Christine Jardine


Christine Anne Jardine is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician serving as Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson since 2019. She was elected as the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh West in 2017.

Education and career

Jardine was educated at Braidfield High School and the University of Glasgow, where she graduated with a MA.
She is a former journalist, who worked for BBC Scotland and was editor of the Press Association in Scotland. She also taught journalism at the University of Strathclyde, Robert Gordon University and the University of the West of Scotland.
In 2011 she was appointed Scotland media adviser to the Coalition Government, working under Nick Clegg. In 2013, she came third in the Aberdeen Donside by-election, and in 2015 lost to Alex Salmond in the election for the constituency of Gordon.

Personal life

Christine was married for 30 years to Calum Macdonald, the Digital Editor for the Herald and Times Group. He died of a heart attack aged 55 during the 2017 General Election campaign. They have one daughter.

Political career

Jardine was elected for the Edinburgh West constituency in the 2017 general election, succeeding independent MP Michelle Thomson who had been elected as a member of the SNP. Jardine received 18,108 votes and 34.4% of the overall vote.
She has served as the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Home Affairs and Women and Equalities since August 2019. She was also the Justice Spokesperson from August 2019 to October 2019. and sits on the Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster.
Jardine retained her seat at the 2019 general election and increased her majority from 2,988 to 3,769.