Annabel MacNicoll Goldie, Baroness Goldie (born 27 February 1950) is a Scottish politician and life peer who served as Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 2005 to 2011 and has served as Minister of State for Defence since 2019. She was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), as one of the additional members for the West Scotland region, from 1999 to 2016. Early life and career Annabel MacNicoll Goldie was born in Glasgow, Scotland and raised in Kilmacolm and Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire. Educated at Kilmacolm Primary School and Greenock Academy, she went on to study at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, graduating with an LL.B in 1971. Prior to entering politics, she was a solicitor and partner with Glasgow law firm Donaldson, Alexander, Russell & Haddow from 1978 to 2006. Political career Goldie first stood for election to the House of Commons at the 1992 general election for the Renfrew West and Inverclyde constituency, coming second with 32.9% of the vote. Goldie was elected to the Scottish Parliament in the 1999 election as a regional member for the West of Scotland electoral region. She has retained this seat in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections. She became leader of the Scottish Conservatives in 2005 until standing down in 2011. In addition to her appearance on the regional list ballots, she also stood as a candidate in the West Renfrewshire constituency for the Scottish Parliament in 1999, 2003 and 2007. While increasing the Conservative share of the vote each time, she was not elected although she raised her position from third to second place in 2007 with a reduced Labour majority. West Renfrewshire was abolished at the 2011 election, with Goldie unsuccessfully contending the new Renfrewshire North and West constituency. On 31 October 2005, Goldie became acting leader after David McLetchie resigned as leader of the Scottish Conservatives following adverse publicity created by the publishing of details of expenses he claimed for taxi journeys. Goldie put herself forward as a leadership candidate on 2 November 2005—a joint nomination with Murdo Fraser as her proposed deputy. Their nomination was unopposed and Goldie was appointed leader on 8 November 2005, the first woman to lead the Scottish Conservative Party. In her maiden speech as leader, she promised to act against "disloyalty and disobedience" in the party and in a reference to Margaret Thatcher she said, "I think you may take