Editing Shona Robison (section)

==Early parliamentary career==
[[File:Shona Robison MSP 1999.jpg|right|thumb|Official parliamentary portrait, 1999]]

=== SNP in opposition; 1997–2007 ===
Robison contested in the [[1999 Scottish Parliament election|first election]] to the [[1st Scottish Parliament|Scottish Parliament]] for the [[Dundee East (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Dundee East constituency]]. Although she was unsuccessful, having came second to [[Scottish Labour]]'s [[John McAllion]], she was elected as an [[Additional member system|additional member]] for the [[North East Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|North East Scotland region]]. In her first term, she was member of the Health and Community Care Committee and was the Deputy Convenor of the Equal Opportunities Committee.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shona Robison |url=https://www.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps/shona-robison |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=www.parliament.scot |archive-date=24 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324125457/https://www.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps/shona-robison |url-status=live }}</ref>

She served in the SNP's opposition cabinet as the [[Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care|shadow deputy minister for health and community care]].

In the [[2003 Scottish Parliament election]], Robison successfully defeated McAllion by just 100 votes in Dundee East. She served as the Shadow Minister for Health and Social Justice in the SNP's opposition benches.<ref name="session2">{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.scot/msps/30574.aspx |title=Previous MSPs: Session 2 (2003–2007): Shona Robison MSP |publisher=Scottish Parliament |access-date=14 May 2016 |archive-date=5 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605073410/http://www.parliament.scot/msps/30574.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> Robison was a member of the Health Committee.<ref name=":1" />

=== Junior ministerial career; 2007–2014 ===
[[File:Summer Cabinet in Kirkcaldy - 6096488715.jpg|thumb|left|Robison with Nicola Sturgeon at am Active Nation reception in Kirkcaldy, 2011]]
After the SNP's victory in the [[2007 Scottish Parliament election|2007 election]], Robison was appointed as the [[Minister for Public Health (Scotland)|Minister for Public Health]].<ref>{{cite news |date=17 May 2007 |title=The Scottish Executive |work=[[The Herald (Glasgow)]] |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/the-scottish-executive-1.842205 |access-date=27 September 2014 |archive-date=18 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118070551/http://www.heraldscotland.com/the-scottish-executive-1.842205 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2009, she added [[Minister for Public Health and Sport|Sport]] onto her portfolio.<ref name="session3">{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.scot/msps/26650.aspx |title=Previous MSPs: Session 3 (2007–2011): Shona Robison MSP |publisher=Scottish Parliament |access-date=14 May 2016 |archive-date=5 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605070722/http://www.parliament.scot/msps/26650.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> In the [[2011 Scottish Parliament election|2011 election]], Robison was re-elected into the newly drawn, [[Dundee City East (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Dundee City East constituency]]. She was appointed [[Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport]].

In the run up to the [[Scottish independence referendum]] in 2014, Robison wrote to the [[University of Dundee]] to complain that a Dundee professor had chaired an event for the [[Better Together (campaign)|Better Together campaign]]. Robison insisted that [[Christopher Whatley]]'s involvement in the Five Million Questions project about the implications of the referendum meant he should have taken a neutral stance on the constitutional issue.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/scotland-travel/snp-minister-in-chilling-bid-to-gag-academics-pfzsqvws58t|title=SNP minister in 'chilling bid to gag academics'|first=Lindsay|last=McIntosh|via=www.thetimes.co.uk|access-date=20 April 2021|archive-date=20 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420220835/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/snp-minister-in-chilling-bid-to-gag-academics-pfzsqvws58t|url-status=live}}</ref> However, [[Scottish Conservatives|Scottish Conservative]] leader [[Ruth Davidson]] said: "I'm not sure this kind of bullying and intimidation is the best advert for the SNP's vision of a future separate Scotland. In fact, it is chilling."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10445073/SNP-ministers-waging-dangerous-campaign-to-gag-university-academics.html|title=SNP ministers 'waging dangerous campaign to gag university academics'|website=www.telegraph.co.uk|access-date=20 April 2021|archive-date=20 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420220836/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10445073/SNP-ministers-waging-dangerous-campaign-to-gag-university-academics.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2014, [[Alex Salmond]] promoted her to the full Cabinet position of [[Cabinet Secretary for Commonwealth Games, Sport, Equalities and Pensioners' Rights]].
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