Jeane Freeman, Former Scottish Health Secretary, Dies at 72
Jeane Freeman, a prominent SNP politician who held critical roles in the Scottish government, including serving as health secretary during the Covid pandemic and leading the establishment of Scotland's first devolved social security system, has died at the age of 72. Her career spanned nursing, criminal justice, and civil service before she entered elected politics a decade ago, bringing a unique perspective shaped by her working-class, trade-unionist roots.
A Varied Career and Political Journey
Born in Newton, Ayrshire, Freeman was the youngest of four children and the only daughter of George Freeman, an aircraft fitter, and Annie, a nurse. Her father's values of fairness and social responsibility, particularly his appreciation for the postwar health service, deeply influenced her. After training as a nurse and studying sociology and politics at the Glasgow College of Technology, she became an active member of the Communist party's student wing and was elected the first woman to lead the National Union of Students in Scotland in 1979.
Freeman's professional path included working for Apex, a charity helping people with criminal justice backgrounds find employment, for which she was appointed OBE in 1996 while a member of the Labour party. She later joined the senior civil service in 1999 upon the establishment of the Holyrood parliament, where she met her partner, Susan Stewart, entering into a civil partnership in 2007.
Rise in Politics and Key Roles
Disillusioned with the Blair government, Freeman left the Labour party and her views on Scotland's constitutional future evolved, leading to her support for the Yes campaign in the 2014 independence referendum. She co-founded the cross-party group Women for Independence in 2012, championing women's voices in the debate. Her rubric, "there's no such thing as a stupid question," reflected her commitment to inclusive dialogue.
Impressed by her fluency in debate, Nicola Sturgeon persuaded Freeman to stand for the SNP in the 2016 Scottish parliament elections for the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley seat. Within weeks of her election, she was appointed to set up Social Security Scotland, an agency based on principles of dignity, fairness, and respect, which contrasted sharply with the UK Conservative model by recognising social security as a human right and excluding private sector disability assessments.
Health Secretary During the Pandemic
In June 2018, Freeman was promoted to health secretary, a challenging role that became even more demanding with the onset of the Covid pandemic. She regularly appeared at daily televised press conferences alongside Sturgeon, who described her as "steadfast, shouldering huge responsibility herself, but also giving me great support." Freeman was later frank about the controversial decision to discharge elderly hospital patients to care homes without negative Covid tests in early 2020, stating she made the best decisions with the information available at the time.
The campaign group Care Home Relatives Scotland noted that Freeman contacted them on the day of their initial Holyrood demonstration in 2020 and held many meetings where they felt listened to. Jack McConnell, former Scottish Labour first minister and a close friend, called her "one of the most formidable public figures of her generation."
Later Life and Legacy
Freeman retired after one term in 2021 and, despite giving evidence to Covid inquiries, learned to swim and volunteered at the Beatson cancer centre in Glasgow. She and Stewart were planning a trip to Vietnam when tests revealed inoperable tumours in both lungs. Stewart wrote that Freeman faced her final days with "enormous courage, care for others and love for me."
She is survived by Susan, her brother Jim, and five nieces and nephews. Freeman's legacy includes her work on social security reform and her leadership during a global health crisis, remembered for her intelligence, work ethic, and playful sense of humour.
