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First Salmond government

Scottish Government led by Alex Salmond from 2007 to 2011


Scottish Government led by Alex Salmond from 2007 to 2011

FieldValue
cabinet_nameFirst Salmond government
cabinet_number5th
cabinet_typegovernment
flagFlag of Scotland.svg
flag_bordertrue
jurisdictionScotland
incumbent2007–2011
imageScottish Cabinet at Bute House, June 2007 (2).jpg
captionSalmond and his cabinet at Bute House, 2007
date_formed17 May 2007
date_dissolved19 May 2011
government_head_titleFirst Minister
government_headAlex Salmond
government_head_historyMSP for Banff and Buchan (1999–2001) MSP for Aberdeenshire East (2007–2016)
deputy_government_headNicola Sturgeon
state_head_titleMonarch
state_headElizabeth II
total_number16
political_parties{{ubl
borderdarkgray}} Scottish National Party}}
legislature_statusMinority
opposition_partyScottish Labour Party
opposition_leaderJack McConnell (2007)
Cathy Jamieson (2007)
Wendy Alexander (2007-08)
Cathy Jamieson (2008)
Iain Gray (2008-11)
election2007 general election
last_election2011 general election
legislature_term3rd Scottish Parliament
budget2008 Scottish budget
2009 Scottish budget
2010 Scottish budget 2011 Scottish budget
previousSecond McConnell government
successorSecond Salmond government

| Scottish National Party}} Cathy Jamieson (2007) Wendy Alexander (2007-08) Cathy Jamieson (2008) Iain Gray (2008-11) 2009 Scottish budget 2010 Scottish budget 2011 Scottish budget

Having won the largest number of seats in the general election (47 of 129) the SNP sought to form a coalition with the Scottish Liberal Democrats. When those talks failed, the SNP chose to form a one-party minority government. The SNP and Scottish Greens signed an agreement where the Greens supported SNP ministerial appointments, but did not offer support for any confidence or budget votes ("confidence and supply"). SNP leader, Alex Salmond was elected First Minister on 16 May 2007; he was officially sworn in and his slate of ministerial appointments were ratified by the Scottish Parliament the following day.

History

Due to the agreement signed with the Greens, Salmond's investiture vote was successful despite only having 47 of 129 seats in the Parliament. The vote was 49–46, with the SNP and Greens voting in favour and the 46 Scottish Labour MSPs voting against, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats abstaining.

On 16 May 2007, a few hours after Salmond was sworn in by parliament, he announced his intention to form a government composed of five cabinet secretaries and ten junior ministers. Furthermore, the Lord Advocate lost her seat in the cabinet.

A cabinet reshuffle took place in February 2009.

Cabinet

May 2007 to February 2009

PortfolioPortraitMinisterTerm
Cabinet secretaries
First Minister[[File:Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland (cropped).jpgframeless143x143px]]The Rt Hon2007–2014
Deputy First Minister**[[File:Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP.jpg148x148px]]**Nicola Sturgeon MSP2007–2014
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing2007–2012
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth**[[File:John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Sustainable Growth (1).jpgframeless151x151px]]**John Swinney MSP2007–2016
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning**[[File:Fiona Hyslop, Minister for Culture and External Affairs (1).jpgframeless151x151px]]**Fiona Hyslop MSP2007–2009
Cabinet Secretary for Justice[[File:Kenny MacAskill, Cabinet Secretary for Justice (1).jpgframeless151x151px]]Kenny MacAskill MSP2007–2014
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment[[File:Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment (1).jpgframeless151x151px]]Richard Lochhead MSP2007–2016
Also attending cabinet meetings
Permanent Secretary[[File:John Elvidge.jpg110x110px]]John Elvidge2003–2010
Minister for Parliamentary Business[[File:Bruce Crawford, Minister for Parliamentary Business (1).jpg151x151px]]Bruce Crawford MSP2007–2011
Lord Advocate[[File:Elish Angiolini.jpg133x133px]]The Rt Hon. Elish Angiolini QC2006–2011

February 2009 to May 2011

PortfolioPortraitMinisterTerm
Cabinet secretaries
First Minister[[File:Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland (cropped).jpgframeless143x143px]]The Rt Hon2007–2014
Deputy First Minister**[[File:Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP.jpg148x148px]]**Nicola Sturgeon MSP2007–2014
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing2007–2012
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth**[[File:John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Sustainable Growth (1).jpgframeless151x151px]]**John Swinney MSP2007–2016
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning[[File:Michael Russell (Scottish politician).jpg151x151px]]Michael Russell MSP2009–2011
Cabinet Secretary for Justice[[File:Kenny MacAskill, Cabinet Secretary for Justice (1).jpgframeless151x151px]]Kenny MacAskill MSP2007–2014
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment[[File:Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment (1).jpgframeless151x151px]]Richard Lochhead MSP2007–2016
Also attending cabinet meetings
Permanent Secretary[[File:Peter Housden, Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government.jpg108x108px]]Peter Housden2010–2015
Minister for Parliamentary Business[[File:Bruce Crawford, Minister for Parliamentary Business (1).jpg151x151px]]Bruce Crawford MSP2007–2011
Lord Advocate[[File:Elish Angiolini.jpg133x133px]]The Rt Hon. Elish Angiolini QC2006–2011

Changes

  • Fiona Hyslop is demoted from Cabinet and appointed Minister for Culture and External Affairs; Hyslop is replaced as Education Secretary by Michael Russell.
  • John Elvidge stood down as the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government in June 2010 and was succeeded by Peter Housden.

Junior Ministers

PostMinisterTerm
Minister for Parliamentary BusinessBruce Crawford MSP2007–2011
Minister for Europe, External Affairs and CultureLinda Fabiani MSP2007–2009
Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the ConstitutionMike Russell MSP2009
Minister for Culture and External AffairsFiona Hyslop MSP2009–2011
Minister for Enterprise, Energy and TourismJim Mather MSP2007–2011
Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate ChangeStewart Stevenson MSP2007–2010
Minister for Transport and InfrastructureKeith Brown MSP2010–2011
Minister for Schools and SkillsMaureen Watt MSP2007–2009
Keith Brown MSP2009–2010
Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning
Angela Constance MSP2010–2011
Minister for Children and Early YearsAdam Ingram MSP2007–2011
Minister for Public HealthShona Robison MSP2007–2009
Minister for Public Health and Sport2009–2011
Minister for Communities and SportStewart Maxwell MSP2007–2009
Minister for Housing and CommunitiesAlex Neil MSP2009–2011
Minister for Community SafetyFergus Ewing MSP2007–2011
Minister for EnvironmentMike Russell MSP2007–2009
Roseanna Cunningham MSP2009–2010
Minister for Environment and Climate Change2010–2011

Scottish Law Officers

PostNameTerm
Lord Advocate
Solicitor General for Scotland

References

References

  1. (11 May 2007). "SNP and Greens sign working deal". BBC.
  2. (16 May 2007). "Salmond elected as first minister". [[BBC News]].
  3. (16 May 2007). "Salmond announces his new cabinet". BBC News.
  4. (22 May 2007). "Legal official loses Cabinet seat". BBC News.
  5. (11 February 2009). "Cabinet and ministers at-a-glance - A guide to who's who in the Scottish government". BBC News.
  6. (16 December 2010). "Scottish Ministers, Law Officers and Parliamentary Liaison Officers by Cabinet: Session 3".
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