keith Brown (Scottish politician)  Keith James Brown (born 20 December 1961) is a Scottish politician who is currently Depute Leader of the Scottish National Party. He is a former Royal Marines commando and served as Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work from May 2016 to June 2018. Brown has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) since 2007, first representing the Ochil constituency 2007–2011, then the Clackmannanshire and Dunblane constituency since 2011. Born in Edinburgh, Brown attended Tynecastle High School in the city, before joining the Royal Marines and serving in the Falklands War. Upon leaving the Marines he attended the University of Dundee where he joined the SNP, graduating in Politics in 1988. During his time at the University of Dundee, he studied abroad at the University of Prince Edward Island between 1985–1986. He then went to work in local government administration in Stirling and was also an active trade union representative with UNISON. He was the SNP candidate for the European Parliament for Lothians constituency in 1994, coming second with 53,324 votes. Brown was then elected to represent Alva on Clackmannanshire Council in a by-election in 1996. He became group leader in 1997, and then Leader of the Council after the SNP took control of Clackmannanshire in the 2003 elections. Brown was elected to the Scottish Parliament by Ochil constituency at the 2007 elections, increasing both absolute SNP vote and majority. He was appointed to be Convener of both the Parliament's Standards & Public Appointments Committee and Procedures Committee, and after overseeing their merger now convenes the new Standards, Procedures & Public Appointments Committee. In his maiden speech on the abolition of bridge tolls he declared that he still had an outstanding fine from the Skye Bridge protests of 1994. He has been an opponent of the proposals for an overhead electricity line from Beauly to Denny, arguing for an underground alternative. Brown has also been campaigning for Scotland football matches to be available on terrestrial television. On 12 February 2009, Brown was appointed Minister for Schools and Skills. On 8 December 2009, Brown became Minister for Schools and Skills In the first reshuffle of the SNP Government. In December 2010, he was appointed as Minister for Transport and Infrastructure in the Scottish government. Brown won re-election to the Scottish Parliament in 2011, representing the newly created Clackmannanshire and Dunblane. On 19 May 2011, Brown was named as the Minister for Housing and Transport.