Edinburgh is the birthplace of many distinguished figures. Their talents have made them renowned in culture, science, sport, and, of course, politics.
Joanna Catherine Cherry certainly belongs among them. This woman has made a name for herself as both a lawyer and a politician, and her career is marked by a unique perspective on the political landscape. More at edinburghyes.
Early Years
Joanna was born on 18 March 1966. After finishing school, she became a student at the University of Edinburgh.
Upon completing her studies, Cherry took her first career steps in the legal field.
In 1990, she took a position as a research assistant at The Scottish Law Commission. Later, she joined an Edinburgh law firm as a solicitor.
Cherry also worked as a part-time tutor at the University of Edinburgh, teaching in legal areas such as family law, construction law, and civil court practice.
A Legal Career
By 1995, Joanna’s work had become more focused on employment law and its related issues.
This included cases involving industrial injuries, professional negligence, and workplace safety.
A truly significant milestone in Cherry’s legal career came in 2003, when she was appointed as junior counsel to the Scottish Government.
A New Direction
However, Joanna’s active work and relentless energy soon led her into a new field: politics. Her political journey began in 2014.
During the Scottish independence referendum that year, Cherry founded the group ‘Lawyers for Yes’, which campaigned for a ‘Yes’ vote.
Election to Parliament
The following year, the Scottish National Party (SNP) selected Joanna as their candidate for Edinburgh South West in the May 2015 general election.
Cherry was successfully elected, an event that opened up new opportunities for her.
She was appointed the SNP’s Spokesperson for Justice and Home Affairs at Westminster.
Re-election, a Surprising Announcement, and Consequences
After the general election in June 2017, Joanna continued to be a prominent figure in the SNP’s Westminster group. When the Catalan independence referendum took place in October 2017, Cherry attended as an international observer.
The 2019 general election saw Joanna re-elected as the MP for Edinburgh South West.
It seemed as though her work would continue as usual, with Cherry focusing on her parliamentary duties.
However, in the winter of 2020, she surprised many by announcing her intention to seek the SNP nomination for the Edinburgh Central seat in the upcoming Scottish Parliament election.
She also stated that if elected, she would resign her seat in the House of Commons. By the summer of 2020, however, Cherry had abandoned this plan.
This did not save her from facing difficult consequences. In February 2021, the party leadership removed Joanna from the frontbench, citing unacceptable behaviour that did not align with the party’s standards.
A Return to Public Life
Following these events, Cherry took a brief hiatus from her public duties.
On 26 March 2021, the politician formally announced she was taking a break from political and public life due to health issues.
She began to gradually return to work in early May 2021.
On 31 May of the same year, Joanna decided to step down from the SNP’s National Executive Committee.
In the summer of 2022, Joanna became the Chair of the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights.
Shifting Allegiances
When discussing Cherry’s biography as a politician, it is worth noting her changing political allegiances.
Back in 2015, Joanna revealed that she had supported the Labour Party since her teenage years and had dreamed of becoming a Labour MP. Even at university, she remained a Labour supporter.
However, she eventually became deeply disillusioned with the party. Joanna felt that Labour was failing to advance the cause of self-governance and was not effectively opposing the poll tax.
As a result, from the mid-1990s, Cherry began voting for the Scottish National Party. In 2008, she officially joined the party.
Political Stances
Cherry’s political views on certain issues make her stand out among her colleagues.
Notably, Joanna is considered a staunch supporter of Scottish independence. She has advocated for a less cautious approach to holding a second independence referendum.
In 2016, Cherry fully supported the idea of an independent Scotland rejoining the European Union.
Regarding foreign policy, in 2021, Joanna strongly criticised the Biden administration’s withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. At the same time, she called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to provide aid to refugees fleeing the Taliban.
Personal Life
No biography is complete without a few personal details. Joanna is openly lesbian. She enjoys spending her free time reading and swimming, but her greatest passion is travelling.
Therefore, although Joanna Cherry has often found herself at the centre of political controversy, and her positions have not always been universally understood or accepted, she has established herself as one of Edinburgh’s most prominent political figures.
A sharp intellect, the courage of her convictions, and a proactive approach are undoubtedly the secrets to this remarkable woman’s success.