Before entering politics, McAllan co-founded human rights organisation RebLaw Scotland, which aims to use the law as a tool in the fight for social justice and held its first conference in 2017, worked as a corporate lawyer specialising in energy and natural resources and was a voluntary director of East Ayrshire's Women's Aid.[4][5]
McAllan served as a special advisor in the Scottish Government on environmental matters. First to then Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham and then to then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.[7][8]
On 19 May 2021, McAllan was appointed to the new government as Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform.[9][10] During her time as Environment Minister McAllan was responsible for scrapping the Scottish Governments' net zero target of 75% emission reduction by 2030, instead reverting to the UK target of 2045.[11]
In December 2023 she controversially defended her government's record by stating "more often than not world leaders are approaching the Scottish Government" asking how they had "managed to lead the way so successfully on a number of fronts". In a subsequent Freedom of Information request made by the Daily Mail, the government were unable to provide the names of the world leaders as it did not retain such data.[12]
Personal life
In February 2024, she and her husband Iain announced that she is pregnant with her first child.[13] She plans to take maternity leave in the summer.[14] She intends to return to her role as a government minister in March 2025.[15]