 | 'It's time!' SNP election slogan for 2007 |  |
| 'It's time!' SNP election slogan for 2007 | |
The third elections for the devolved Scottish parliament. 129 seats (73 constituencies and 56 regional list seats) are contested using the D'Hondt form of proportional representation. Number of seats won: Scottish National Party 47 (21 constituencies + 26 regional seats), Labour 46 (37 + 9), Conservatives 17 (4 + 13), Lib Dems 16 (11 + 5), Greens 2 (0 + 2), Independent (Margo MacDonald) 1 (0 + 1).
% of Constituency vote: Scottish National Party 32.93 %, Labour 32.15 %, Conservatives 16.60%, Lib Dems 16.17 %, Greens 0.15 %, others 2.26 %.
% of Regional vote: Scottish National Party 31.02 %, Labour 29.16 %, Conservatives 13.91 %, Lib Dems 11.78 %, Greens 4.04 %, Independent (Margo MacDonald) 0.94%, Others 9.64 %
The Scottish National Party win Cunninghame North, Dundee West, Edinburgh East & Musselburgh, Fife Central, Glasgow Govan, Kilmarnock & Loudoun, Livingston, Stirling and the Western Isles from Labour
The Scottish National Party win Argyll & Bute and Gordon from the Liberal Democrats
The Scottish National Party win Falkirk West from an Independent (Dennis Canavan, who retired)
The Conservatives win Roxburgh & Berwickshire from the Liberal Democrats
Labour win Strathkelvin & Bearsden from an Independent (Dr Jean Turner)
The Liberal Democrats win Dunfermline West from Labour
Elections to Scottish local authorities. 1,222 councillors are elected for the first time using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) form of PR in three and four member wards.
Number of Cllrs elected: Scottish National Party 363 (+ 182), Labour 348 (- 161), Liberal Democrats 166 (- 9), Conservatives 143 (+ 21), Green 8, Scottish Socialist Party 1, Solidarity 1, Others 193 (- 40).
% of first vote: Scottish National Party 29.70 %, Labour 28.48 %, Lib Dems 13.60 %, Conservatives 11. 70 %, others 15.90 %.
Labour lose control of Clackmananshire, East Ayrshire, East Lothian, Edinburgh, North Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian
Scottish National Party lose control of Angus
Liberal Democrats lose control of Inverclyde.
The election is marred by problems with the electronic counting including scanner breakdowns and computer failures which cause many counts to be delayed and others to be postponed. 85,664 votes are rejected in the constituencies and 56,247 in the regions. 45,700 votes are rejected in the local elections.
Angus Robertson MP (Scottish National Party, Moray) calls for the resignation of the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP (Labour, Paisley & Renfrewshire South), who was responsible for the ballot paper design which resulted in the disenfranchisement of thousands of people confused by the new voting system.
Members of the Scottish Parliament are sworn in by taking either the oath of of allegiance or the solemn affirmation. The election of a new Presiding Officer is postponed until the 14 th May.
The Leader of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon Jack Straw MP (Labour, Blackburn), congratulates Alex Salmond MSP, MP and the Scottish National Party on their electoral success and clarifies that the Westminster Government will continue to work with all devolved administrations.
The Scottish National Party and the Scottish Green Party sign an agreement to work together in the Scottish Parliament.
Alex Fergusson MSP (Conservative, Galloway & Upper Nithsdale) is elected Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. Alasdair Morgan MSP (Scottish National Party, South of Scotland) and Trish Godman MSP (Labour, Renfrewshire West) are elected as Deputy Presiding Officers.
Election of the First Minister of the third devolved Scottish Parliament. Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party MSP for Gordon and MP for Banff & Buchan) 49 votes, Jack McConnell (Labour MSP for Motherwell & Wishaw) 47 votes. Alex Salmond is therefore designated as the Scottish parliament's nominee for First Minister. The Queen signs a Royal Warrant confirming Alex Salmond as First Minister.
Nominantion of Scottish Executive ministers (all Scottish National Party): First Minister and Custodian of the Great Seal of Scotland Alex Salmond (MSP for Gordon and MP for Banff & Buchan), Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon (MSP for Glasgow Govan), Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth John Swinney (MSP for North Tayside), Cabinet Secretary for Education, & Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop (MSP for the Lothians), Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill (MSP for Edinburgh East & Musselburgh), Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs & the Environment Richard Lochhead (MSP for Moray).
First Minister Alex Salmond (SNP MSP for Gordon and MP for Banff & Buchan) takes the Oath of Office at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, in the presence of the Lord President Lord Hamilton, 15 senior judges, the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General.
The new SNP Scottish Executive is approved by the Scottish Parliament.
Margaret Mitchell MSP (Conservative & Unionist, Central Scotland) resigns as Tory Justice spokesperson.
The Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy ∓ Cowdenbeath) is designated as successor to Tony Blair and will take over as Prime Minister on the 27 th June.
Cllr Margaret Brisley (Labour) is appointed Provost of Stirling Council with the support of Lib Dem Cllrs.
First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond MSP MP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) challenges UK Prime Minister in waiting the Rt Hon Dr James Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy &, Cowdenbeath) to scrap the Scotland Office and position of Secretary of State for Scotland and to give more power to the Scottish Parliament.
A majority of Scotland's 129 MSPs - 72 (56 %) - are opposed to the building of new nuclear power stations in Scotland according to survey conducted by Friends of the Earth Scotland.
24 MSPs (19 %) declared their support for a nuclear programme, with three undecided and 30 failing to respond. Twenty-five of the 30 who failed to respond were from the Labour Party.
The new SNP Cabinet Secretaries take the Oath of Office at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The first official meeting of the new Scottish Cabinet takes place at Bute House.
Angus Robertson MP (Scottish National Party, Moray) is elected as the SNP's Westminster leader. Stewart Hosie MP (Scottish National Party, Dundee) is elected Deputy Group Leader and Chief Whip.
Anne Moffat MP, (Labour, East Lothian) compares Alex Salmond to Nazi war criminal Adolf Hitler in a House of Commons speech. She later refuses to apologise. Known as "Mad" Moffat, she is an enthusiastic cheer-leader for Tony Blair's bloody and illegal Iraq war, which has seen thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians massacred. She has already disgraced herself and her party and betrayed the people who voted for her twice, by having the poorest Commons attendance of any Scottish MP, and by claiming the highest expenses of any MP in the whole of the United Kingdom.
Death of Aberdeen Cllr John Porter (Conservative & Unionist, Midstocket & Rosemount), who was first elected to Grampian Regional Council in 1978.
Frank Mulholland QC is nominated, and approved unanimously by MSPs, as Solicitor General in place of John Beckett QC, who is a member of the Labour Party. The re-appointment of Elish Angiolini QC as Lord Advocate is also endorsed by the Scottish Parliament.
First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond MSP MSP, meets Queen Elizabeth of Scots at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The Scottish Parliament approves the new Scottish Government's plans to abolish tolls on the Forth and Tay road bridges.
Labour & Lib Dem Cllrs in Stirling take advantage of the absence of three Tory Cllrs to convert a technical meeting into a leadership vote and elect Labour's Chorrie McChord as leader of the council. The issue was to be decided by a cut of the cards on 28 th June.
The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Dr James Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) phones the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP to congratulate him on becoming First Minister First Minister of Scotland. The outgoing UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has yet to offer the traditional congratulations.
Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon MSP (Scottish National Party, Glasgow Govan) reverses the decisions by the previous Labour/Liberal Democrat Executive to close the Accident & Emergency services at Ayr and Monklands hospitals.
The first meeting between a member of the new Scottish Cabinet and a UK Minister of State takes place when Richard Lochhead MSP, (Scottish National Party, Moray) Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs & Environment, meets Ben Bradshaw, UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
First Minister Alex Salmond MSP MP writes to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair expressing his concern about the lack of consultation with the Scottish Government prior to the UK Government's signing of a memorandum of understanding with Libya on the 29 th May 2007.
Cllr Gerard O'Brien (Labour, Bannockburn) is appointed Depute Provist of Stirling Council by 12 votes (himself, seven Scottish National Party and four Conservatives) against 10 votes for Cllr Graham Reed (Lib Dem) who received the support of the three Lib Dems and the other seven Labour Cllrs.
Education & Lifelong Learning Secretary Fiona Hyslop MSP (Scottish National Party, Lothians) announces that, with Parliamentary approval, the Scottish government intends to scrap the charge with immediate effect, saving new graduates over £2,000.
The Queen approves that Alexander Elliot Anderson (Alex) Salmond MP MSP , be sworn into "Her Majesty's most honourable Privy Council" following his appointment as First Minister of Scotland.
MSPs vote 71 to 16 in favour of a motion congratulating the majority of Scottish Westminster MPs for voting against the replacement of Trident and urging the UK government not to proceed with renewal.
The First Minister of Scotland, Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MSP, signs an agreement at Stormont with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, to work together tourism, education, renewable energy and strengthening cultural ties.
The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Dr James Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) offers the ex-Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown a cabinet post as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Lord Ashdown turns down the offer.
Police in Stirling investigate alleged threats made against Cllr Gerard O'Brien (Labour, Sauchenford) by a fellow Labour councillor following his appointment as depute provost thanks to votes from Scottish National Party and Conservative Cllrs on 14 June.
The Scottish Government is to begin consulting on a Climate Change Bill with a target of cutting emissions by 80 % by 2050.
Lord Foulkes of Cumnock MSP (Labour, Lothians), an ex-Scottish Office Minister, resigns from the Scottish Parliament's Subordinate Legislation Committee after failing to attend the first meeting. Lord Foulkes says he prefers to attend meetings of the Westminster Parliament's Intelligence & Security Committee in London.
A submission from Labour MSPs to the Electoral Commission condemns Scottish Secretary the Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP (Labour, Paisley & Renfrewshire South), for disenfranchising more than 100,000 voters at the Holyrood election on 3 rd May 2007.
The Rt Hon Dr James Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) is elected unopposed as leader of the UK Labour party. Harriet Harman MP becomes deputy leader with 50.43 % against Alan Johnson with 49.56 %.
Tony Blair MP (New Labour, Sedgefield) stands down as UK Prime Minister and as an MP. He will receive a severance package from the state worth approximately £300,000 a year. The Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) becomes UK Prime Minister. The Rt Hon Dr John Reid MP (Labour, Airdrie & Shotts) resigns as Home Secretary.
First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) congratulates the Rt Hon Dr James Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeat) upon his appointment as UK Prime Minister.
The Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP (Labour, Edinburgh South West) is appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Rt Hon Desmond Browne MP (Labour, Kilmarnock & Loudoun) becomes Secretary of State for Defence & Scotland. The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP (Labour, Paisley & Renfrewshire South) is appointed Secretary of State for International Development.
First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) congratulates the Rt Hon Desmond Browne MP (Labour, Kilmarnock &, Loudoun) upon his appointment as Secretary of State for Scotland.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs & the Environment, Richard Lochhead MSP (Scottish National Party, Moray) wins the Scottish Parliament's unanimous approval for ending ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth.
Chief Whip, Pete Wishart MP (Scottish National Party, Perth & North Perthshire) asks Leader of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon Jack Straw MP to reconvene Joint Ministerial Committees to allow for dialogue between the devolved Parliaments and Assemblies.
The Rt Hon Adam Ingram, MP (Labour, East Kilbride, Strathaven & Lesmahagow) resigns as Minister of State for Defence (Armed Forces). Father David Cairns MP (Labour, Inverclyde) is promoted to Minister of State for Scotland. Tom Harris MP (Labour, Glasgow South) is appointed PUSS for Transport.
First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) creates an 11 strong council of economic advisers to tackle Scotland's "systemic economic mediocrity". The council members are Sir George Mathewson, Crawford Beveridge, Frances Cairncross, Prof Andrew Hughes Hallett, Prof John Kay, Prof Alex Kemp, Prof Finn Kydland, Jim McColl, Prof Sir James Mirrlees, Prof Sir James Mirrlees and Sir Robert Smith.
South Lanarkshire Cllr Pat Watters (Labour, East Kilbride Central South) is voted president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) for the third time.
Riding of the Scottish Parliament to celebrate the opening of the Third Session. Queen Elizabeth of Scots addresses MSP as do First Minister the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) and Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson MSP (Independent, Galloway & Upper Nithsdale). Guests include Sir Sean Connery and Scots rock band Idlewild.
Following a burning car being driven into the terminal building at Glasgow Airport, Cobra, the Westminster government's emergencies committee meets in London with a video link to First Minister the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) and Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill MSP (Scottish National Party, Edinburgh East & Musselburgh) in Edinburgh.
A Scottish Executive Emergency Room (SEER) meeting is chaired by Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill MSP Scottish National Party, Edinburgh East & Musselburgh) . Also taking part were First Minister Alex Salmond MSP MP, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP, Richard Lochhead MSP the Rural Affairs Secretary, Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson MSP, the Lord Advocate, Elish Angiolini, Permanent Secretary Sir John Elvidge and Strathclyde Police Deputy Chief Constable Ricky Gray.
The Boundary Commission for Scotland announce the start of a general review of the constituencies at the Scottish Parliament which will cover the 70 mainland constituencies and the Western Isles constituency. The Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands are excluded from the constituency review by the terms of the Scottish Parliament (Constituencies) Act 2004. The review of the regions will, however, encompass all 73 constituencies at the Scottish Parliament.
Liberal Democrat front bench reshuffle. Jo Swinson MP (East Dunbartonshire) is sacked as Scottish Spokesperson and replaced with Alistair Carmichael MP (Orkney & Shetland). Danny Alexander MP (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey) is promoted to Work & Pensions spokesman.
At Prime Minister's Question Time on the 4 th July 2007, the Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) states that the Rt Hon Des Browne (Labour, Kilmarnock & Loudoun) works full time as Secretary of State for Defence and is merely a figurehead as Secretary of State for Scotland. The Scotland Office is actually run on a day to day by Minister of State Father David Cairns MP (Labour, Inverclyde).
Christine Grahame MSP (Scottish National Party, South of Scotland) calls for an inquiry into a disproportionately high level of expenses claims by Liberal Democrat ministers in the last Scottish Executive compared with their Labour colleagues. Former Environment & Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie MSP (West of Scotland), ex-deputy minister Euan Robson MSP (Roxburgh & Berwickshire) and former Deputy First Minister Nicol Stephen MSP (Aberdeen South) claimed a total of £22,023 for travel and subsistence costs on on top of ministerial travel and subsistence allowances.
Membership of the Scottish National Party has risen to 13,585 at the end of June 2007, compared to a 12,571 at the end of December 2006.
First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) congratulates Plaid Cymru on entering government in Wales. He points out that as a result of the elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, there are now seven political parties in government in the UK (Labour, Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, Democratic Unionist Party, Sinn Fein, Ulster Unionist Party and Social Democratic & Labour Party).
First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) annoounces he will set up a charitable trust named 'The Mary Salmond Trust' in honour of his late mother, to fund youth and community projects in the north-east using the third of his MSP salary that he is legally obliged to draw.
First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) meets UK Minister for Justice the Rt Hon Jack Straw MP (Labour, Blackburn).
First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) meets UK Prime Minister the Rt Hon Dr James Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) at a British-Irish Council meeting at Stormont in Belfast. The two national leaders state that they look forward to working together for 'the prosperity of the people of Scotland.'
Westminster MPs approve a legal change which will allow investigators to scritinise 140,000 rejected ballot papers from the May 2007 Holyrood elections.
The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) programme Newsnight admits attempting to mislead viewers by falsely implying that a survey of business opinion had expressed overwhelming opposition to Scottish independence.
Death of Argyll & Bute Cllr Ronald Kinloch (Independent, Helensburgh & Lomond South, ) while chairing a council meeting.
Cllr Peter Duncan (ex MP for Galloway & Upper Nithsdale) resigns as Chariman of the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party.
The the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) is the first First Minister of Scotland to make a speech in the UK House of Commons at Westminster.
Anne Moffat MP (Labour, East Lothian) (aka 'Mad' Moffat) storms out of a meeting of East Lothian Constituency Labour Party after members had voted against the reselection of the controvertial MP as a candidate. The MP was only saved by the votes of trades unions. Moffat had the poorest voting record of all Scottish Westminster MPs and in 2003 she claimed the highest expenses of all MPs in the UK. Moffat's travel expense claims are currently under investigation by the Information Tribunal. In May 2007, Moffat compared the First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP, to Adolf Hitler.
First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) meets London Mayor Ken Livingstone (Labour).
A written statement from the Westminster Parliament reveals that former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's 'farewell tour' cost taxpayers more than £ 1.5 million.
Scotland could lose one member in the European Parliament (down from seven to six) under changes suggested by the Electoral Commission, following a cut from eight to seven in 2004.
Death of Ron Brown (Labour MP for Leith 1979 - 1992).
An opinion poll puts support for the Scottish National Party at 48 %, its highest rating ever, with Labour on 32 %, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats each on 8 %, and the Greens and Scottish Socialist Party each on 2 %.
The leaders of the Scottish sections of the three main London-based parties (Jack McConnell MSP, leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Annabel Goldie MSP, leader of the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party and Nicol Stephen MSP, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats) form a 'Triumvirate' to attack Independence for Scotland and defend the Union with England.
The former Labour First Minister of Scotland, Henry McLeish and former Tory Lord Advocate Lord Fraser of Carmyllie will sit on the 10-strong Scottish National Party government's commission to advise on the state of Scottish broadcasting, which will be chaired by Blair Jenkins, who was BAFTA Scotland Chairman for 5 years. The other members are former Liberal Democrat MP Baroness Michie, former Green MSP Chris Ballance, actress Elaine C. Smith, Norman Drummond, a former BBC National Governor and chairman of the Broadcasting Council for Scotland, Seona Reid, the Director of Glasgow School of Art and former director of the Scottish Arts Council, David Wightman a Games industry entrepreneur, consultant and member of the Screen Industry Summit Group and Murray Grigor, a Writer, film-maker and exhibition designer.
The Rt Hon George Reid, former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, is appointed chairman of a steering group to reform the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The Scottish National Party Government publishes a white paper setting out three choices for Scotland: the current devolution agreement, increased powers for the Scottish Parliament or full Independence. The draft wording for an Independence referendum would be: "I agree/disagree that the Scottish government should negotiate a settlement with the Government of a United Kingdom so that Scotland becomes an independent state", however a multi-option referendum is not ruled out.
Former First Minister of Scotland the Rt Hon Jack McConnell MSP (Labour, Motherwell & Wishaw) resigns as Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament. He will take up a post as British High Commissioner to Malawi in 2009.
Cllr John Corall (Scottish National Party) wins a seat from the Conservatives in the three seat Midstocket/Rosemount ward of Aberdeen City Council following the death of Cllr John Porter, leader of the Conservative group, on the 23 rd May 2007. This is the first local government by-election to be held using STV.
The Scottish National Party celebrate 100 days in office and a smaller, more effective Ministerial team with six Cabinet Secretaries (including the First Minister) and 10 Ministers; a Council of Economic Advisers to provide independent advice to increase Scotland's sustainable economic growth rate; an agreement to abolish tolls of the Forth and Tay bridges; a continuation of A&E services at Ayr and Monklands hospitals; legislation planned to end graduate endowment; a white paper on independence and launch of a national conversation; funding for 300 extra teachers and 250 more teacher training places from August, to drive down class sizes in P1 to 3; a commitment to providing additional funding for a phased 50 per cent increase in free nursery provision; ongoing negotiations with Westminster on the transfer of responsibilities for firearms legislation to the Scottish Parliament to allow action on air weapons; a Saltire Award for innovation in industry to reward the best efforts to develop cutting edge renewable energy technology and a commitment to set a target of cutting emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
Wendy Alexander MSP (Paisley North) is the only candidate proposed as new Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament.
It is estimated that the Scottish Mafia has 18,500 members.
Cllr George Leslie (Scottish National Party, Kirkcaldy East , Fife) resigns as chairman of the housing and communities committee of Fife Council and sits as an Independent.
Nigel Don MSP (Scottish National Party, North East Scotland) stands down from his duel mandate as SNP Cllr for the Lochee ward of Dundee City Council.
City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Cllr Jenny Dawe (Liberal Democrat, Drumbrae/Gyle) describes the citizens of Edinburgh as "the hoi polloi".
Cllr Stefan Tymkewycz MSP (Scottish National Party MSP for the Lothians and Cllr for Craigentinny/Duddingston in the City of Edinburgh) stands down as an MSP to concentrate on his council seat.
Shirley Anne Somerville becomes Scottish National Party MSP for the Lothians following the resignation of Cllr Stefan Tymkewycz MSP (Scottish National Party MSP for the Lothians and Cllr for Craigentinny/Duddingston in the City of Edinburgh) as an MSP.
Scottish Ministers formally adopt the title Scottish Government to replace the term Scottish Executive as an expression of corporate identity in order to help the public more clearly understand the role and functions of the devolved Government in Scotland. The term Scottish Executive, as defined by the Scotland Act 1998, will continue to be used in formal legal documents such as legislation and contracts.
Death of Walter Francis John Montagu Douglas Scott, 9 th Duke of Buccleuch and 11 th Duke of Queensberry, KT (Former Tory Cllr for Roxburghshire and Conservative & Unionist MP for Edinburgh North from 1960 to 1973). He was a direct descendant of the son of Charles II and his first wife, Lucy Walters, and was therefore the de jure, if not de facto, King of Scots. The Dukes of Buccleuch have never reclaimed the title of king since the execution of the first Duke by Charles II's younger brother, James VII.
The Scottish Government introduces its programme of 11 bills for the year ahead: Abolition of Tolled Bridges (Scotland) Bill, Public Health (Scotland) Bill, Graduate Endowment (Abolition) (Scotland) Bill, Interest on Debt and Damages (Scotland) Bill, Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Bill, Budget (Scotland) Bill, Judiciary (Scotland) Bill, Local Healthcare (Scotland) Bill Creative Scotland Bill, Rape and Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill &Flooding Prevention (Scotland Bill)
The Rt Hon Henry McLeish, former Labour First Minister of Scotland, claims that the prospect of a Labour revival in Scotland is being undermined by a poor relationship between Labour politicians at Westminster and Holyrood. He also states 'The mere fact that the Union has existed for 300 years is no great case for it to remain unreformed in the years that lie ahead.'
A spokesman for the Rt Hon Des Browne MP (Labour, Kilmarnock & Loudoun) Secretary of State for Defence claims that the former Labour First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Henry McLeish, is deliberately misrepresenting their position.
Research shows a 17 per cent fall in heart attacks since the smoking ban was introduced in Scotland.
Former Tory UK Prime Minister the Rt Hon Baroness Thatcher of Kesleven accepts an invitation to visit current UK Prime Minister the Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) at 10 Downing Street.
Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) becomes leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament. She is criticised by colleagues for appointing the former chief executive of John Menzies as an adviser.
In an interview with the Sunday Herald, Lord Foulkes of Cumnock MSP (Labour, Lothians), describes Brian Lironi, Labour's newly appointed head of communications in Scotland, as 'that idiot Lironi'. Former Labour first minister the Rt Hon Henry McLeish is lmbasted as a 'strange guy' who should 'shut up'.
The Scottish Government (Scottish National Party) appoints former Labour First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Henry McLeish as head of the new independent Prisons Commission.
First meeting of the Scottish Government's new Council of Economic Advisers which was set up to advise on best way to achieve sustainable economic growth.
Former Green MSP Shiona Baird announces that she is standing down as the party's co-convenor.
City of Edinburgh Cllr Alison Johnstone (Green, Meadows/Morningside) is nominated unopposed as one of the two Scottish Green Party co-conveners.
Brian Lironi, Labour's newly appointed head of communications in Scotland, announces that he will resign following reports of clashes with the new leader, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) and her allies.
UK Scotland Office Minister David Cairns MP (Labour, Greenock & Inverclyde) backs nuclear power for Scotland in defiance of the anti-nuclear stance of Labour's Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, the Environment & Climate Change, Sarah Boyak MSP (Labour, Edinburgh Central).
The Scottish Government raises the age limit for purchasing cigarettes from 16 to 18 years old.
Cllr Andrew Nisbet (Liberal Democrat) wins a seat from an Independent in the three seat Helensburgh & Lomond South ward of Argyll & Bute Council following the death of Independent Cllr Ronald Kinloch on the 23 rd July 2007.
Following a meeting between Scotland's Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth, John Swinney MSP (Scottish National Party, North Tayside) and Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Scottish Government gains control of £900 million of Scottish end year flexibility (EYF) funds which had been embargoed by the Westminster Government. The previous Labour/Liberal Democrat Executive had requested control of this money, but their request had been refused.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs & the Environment Richard Lochhead MSP (Scottish National Party, Moray) chairs a meeting of UK fishing ministers at Peterhead attended by Labour UK Fishing Minister Jonathan Shaw MP, Plaid Cymru Welsh fishing minister Elin Jones AM and Sinn Fein Northern Irish fishing minister Michelle Gildernew.
The former Lord Advocate of Scotland, Lord Murray (Ronald King Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh Leith 1970 - 1979) argues that it may be illegal under international law to deploy nuclear weapons 'in a state of readyness' in Scotland.
The Labour Government at Westminster announces a Comprehensive Spending Review with an increase of just 1.8 % in spending for Scotland, the lowest since devolution in 1999. The Scottish Goverment (Scottish National Party) point out that in terms of Scottish expenditure, the actual increase is just 1.4 % at a time when Scottish oil revenues (which go to the Westminster Government), are due to reach £55,000 million over the next five years, in comparison with £38,000 million over the last six years.
The Scottish Government formally rejects new nuclear power stations in Scotland as "dangerous, unnecessary and costly".
The Labour Government at Westminster withdraws a pledge of £ 8.1 million for Scottish farmers affected by foot and mouth measures following the decision by UK Prime minister the Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown not to hold a General Election. Promised funding of £6.5 million for Welsh farmers is also dropped but funding of £12.5 million for famers in England is to be maintained.
Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop MSP (Scottish National Party, Lothians) meets UK Home Office minister, Liam Byrne MP to discuss asylum issues and calls on the Westminster Government to end the detention of the children of asylum seekers at the Dungavel removal centre in Lanarkshire.
The First Minister of Scotland is attacked for defending the interests of Scottish farmers by the Liberal Democrat Scottish spokesman at Westminster, Alistair Carmichael MP (Orkney & Shetland).
The UK Labour Government at Westminster intensifies its Cold War against Scotland by warning officials and special advisors in Whitehall about the dangers of sharing confidential information with the Scottish Government.
The Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP (Scottish National Party, Gordon and Banff & Buchan) delivers a Keynote Speech at what the BBC describes as "the highly prestigious Council on Foreign Relations" in New York.
The Rt Hon Sir Menzies Campbell QC MP (Liberal Democrat, North East Fife) resigns as leader of the UK Lib Dems.
The Rt Hon Jim Wallace, former Deputy First Minister of Scotland and former leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats (Lib Dem MP for Orkney & Shetland 1983 - 2001 and MSP for Orkney 1999 - 2007) is invested as Baron Wallace of Tankerness.
The First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Gordon and Banff & Buchan) writes to the 189 countries who signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) explaining the Scottish Government's opposition to the siting of nuclear weapons in Scotland and requests that they allow Scotland to have observer status at future nuclear treaty talks.
It is revealed that the UK Prime Minister the Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) appears to have have breached Westminster expenses rules by subletting his taxpayer-funded constituency office in Kirkcaldy to Labour activists for £1,600. House of Commons rules state that MPs "may not sublet accommodation which you lease and pay for out of the allowances".
The Gould Report to the Electoral Commission on the running of the 2007 Holyrood elections by the Labour administrations in London and Edinburgh states "Both the Scotland Office and the Scottish Executive were frequently focused on partisan political interests in carrying out their responsibilities, overlooking voter interests.". Mr Gould, the former assistant chief electoral officer of Canada, recommends discussions to assign responsibility for Holyrood and Council elections to one body in the future, and suggests that the Scottish Government would be the 'logical choice'. He also recommends a chief returning officer for Scotland, separate days for parliament and local elections, separate ballot papers to stop confusion, for party names to appear on the ballot paper before any slogans, no overnight counting if polls continue to close at 10pm, a return to folded ballot papers for increased secrecy and incorporation of electronic counting.
Former Scottish Secretary the Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP (Labour, Paisley &, Renfrewshire South) apologises for his part in the problems encountered in the 2007 Holyrood election.
Cllr Richard Durham (Liberal Democrat, Tain & Easter Ross, Highland Council) resigns the Lib Dem whip to sit as an Independent.
Sir Hadyn Phillips' proposition for political party funding suggest awarding 50p per vote at Westminster elections but just 25p per vote at Scottish Parliamentary and European elections.
40 th anniversary of Winnie Ewing's by-election victory at Hamilton in 1967.
The expenses of Anne Moffat MP (Labour, East Lothian) are published after the MP loses a two year battle to attempt to cover up the highest travel expenses claim for any MP in the UK between 2003 and 2004. Moffat claimed £9,792 in rail fares over the 12-month period, including £7,211 for journeys from London to "Glasgow or Edinburgh", an average of £277 for each journey. According to the Sunday Herald, a standard return in 2007 costs just £91. Mofatt also claimed £1,817 in rail fares for 42 trips between Heathrow and Central London, with each ticket averaging £43 whereas in 2007, according to the Sunday Herald, a standard "open return" between the airport and King's Cross station costs just £13.60 and a "first open return" just £18.00. In addition to claiming £22,000 in rail and air travel, Moffat claimed £12,289 in mileage costs for 24,129 miles of travel. Moffat's reselection as the Labour candidate for East Lothian is currently the subject of an internal party investigation.
Following the Queen's Speech in the Westminster Parliament, the Scottish Government (Scottish National Party) confirms that it proposes to cooperate with the Westminster government to bring forward Legislative Consent Motions (Sewel Motions) for a number of Bills to ensure a consistent approach in the areas of improvements and changes to the UK regulatory regime for the healthcare professions, Climate Change and Dormant Bank and Building Societies Accounts across the UK.
The Holyrood and Westminster leaders of the three main pro-Union parties in Scotland - the Rt Hon Des Browne MP (Labour, Kilmarnock &, Loudoun), Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) David Mundell MP (Conservative, Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale), Annabel Goldie MSP (Conservative, West of Scotland) Alistair Carmichael MP (Liberal Democrat, Orkney & Shetland) and Nicol Stephen MSP (Liberal Democrat, Aberdeen South) form an alliance at the Scotland Office in Edinburgh to campaign against Scottish Independence.
Death of North Lanarkshire Cllr Francis Griffin (Labour, Kilsyth), who was first elected as Cumbernauld & Kilsyth District Cllr for Croy & Kilsyth in 1988.
The Scottish Government (Scottish National Party) launches its new Economic Strategy with the purpose of creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.
First Minister of Scotland the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) hosts a reception in Edinburgh Castle to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Sword of State of Scotland which was presented to King James IV in 1507 as a gift from Pope Julius II. With the Crown and the sceptre it is one of the three elements of the Honours of Scotland, Scotland's Crown Jewels, the oldest set of Crown Jewels in the British Isles and the second oldest in Europe.
The Scottish Government (Scottish National Party) announces its budget for the next three years to the Scottish Parliament including the reduction and removal of business rates for small businesses, reduced rail journey times between Scotland's major cities, an ambitious programme to tackle climate change and resources to freeze the Council Tax.
The Spectator magazine names the First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP (Scottish National Party, Gordon and Banff & Buchan), as Parliamentarian of the Year and Michael Connarty MP (Labour, Linlithgow & East Falkirk) as Inquisitor of the Year.
The Herald names First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP (Scottish National Party, Gordon and Banff & Buchan), as Scottish Politician of the Year. The UK Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) is named Best Scot at Westminster. Margo MacDonald MSP (Independent, Lothians) is awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award. Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustaianble Growth, John Swinney MSP (Scottish National Party, North Tayside) is named Donald Dewar Debater of the Year. Derek Brownlee MSP (Conservative &, Unionist, South of Scotland) is named One to Watch and Christine Grahame MSP (Scottish National Party, South of Scotland) is named Free Spirit of the Year.
Lesley Quinn, General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party since November 1999, announces that she will be standing down at the Aviemore conference in March 2008 after 27 years working for the Labour Party.
Matthew Marr resigns after less than two months as spokesperson for the Labour Leader in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP, after allegedly 'calling the First Minister a 'c***'', 'ranting to bemused onlookers: 'I hate the f***ing middle classes.'', 'launching a verbal assault' on a female Scottish National Party MSP and 'insulting a cloakroom attendant' at the Scottish Politician of the Year Awards.
Paul Hutcheon, Scottish Political Editor of the Sunday Herald, reveals that Wendy Alexander's leadership campaign had received a number of payments of £995, £5 under the limit requiring a declaration to the Electoral Commission. This is the begining of the "Wendygate" affair.
Gerry Hassan, former Scottish Labour advisor and lead officer with Labour think tank, Demos, writes in the Sunday Times that Scotland must "move back from the politics of fear" and seize the "exciting and emboldening" opportunity offered by Independence.
Lord Foulkes of Cumnock MSP (Labour, Lothians) hangs up on a radio interview with Talk 107's Alex Hastie 'because he could not answer the point' after being pressed on "the Labour party's problems at Westminster."
The UK is put on a major fraud alert as the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Alastair Darling MP (Labour, Edinburgh South West) reveals that discs containing extremely sensitive personal family and financial details of 25 million people (name, address, date of birth, National Insurance number and, where relevant, bank details), which were sent on computer disc via TNT on the 18 th October, have gone missing. Her Majesty's Revenues & Customs chairman Paul Gray resigns. The Chancellor, who was informed on the 10 th November about the missing data, recommends all concerned to monitor their bank accounts "for unusual activity".
Cllr Alf Patey (Scottish National Party, Glenrothes West & Kinglassie) stands down as Depute Provost of Fife Council.
Death of former Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Cllr James Lamond MP (Labour Aberdeen District Cllr 1959 - 1971, Lord Provost of Aberdeen 1970 - 1971, Labour MP for Oldham Oldham East from 1970 - 1983 and for Oldham Central and Royton 1983 - 1992, Labour Grampian Regional Cllr 1993 - 1996 and Labour Aberdeen City Cllr 1995 - 2007).
The UK Prime Minister the Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) says he "profoundly regrets" the loss of 25 million child benefit records.
Allan Ross holds a seat for the Scottish National Party in the Lochee ward of Dundee City Council with 48.9 % of first preference votes. The by-election followed the resignation of Scottish National Party Cllr Nigel Don MSP upon his appointment as liason officer for the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.
Five ex-Chiefs of Defence Staff attack defence funding levels. Admiral Lord Boyce tells the House of Lords that the decision to make the Rt Hon Des Browne MP (Labour, Kilmarnock & Loudoun) both Secretary of State for Defence and Secretary of State for Scotland was an "insult" and that the UK Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) has treated the armed services with "contempt" and "disinterest". General Lord Guthrie, accuses the UK Prime Minister of being "unsympathetic" and "the only senior Cabinet minister who avoided coming to the Ministry of Defence to be briefed by our staff on our problems"
Jeremy Purves MSP (Liberal Democrat, Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale) is rebuked by the Presiding Officer after falsely accusing the First Minister of lying.
The leader of the SNP group on Scottish Borders Council, Cllr Bill Herd (Scottish National Party, Tweedale West), resigns due to family and personal commitments and is succeeded by Cllr Donald Moffat (Mid Berwickshire).
Edinburgh Cllrs officially condemn the former Labour administration for the city's financial crisis including a £9.5 million overspend in the Children and Families department in 2006. Previous Council leader, the Rev Cllr Ewan Aitken (Labour, Craigentinny/Duddingston) refuses to apologise.
The Sunday Herald reveals that Gavin Yates, Scottish Labour's new head of communications 'used his blog to describe Wendy Alexander as "abrasive", labelled shadow health minister Andy Kerr as "simply uninspiring", and blasted Jack McConnell for being a "lame duck leader" when in office. He also said the fledgling SNP government had a "long and impressive" list of achievements, while describing First Minister Alex Salmond as "a great example of a politician on top of his game".'
The First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP (Scottish National Party, Gordon and Banff & Buchan) calls for the Scotland Office to be scrapped and says it would be possible for the Scottish Government to deal direcly with the UK Government without the intermediary of a Secretary of State for Scotland.
An analysis of 72 Scottish Parliamentary votes on subject matters (excluding procedural votes on business and Ministerial appointments) reveal that the Liberal Democrats have voted with Labour 48 times (67%), voted with Conservatives 26 times (36%) and voted with the Scottish Government (Scottish National Party) 21 times (29%).
The Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) denies claims that she broke electoral rules during her leadership campaign by allegedly accepting money from a tax exile based in the Channel Islands.
The First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP (Scottish National Party, Gordon and Banff & Buchan) is named Politician of the Year in the annual Political Studies Awards, nominationed by 1,700 politics professors, lecturers and researchers. Angus MacNeil MP (Scottish National Party, Na h-Eileanan An Iar) wins the prize for Setting the Political Agenda.
The Herald reveals that Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) received a £950 donation from a tax exile aparantly via a UK "proxy" donor company after her leadership campaign team solicited his support.
Charles Gordon MSP (Labour, Glasgow Cathcart) resigns as Shadow Minister for Transport after it is revealed that he solicited and accepted a £950 donation for Wendy Alexander's leadership campaign in the form of a personal cheque from a Channel Islands resident who is not on the UK electoral register. Wendy Alexander's campaign manager, Tom McCabe MP (Labour, Hamilton South) admits that the donation was illegal under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
St Andrew's Day is celebrated as a national holiday for the frist time in Scotland.
Death of Ian MacArthur (Conservative & Unionist MP for Perth & East Perthshire 1959 - February 1974).
Former Labour Aberdeen Ferryhill ward city councillor Allan McIntosh, who stood for Labour in the Midstocket & Rosemount by-election on the 16 th August 2007, defects to the SNP after becoming 'disillusioned' with the Labour party.
The Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) apologises for receiving an illegal donation for her leadership campaign. Meanwhile, the donor questions why Labour claimed the donation was from a UK company when he had received a personal letter of thanks for his donation from Wendy Alexander. He also reveals that he made a earlier donation to Glasgow South Constituency Labour Party. The Scottish Labour Party then issues a statement, on its own behalf, but not on behalf of Wendy Alexander, revealing that the donor had attempted to make a gift of money to the party in the past, but that senior officials had rejected the offer because he was not a permissible donor. Following these revelations, Wendy Alexander admits that she did write personally to thank the donor.
The First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP (Scottish National Party, Gordon and Banff & Buchan) calls for a ban on money raised outside Scotland from being used in Holyrood elections and asks all political parties to sign a voluntary code which would end the practice of cash being transferred from their London headquarters.
The Scottish National Party's National Council backs a proposal from SNP councillors to allow them to form coalition deals with other parties or individuals, subject to approval from the SNP's National Executive Committee. Co-operation with the Tories was banned during the days of the Thatcher Conservative government when the Tories, who held as few as ten of the 72 Scottish seats, used their majority in the rest of the UK to impose policies such as the Poll Tax on Scotland against the wishes of the vast majority of the Scottish people. The National Council decision does not effect national politics or the Scottish Parliament.
The Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) becomes involved in a new scandal after the Sunday Herald reveals that "the name of a prominent businessman listed as a donor was different to the name her campaign team intended to give to the Electoral Commission." and that "the list suggests a clear intent to give the Commission false information."
The Sunday Herald reports that it has evidence in its possession that seriously challenges the claim of Tom McCabe MSP (Labour, Hamilton South) that only Charles Gordon MSP (Labour, Glasgow Cathcart) knew of the personal, and illegal, contribution from a tax exile to Wendy Alexander's leadership campaign.
Scotland on Sunday reports that the tax exile who was solicited for an illegal donation to Wendy Alexander's leadership campaign was recommended for an honour by Charles Gordon MSP ( (Labour, Glasgow Cathcart) while leader of Glasgow Council, and that "four other Labour figures were involved in writing letters of recommendation."
Labour Chief Whip at Westminster, the Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP (Labour, Ashfield) states: "Clearly she (Wendy Alexander) has to explain how this came about and what she knew at the time."
Raymond Hutcheson, a Liberal Democrat Cllr in Aberdeen for 20 years until resignation in March, following a police investigation, admits that he used the services of prostitutes who also supplied him with crack cocaine. He was a member of Aberdeen Council's Standards & Scrutiny committee and a member of Grampian Joint Police Board and a sub-committee on drugs and alcohol.
Sir Alistair Graham, former chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, tells BBC Scotland's David Porter that Wendy Alexander must seriously consider her position as Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament.
Lord Maxton (Labour MP for Glasgow Cathcart 1979 - 2001) and Baroness Adams of Cragielea (Labour MP for Paisley North 1990 (by) - 2005) complain to the police about their secret donations to Wendy Alexander's leadership campaign becoming public knowledge. The electoral commission state that there is no law against revealing the names of secret donors.
Charles Gordon MSP (Labour, Glasgow Cathcart) announces that he will make a statement about his political future later in the week fueling speculaton that he will resign as an MSP thus triggering a by-election in Glasgow Cathcart.
The businessman involved in an iillegal donation to Wendy Alexander's leadership campaign condemns Scottish Labour's 'gross mismanagement' of the affair. He states that he sought and received assurances from Labour that his donation was permissible. He also states that there was 'no doubt' his contribution was a personal one and that his cheque for £950 was accompanied by a personal letter from his home address in Jersey.
Scottish Labour MSPs condone Wendy Alexander's actions by giving her their full support. Commentators ask how any Labour MSP can now participate in legislation in the Scottish Parliament after showing contempt for the law?
The Prime Minister's Spokesman says the Prime Minister retains full confidence in both Peter Hain and Harriet Harman but refuses to comment on Wendy Alexander's position.
The advice from the Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP (Labour, Paisley & Renfrewshire South) to his sister, Wendy Alexander, not to stand down is described as "an authentic smack of mafia family morality" by Martin Kettle in the Guardian.
The BBC report that UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP (Laboour, Edinburgh South West) appeared at a Labour fundraising event hosted by the Deutsche Bank who are involved in the takeover bid for Northern Rock.
The Electoral Commission begins its inquiry into illegal donations to Wendy Alexander's Labour leadership campaign.
Navraj Ghaleigh, quoted by the BBC as an 'Edinburgh University public law lecturer', claims Wendy Alexander may not be liable for acepting an illegal donation. Mr Ghaleigh was the Labour candidate for Edinburgh West at the 2005 Westminster Election.
A YouGov opinion poll puts the Scottish National Party on 40 % and Labour on 29 % in the constituencies and on 34 % to 26 % in the regions - the highest diference ever between the two parties. The polling was conducted between 28 th and 30 th November.
The Tories and Lib Dems back a Labour motion at Holyrood calling for a new Scottish Constitutional Convention designed to save the Union.
The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP, Secretary of State for International Development (Labour, Paisley & Renfrewshire South) pulls out of the BBC's 'Question Time' for 'personal reasons'.
The First Ministers of Scotland and Wales hold their first official meeting at Bute House in Edinburgh
Charles Gordon MSP (Labour, Glasgow Cathcart) admits he has made 'serious errors in connection with two political donations' but states 'Gifts and hospitality cannot always be refused for fear of giving offence'. He refuses to resign as a Member of the Scottish Parliament.
The First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP (Scottish National Party, Gordon and Banff & Buchan) calls the leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) to resign if the police are called in to investigate the illegal donation to her leadership campaign.
Ted Brocklebank MSP (Conservative & Unionist, Mid Scotland & Fife) is charged with driving while using a mobile phone.
The First Minister of Wales, the Rt Hon Rhodri Morgan AM (Labour, Cardiff West), speaking at Edinburgh University, declares that Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast need to work together on pressurising the Treasury over funding for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and asks why Westminster should be "judge and jury".
Wendy Alexander loses her third spin doctor in three months as it is announced that Kerron Cross, who was to become deputy to Gavin Yates, will not be joining her team.
Holyrood's Parliamentary Standards Committee is to launch an enquiry into the actions of leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North), after new revelations which suggest that she broke Holyrood rules by using MSP facilities for party fundraising.
Glasgow businessman Willie Haughey, who has donated more than £1 million to the Labour Party states that he will make no more donations to the party 'if there is not complete transparancy in political giving in the future'.
The Liberal Democrat leader in the Scottish Parliament Nicol Stephen MSP (Aberdeen South) is rebuked for allegedly slandering a senior civil servant. In November 2006 it was revealed that Stephen was breaking Scottish Parliamentary rules by claiming £748 a month in interest payments on a house which he only half owned. It was also revealed that he and two Liberal Democrat colleagues had claimed a total of £22,023 for travel and subsistence costs on top of their allocated ministerial travel and subsistence allowances. Stephen also came under criticism for breaking ministerial guidelines by interfering in the Aberdeen by-pass while a Scottish Executive Minister.
Death of Cllr Alastair Bisset JP (Independent, Elgin City South), Deputy Convenor of Moray Council.
Highland Cllr Alan Torrance (Independent, Tain & Easter Ross) joins the Scottish National Party. The composition of the 80 member Highland Council is: 34 Independents, 21 Liberal Democrats, 18 Scottish National Party, and seven Labour. The Administration comprises members of the Independent and SNP groups.
Edinburgh hosts a meeting of Defence and Foreign ministers from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia and Romania to discuss the future of Afghanistan.
The Sunday Times reveals that the leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) and her senior colleagues have given thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money to a company owned by the Labour party for services which are provided free of charge by the Scottish Parliament.
Solidarity leader and former Scottish Socialist Party and Solidarity MSP Tommy Sheridan is interviewed by the police and charged with perjury in respect to his defamation case against the News of the World.
A TNS System Three poll puts support in favour of Scottish Independence at 40 % (up 5 %) and against at 44 % (down 6 %).
An Electoral Commission source reveals that the organisation plans to make no comment on illegal donations to Wendy Alexander's leadership campaign until 2008.
The Rt Hon Sir Menzies Campbell QC MP (Liberal Democrat, North East Fife), who resigned as UK Lib Dem leader on the 15 th October 2007, is succeeded by Nick Clegg MP who polls 20,988 votes (50.62 %) against 20,477 (49.38 %) for Chris Huhne MP.
Tom Harris MP (Labour, Glasgow South) a Westminster Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Transport, launches an outspoken personal attack on the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill MSP (Scottish National Party, Edinburgh East & Musselburgh) describing him as 'cynical and irresponsible' for defending Scots, and in particular ethnic minorities, against harassment by the Westminster-controlled British Transport Police.
Figures revealed that in the first eleven months of 2007, Scotland's own eight police forces, which answer to the Scottish Government, had used random 'Stop and Search' powers against just 84 individuals and 51 vehicles. Between July and November 2007 the Westminster-controlled British Transport Police used the controvertial powers against 9,994 people and 4,636 vehicles in Scotland alone. People from ethnic minorities were targeted by the Westminster-controlled force in 12 % of searches whereas they make up just 2% of the Scottish population.
The Metropolitan Police Federation declares: 'The federation has stated time and time again that stop-and-search operations are very corrosive to police/public relations and causes more conflict than any other single policing operation.'
It was revealed on the 30 th November that Mr Harris' constituency association, Glasgow South, had accepted an illegal donation from the same businessman who donated money to Wendy Alexander's leadership campaign.
The Herald reports that: 'Scotland's political and civil opposition to replacement of the Trident nuclear deterrent based on the Clyde could prove 'insurmountable' to a future Westminster government.'
The Scottish Government's Graduate Endowment (Abolition) Bill is passed by 65 votes to 60 with the support of the SNP, Lib Dems, Greens and Margo MacDonald. Labour and the Tories opposed a return to free University education for Scottish students.
MSPs passed the Abolition of Bridge Tolls (Scotland) Bill, by 122 votes to 3, with one abstention.
Glasgow Cllr Ruth Black (Solidarity, Craigton), defects to the Labour Party, leaving Solidarity without a single elected representative in Scotland.
The Westminster Home Secretary the Rt Hon Jacqui Smith MP (Labour) vetos the Scottish Government's desire to ban airguns following the killing of three Scots and the injuring of 1,154 others in airgun shootings in the past eight years. The UK Home Office describes the Scottish Government's policy as 'potentially damaging' while Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Pauline McNeill MSP (Labour, Glasgow Kelvin) describes an airgun ban as 'unworkable and potentially dangerous'.
Joe Grant, of the Scottish Police Federation criticises the UK Government's attitude, stating: 'It has been shown that there is a need for a ban on air weapons in Scotland. Whether it is achieved through devolving powers or through UK legislation, the pressure for that ban should continue.'
Death of Shetland Cllr Cecil Eunson (Independent, Lerwick South), who had been a Shetland Cllr since 1986.
Death of Perth & Kinross Cllr Eleanor Howie (Scottish National Party, Highland) who had had represented the Pitlochry area since 1995.
Death of South Lanarkshire Cllr John Higgins (Scottish National Party, Cambuslang East) who had represented the area since May 2007.
The Scottish National Party announces that its membership stood at 13,944 on 31 st December 2007 compared to 12,571 on 31 st December 2006, an 11 % increase in 12 months.
The Rt Hon Des Browne MP, Secretary of State for Defence & Scotland (Labour, Kilmarnock & Loudoun) attacks the Scottish Government's opposition to a new generation of nuclear power stations as 'Knee-jerk opposition' and 'politically immature'.
Roger Higman of Friends of the Earth describes the UK Government's 'consultation' as a 'sham' and states: 'It is expensive and leaves a legacy of deadly nuclear waste that remains dangerous for tens of thousands of years. UK taxpayers are already committed to a bill of up to £70bn to clean up the nuclear mess we have created. Adding to that cost would be financial madness and divert resources that would be better spent on energy efficiency and renewables.'
Renfrewshire Cllr Terry Kelly (Labour, Paisley North West), is condemned for describing women as 'thick' on his website. He is to resign as Wendy Alexander's election agent.
MSPs vote by 109 to 16 for a motion calling for Scottish Parliament and local council elections should be held on different dates following the May 2007 election debacle in which more than 146,000 votes were rejected.
The Holyrood leaders of the three main unionist parties - Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North), Annabel Goldie MSP (Conservative & Unionist, West of Scotland) and Nicol Stephen MSP (Liberal Democrat, Aberdeen South) - meet their Westminster counterparts - the Rt Hon Des Browne MP, Secretary of State for Scotland (Labour, Kilmarnock &, Loudoun), David Mundell MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland (Conservative &, Unionist, Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale) and Alastair Carmichael MSP, Lib Dem Scottish spokesperson (Liberal Democrat, Orkney & Shetland) at Portcullis House in London to discuss an anti-independence coalition.
The Scottish Parliament votes 63 to 58 in favour of backing the Scottish Government's anti-nuclear stance.
The Rt Hon George Reid (Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 - 2003) is named as successor to HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York as the Queen's Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
It is announced that former Deputy First Minister Nicol Stephen MSP (Liberal Democrat, Aberdeen South) and former Transport Minister Tavish Scott MSP (Liberal Democrat, Shetland) may be reported to to the Standards Commission over alleged irregularities concerning the diversion of the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) from a route 60 yards from a major Liberal Democrat donor's house to another route.
The Scottish Government's £30bn budget is passed by 64 votes to 62 at stage one. The Scottish National Party's plans are supported by the Conservatives and Margo MacDonald MSP, with the Greens abstaining and Labour and the Lib Dems voting against.
The First Minister of Scotland the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) is voted third overall in the "Most Inspiring Political Personality of the Last Decade" award in the Channel 4 Political Awards. The Award was voted for by Channel 4 News viewers. The overall winner was the Countryside Alliance, followed by the Stop the War Coalition. Alex Salmond is the most popular individual politician, ahead of Tony Blair, Ken Livingstone, and Ian Paisley & Martin McGuinness (jointly).
Paul Murphy MP (Labour, Torfaen) is appointed as Secretary of State for Wales in a Labour Cabinet reshuffle at Westminster following the resignation of the Rt Hon Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Work & Pensions and Wales due to a donations scandal. This leaves Scotland as the only country with a part-time Secretary of State.
In defiance of the democratically expressed wishes of the Scottish Parliament, a request from the Scottish Government and the recommendations of the Gould Report, the Westminster-based Secretary of State for Defence and Scotland, the Rt Hon Des Browne MP (Labour, Kilmarnock & Loudoun) refuses to contemplate the Scottish Parliament running Scottish parliamentary elections. Following the disenfranchisement of hundreds of thousands of Scottish voters in May 2007, the Gould report had concluded: 'We would recommend that exploratory discussions take place with a view toward assigning responsibility for both elections to one jurisdictional entity. In our view, the Scottish Government would be the logical institution'. The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP (Labour, Paisley & Renfrewshire South) was demoted to Secretary of State for International Development after accepting responsibility for the electoral chaos.
UK Prime Minister the Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) is caught attempting to misrepresent health expenditure in Scotland, which he claims is falling behind that in England. Downing Street claims the rise in health spending was 6.7 % in England and just 4.2 % in Scotland. However, the UK Government's Department of Health states that the figures were, in real terms, a rise of 4% in England, while the Scottish Government confirm that the rise in Scotland was, in real terms, 4.3 %.
Mark Griffin holds a seat for Labour in the Kilsyth ward of North Lanarkshire Council with 63.4 % of first preference votes. The by-election followed the death of Labour Cllr Francis Griffin.
The leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) is reported to the procurator fiscal in Lothian & Borders by the Holyrood Standards Commissioner for breaking Scottish Parliament rules by failing to register ten leadership campaign donations of more than £520.
Former Health Minister, Andy Kerr MSP (Labour, East Kilbride) is reported to the Crown Office by the Holyrood Standards Commissioner for failing to declare £1,000 in gifts and hospitality. If found guilty, the MSP faces being suspended from the Scottish Parliament or a court fine of £5,000.
It is announced that Dumfries & Galloway Cllr Colin Smyth (Labour, Nith) will succeed Lesley Quinn as General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party when she stands down at the Aviemore conference in March 2008. Tony McElroy, Scottish Labour's head of communications also says he will be standing down at the conference.
Sir Kenneth Collins, chairman of Sepa from 1999 to 2007, accuses several Scottish National Party Ministers of putting inappropriate pressure on the organisation. His allegations are rebutted by the Chief Executive of Sepa. Sir Kenneth Collins is a member of the Labour Party and was Labour MEP for Strathclyde East from 1979 to 1999.
Death of Aberdeenshire Cllr Mitchell Burnett (Scottish National Party, Troup) who was first elected to the Fraserburgh South ward of Grampian Regional Council in 1992.
The Scottish Government's £30 billion budget is approved at stage three by MSPs in the Scottish Parliament with 64 votes in favour, one against and 60 abstentions. The SNP budget is supported by the Conservatives and Margo MacDonald MSP (Independent, Lothians) while Labour, the LibDems and the Greens abstain and Cathie Craigie MSP (Labour, Cumbernauld & Kilsyth) votes against.
The Electoral Commission issues a statement that it does not have sufficient evidence to be able to recommend prosecuting Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) for accepting an illegal donation.
At the end of a Labour Press Conference, Wendy Alexander MSP is recorded asking Shadow Business Manager, Jackie Baillie MSP (Labour, Dumbarton) 'Was that OK?' to receive the reply from Baillie 'That was fuckin' fabulous!'
Eric Drummond, Edinburgh Labour Cllr for Kirkliston until 1999, joins the Scottish National Party after 50 years as a Labour member. He launched a bitter attack on the Lab-Lib Executive's handling of NHS waiting lists in 2002 and resigned from Labour in 2003 over the Iraq war.
The Sunday Times reveals that Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North), the leader of the Labour group in the Scottish parliament, is facing an investigation by the Electoral Commission into a claim that she channelled £12,000 through a Labour front organisation to fund her constituency office. The police have also been asked to investigate.
Former Home Secretary the Rt Hon Charles Clark MP (Labour, Norwich South) describes the Prime Minister the Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) as 'dithering' and unlikely to be Prime Minister in five years time.
The Scottish Government officially abolishes tolls on the Forth and Tay road bridges.
80 th anniversary of the founding of the National Party of Scotland - the first political party to promote Scottish Independence, and one of the key components of the SNP's foundation in 1934.
Labour leaders in Westminster and Holyrood clash after the UK Government's Minister of State for Scotland, Father David Cairns MP (Labour, Inverclyde) describes the issues of powers for the Scottish Parliament as a 'McChattering classes issue'. A spokesman for the Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) states: 'David Cairns and some of his colleagues are out of step with party thinking'.
The Co-convenor of Solidarity, Rosemary Byrne (Scottish Socialist Party MSP for South of Scotland, 2003 - 2006 and Solidarity MSP for South of Scotland 2006 - 2007), is arrested by police and charged with perjury concerning evidence given on behalf of fellow Co-convenor Tommy Sheridan (Scottish Socialist Party MSP for Glasgow, 1999 - 2006 and Solidarity MSP for Glasgow, 2006 - 2007) during his demafation case against News of the World.
Claims by Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) of massive cuts to voluntary bodies are questioned by the President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, South Lanarkshire Cllr Pat Watters (Labour, East Kilbride Central).
The Boundary Commission for Scotland publishes its proposals for the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Constituencies. Only Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles (to be renamed Na h-Eileanan an Iar) and Falkirk East and Falkirk West would not undergo boundary changes under these proposals.
Twenty Scottish National Party Councillors walk out of a budget meeting in Labour-controlled North Lanarkshire Council in protest after Cllr Tommy Morgan (Labour, Airdrie North) allegedly describes the SNP Cllrs as 'just a bunch of National Socialists'. Labour group leader Cllr Jim McCabe (Labour, Thorniewood) claims 'The remark by councillor Morgan was made and explained in its context - that the SNP members were nationalists but they were also socialists - without any inference that they were Nazis as has been claimed.'
Cllr John Sharp (Scottish National Party) wins a seat from an Independent in a by-election in the three seat Elgin City South ward of Moray Council following the death of Independent Cllr Alastair Bisset JP, Deputy Convenor of Moray Council on the 13 th December 2007. Following the by-election the composition of Moray Council, which is run by an Independent-Conservative coalition is 11 Independents, 10 Scottish National Party, 3 Conservatives, and two Labour.
UK Prime Minister the Rt Hon Dr J. Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) declares that he wants to claim back powers such as control over terrorism, national security and major disease outbreaks such as foot-and-mouth from the Scottish Parliament and return them to Westminster.
The Scottish government sets up a group of experts to investigate how to rid Scotland of nuclear weapons. The group will be chaired by Minister for Parliamentary Business, Bruce Crawford MSP (Scottish National Party, Stirling) and includes Alan Mackinnon (Scottish CND), David Moxham (Scottish TUC), Professor William Walker (University of St Andrews), Dr Rebecca Johnson (Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy), Isobel Lindsay (Scotland for Peace), Dr Richard Dixon (WWF Scotland), the Rev Dr David Sinclair (Church of Scotland), John Deighan (Roman Catholic Church), Osama Saeed (Scottish Islamic Foundation), Gillian Slider (Scottish Youth Parliament), and Cllr James Robb (Scottish National Party, Helensburgh) from the Faslane area.
The Sunday Post reveals that Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North), the leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament is facing an investigation concerning allegations of paid advocacy after she failed to declare a financial interest when proposing a motion in the Scottish Parliament praising a shopping centre that had made donations to her totalling £1,600. The Scotland Act specifically prohibits paid advocacy and the penalty is a fine of up to £5,000.
A survey for ITV's Tonight programme concerning the future of Berwick-upon-Tweed reveals 1,182 voters in favour of the town returning to Scotland (60.4 %) compared to 775 (39.6 %) in favour of remaining with England. This follows a poll in the Berwick Advertiser newspaper in which 78 % were in favour of a return to Scotland. Berwick-upon-Tweed was the original county town of Berwickshire and was made one of Scotland's four Royal Burghs by King David I in 1120. The town was destroyed by King John of England in 1216 and the inhabitants were massacred by King Edward I of England in 1296. After changing hands more than 13 times, the town was finally captured by the English Duke of Gloucester (future King Richard III) in 1482 and has been administered by England since that date.
Prestonfield & Craigmillar Labour branch pass a motion calling upon Edinburgh Cllr Ian Perry (Labour, Southside/Newington) to resign as deputy leader of the Labour group on Edinburgh Council following an investigation by the Standards Commission into allegations of a failure to declare a financial interest.
The Westminster Parliament's standards watchdog considers a complaint concerning the use of air miles for flights for his family by Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon Michael Martin MP (Independent, Glasgow North East).
The First Minister of Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Ian Paisley MP MLA and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness MP MLA lead a delegation in talks with the Scottish Government in Edinburgh.
Labour's discredited Electoral Commission issues a statement that it will not be recommending the prosecution of Charles Gordon MSP (Labour, Glasgow Cathcart) for soliciting and laundering an illegal donation for Wendy Alexander's leadership campaign.
Kate Howie holds a seat for the Scottish National Party in the Highland ward of Perth & Kinross Council with 59.9 % of first preference votes. The by-election followed the death of Scottish National Party Cllr Eleanor Howie on the 26 th December 2008.
An aide to the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon Michael Martin MP (Independent, Glasgow North East) resigns after 'unwittingly' misleading a journalist.
Former Westminster Defence Minister Adam Ingram MP (Labour, East Kilbride) calls for the Scottish Parliament to be stripped of its ability to veto the building of new nuclear power stations in Scotland.
The Sunday Herald reveals that Deputy Presiding Officer Trish Godman MSP (Labour, Renfrewshire West) purchased her son Gary Mulgrew's Edinburgh apartment for £250,000 in late 2006, following his extradition to Texas after defrauding his employers of £ 3.7 million. The newspaper also reveals that between 1999 and 2005, Godman 'had been the biggest MSP claimant of hotel costs, claiming £23,000 despite living in Glasgow.'
The Sunday Times reveals that at a Scottish Parliament Education Committee meeting in 2005, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) attempted to facilitate the granting of a goverment contract to a Paisley-based company without declaring that it had gifted £900 to her election fund in 2003, provided her with transport on polling day and rented her a campaign office.
Dumfries & Galloway Cllr Bruce Hodgson (Conservative & Unionist, Abbey) resigns following his family's relocation to Southampton.
The Scottish Parliament passes the Graduate Endowment Abolition (Scotland) Bill by 67 votes to 61 with the Scottish National Party, Liberal Democrats, Greens and Margo MacDonald in favour. Labour and the Tories oppose the abolition, however Elaine Smith MSP (Labour, Coatbridge & Chryston) votes with the SNP government.
Dr Jonathan Wills (Independent) wins a seat in the Lerwick South ward of Shetland Council following the death of Independent Cllr Cecil Eunson on the 25 th December 2007. Dr Wills stood as Labour candidate for Orkney & Shetland in 1974 and for the Shetland seat at the Scottish parliament eletion in 1999. He resigned from the Labour Party in 2001.
'Professor' Andrew Fulton is appointed chairman of the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party by the Rt Hon David Cameron MP, replacing ex Dumfries & Galloway MP Peter Duncan who resigned in July 2007. David Mundell MP (Conservative & Unionist, Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweedale) acted as interim chairman.
It is revealed that the newly appointed Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party chairman 'Professor' Andrew Foulton was in fact, only briefly a visiting professor at the University of Glasgow between 1999 and 2000. A spokesman for the University states 'Mr Fulton is not associated with the University of Glasgow's law school and is not entitled to call himself a professor.'
Alistair Carmichael MP (Liberal Democrat, Orkney & Shetland) resigns as Lib Dem Westminster spokesman on Scotland. Michael Moore MP (Liberal Democrat, Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk) becomes Scotland spokesman in addition to being International Development spokesman.
The Crown Office states that it will not be prosecuting the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) for failing to record gifts to her leadership campaign in the MSPs' register of interests.
The by-election count for a ward in the three seat Cambuslang East ward of South Lanarkshire Council is suspended due to DRS solutions being unable to finalise the result - a problem with automatic counting that caused chaos in the Scottish Parliamentary and local council elections in May 2007. Cllr Richard Tullett (Labour) wins a seat from the Scottish National Party in the by-election following the death of SNP Cllr John Higgins on the 29 th December 2007. The result brings the political composition of South Lanarkshire Council which has 67 members to 31 Labour, 23 Scottish National Party, eight Conservatives & Unionists, three Independents and two Liberal Democrats.
The Sunday Herald reveals that Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing Margaret Curran MSP (Labour, Glasgow Baillieston) briefed a newspaper against the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) describing Alexander's performance as 'shocking and appalling'.
Scotland on Sunday reveals that Sottish Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen MSP is renting out a £400,000 Edinburgh house that he bought for his own home with help from the taxpayer. Stephen claimed £10,000 a year from the public purse to pay mortgage interest and council tax under the controvertial Edinburgh Allowances Scheme (EAS).
Death of former Scottish Office Minister Hugh Brown (Labour MP for Glasgow Provan 1964 - 1987)
The Labour Party appoints David Pitt-Watson, founder and chairman of City of London firm Hermes Equity Ownership as its General Secretary. Pitt-Watson donated £2,500 to the uncontested leadership campaign of the Rt Hon Dr James Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) and just under £1,000 to the uncontested leadership campaign of the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North).
Scottish Government Ministers appoint James McCulloch, Chief Reporter and Director for Planning and Environmental Appeals, to conduct the public local inquiry into the application by the Trump organisation for a golf course and resort development at Balmedie.
The Scottish Government's plans to scap the Council Tax are published. Under the proposals, on average: Single pensioners will be better off by £7.30 a week, Pensioner couples will be better off by £13.80 a week, Couples without children will be better off by £3.40 a week, Couples with children will be better off by £3.10 a week, One parent families will be better off by £5.40 a week, Single people will be better off by £3.30 a week and Households with multiple taxpayers will be better off by £2.50 a week. Only the top income decile will, on average, pay more.
The ruling Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition on Stirling Council is defeated in a vote of no confidence. The council is now run by a minority Scottish National Party administration with Cllr Graham Houston (Scottish National Party, Dunblane & Bridge of Allan) as Council leader.
The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling MP (Labour, Edinburgh South West) threatens to slash £400,000,000 in council tax benefit from the Scottish budget if the Scottish Government go ahead with their plans to replace council tax with a local income tax.
The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling MP (Labour, Edinburgh South West) makes what the industry describes as a 'punitive raid' on Scotch whisky, increasing tax by 59 pence a bottle. The money raised will be used to pay for Northern Rock nationalisation and the Iraq war.
Labour's discredited Electoral Commission attempts to defend its failure to recommend prosecution of the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) for breaking the law.
The Sunday Herald reveals that Deputy Presiding Officer Patricia Godman (Labour, Greenock & Inverclyde) claimed £30,000 of public money to cover 'hotel' costs despite the fact she did not stay in any.
The Sunday Times claims that the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) broke Holyrood rules by billing the taxpayer for campaign-related meetings, including a trip to the House of Lords.
An opinion poll puts the satisfaction level for First Mininster the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) at plus 53 % and for the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Piasley North) at minus 22 %, a difference of 75 %.
Labour Party membership in Scotland drops to 18,052, down from 23,000 in 2002.
The Crown Office announces that it will not be prosecuting former Scottish Executive Minister Andy Kerr MSP (Labour, East Kilbride) for making a late declaration in the register of parliamentary interests concerning hotel accomodaton, and Wembley cup final tickets to the vlue of over £1,000 courtesy of McDonald's
Westminster Secretary of State for Defence & Scotland, the Rt Hon Des Browne MP (Labour, Kilmarnock & Loudoun) asks the High Court to outlaw the use of language strongly critical of the Ministry of Defence in inquest verdicts on soldiers who have died on active service.
The Scottish Government's response to the Independent Review of the Scottish Parliamentary and Local Government Elections - the Gould Report - is published. The Minister for Parliamentary Business, Bruce Crawford MSP (Scottish National Party, Stirling) says full administrative and legislative responsibility for the Scottish Parliamentary elections should come to the Scottish Parliament.
The Liberal Democrats suggest MSPs should be given a £11,000 a year allowance to live in their constituencies.
The three main anti-Independence opposition parties (Labour, Liberal Democrats and Tories) launch a rival 'independent commission' to 'review' Scottish devolution. The 'independent' commission is not to consider the option of independence and is intended to 'create a stronger United Kingdom'. The 'commission' is described by the UK Government's Scotland Office as a 'Review'.
The First Minister the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) helps launch the second stage of the consultation on Scotland's constitutional set-up at Edinburgh University along with representatives from business organisations, trades unions, universities, colleges, the voluntary sector, professional bodies and church leaders. The consultation is backed by former Labour First Minister, the Rt Hon Henry McLeish.
Cllr Margaret Brisley (Labour), Provost of Stirling Council and Depute Provost Gerard O'Brien (Independent) are removed from their posts at as special meeting of Stirling Council.
The Scottish parliament approves an extra £70 million for councils across Scotland.
It is revealed under the Freedom of Information Act that since the appointment of the Rt Hon Michael Martin MP (Independent, Glasgow ) as Speaker of the House of Commons, his official residence, Speaker's House, has received improvements costing £724,000, including £291,000 on 'building restoration and refurbishment', £191,000 on air conditioning, £148,900 on furniture and £13,000 on art. An additional £992,000 has been spent on Speaker's Garden, including security improvements. Mr Martin has also claimed more than £75,000 of public money for the house which he owns in Glasgow.
At a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party at Westminster, James Sheridan MP (Labour, Paisley & Renfrewshire North) allegedly declares: "Ex-ministers should not think they are able to criticise the Government. Those who do that should be injected with rabies."
The Scottish government (Scottish National Party) reduces prescription charges from £6.85 to £5. Further £1 cuts are planned for the next two years before the final abolition of the 'tax on ill health' in Scotland. Labour expresses reservations about the reductions in charges.
Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth John Swinney MSP (Scottish National Party, North Tayside) meets Westminster Chief Secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper MP (Labour, Pontefract & Castleford) concerning the UK Labour government plans to withold £400,000,000 of council tax benefit money from Scotland should council tax be replaced by a local income tax: The funding has already been acknowledged by the Treasury to be part of the Scottish block. Also under discussion is the UK Labour government's witholding £120,000,000 of funding for prisons in Scotland.
The Westminster Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards investigates reports that the wife of the Rt Hon Michael Martin MP (Independent, Glasgow North East) spent £4,000 of public money on taxis for shopping trips.
The Scottish Government it is to offer the world's largest ever single prize for innovation in marine renewable energy. The Saltire Prize is a £10 million award (US$20 million) designed to galvanise world scientists to push the frontiers of innovation in the crucial area of clean, green energy. Entrants for the prize will demonstrate their innovations in Scotland. The announcement is made as part of Scotland Week at the world headquarters of the National Geographic Society in Washington by First Minister the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon).
A joint statement agreeing core NHS values is agreed by Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon MSP (Scottish National Party, Glasgow Govan) and health ministers in Wales and Northern Ireland during a historic first meeting.
An opinion poll is published putting the SNP at 40 % compared to 32 % for Labour for Holyrood voting intentions and at 31 % to 35 % for Westminster.
The Rt Hon Des Browne MP, Westminster's Secretary of State for Defence & Scotland, who could lose his seat should such a poll become reality, launches what is described by Scotland on Sunday as 'an astonishing personal attack' on the First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon). In the 'outburst' Browne accuses the First Minister 'of living in a "parallel universe" and of abusing his position to create rifts with Westminster rather than governing the country.' and describes the Scottish Government as 'shoddy' and 'ridiculous'.
First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) reports that the US Scotland Week celebrations had been an overwhelming success and have generated enormous interest in Scotland. All three Presidential candidates sent messages of support for the Tartan Day and Scotland Week celebrations while the Scottish caucus has a 47 strong US Congressional membership and will soon be joined by 20 members of the US Senate.
It is reported that Michael McMahon MSP (Labour, Hamilton North & Bellshill) may be investigated by the Scottish Parliament standards commissioner for failing to declare a bequest worth £145,000 in his register of interests. The code of conduct for MSPs states that they should publicly register any gifts including property and cash, valued at more than one per cent of an MSP's salary.
Death of ex-Scottish Office Minister the Rt Hon Dr Jesse Dickson Mabon (Labour MP for Greenock 1955 - February 1974, Labour MP for Greenock & Port Glasgow February 1974 - October 1981, Social Democratic Party MP for Greenock & Port Glasgow October 1981 - 1983).
Sir Christopher Kelly, the Westminster Parliament's sleaze watchdog states that the attempt to block the release of a breakdown of MPs' expenses by the Speaker of the House of Commons Rt Hon Michael Martin MP (Independent, Glasgow North East) is "unfortunate" and that the High Court appeal against a tribunal ruling made it look like there was "something to hide".
First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) warns that relations between the Scottish and UK governments are in danger of collapsing because of a 'campaign of aggression' being waged by Labour ministers at Westminster.
SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie MP (Scottish National Party, Dundee East) describes the Westminster Labour government's withholding or threatening to withhold £1,219,678,400 of funding from Scotland as 'entirely unreasonable' and a 'bullying attitude'. The figure is made up of £342 million in Health funding cuts due to a Comprehensive Spending Review, a threat to withhold £400 million for council tax benefit, £184 million of Lottery funding diverted to the London Olympics, £165 million of Olympic Regeneration Funding, £8.1 million of compensation for farmers and crofters, £120 million for prison funding and £370,000 claimed by the Ministry of Defence for policing the G8 and St Andrews summits.
It is revealed that the May 2007 Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections cost the taxpayer £39.26 million compared to £17.15 million in 2003. £9m of the money spent on the 2007 polls went to DRS Data and Research Services, the company that provided the electronic counting machines. 146,099 ballot papers were rejected in the May 2007 Scottish Parliament election and many counts were suspended due to problems with the electronic counting.
Death of ex-leader of Highland Regional Council, Duncan McPherson (Cromarty Town Cllr 1968 - 1974, Ross & Cromarty County Cllr 1968 - 1974, Highland Regional Cllr 1974 - 1996, Highland Cllr 1995 - 1999).
Revival of the Joint Ministerial Committee, after six years of inactivity. Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy MP (Labour, Torfaen) meets Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM (Labour, Cardiff West) The committee exists to attempt to revolve disputes between Westminster and the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A failed attempt by students to kidnap the then Prime Minister the Rt Hon Sir Alec Douglas-Home MP (Conservative & Unionist, Kinross & West Perthshire) in April 1964 is revealed in the coded diaries of former Lord Chancellor, Lord Hailsham.
There is an emergency shut-down of Torness nuclear power station near Dunbar, East Lothian due to a leaking coolant pipe, the latest of many emergencies and incidents at the plant. On the 9 th October 2007, the Scottish Government formally rejected new nuclear power stations in Scotland and described them as "dangerous, unnecessary and costly".
Ken Ritchie, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society states: 'We can see no reason for the Scottish Government not having control of the Scottish Parliament elections. Indeed, we believe it would be an affront to democracy if the Westminster parliament, of whose members less than 9% represent Scottish seats, could impose its will on the Scottish Parliament in this matter without having a very strong reason to do so.'
Cllr Steven Purcell, leader of Glasgow City Council (Labour Drumchapel/Anniesland) states that independence should be one of the options considered in any debate on constitutional change, contradicting the views of the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) who does not believe that Scots should be allowed a vote on Independence.
First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) becomes the first SNP leader to address the Scottish Trades Union congress.
The Sunday Herald reveals that Lord Foulkes of Cumnock MSP (Labour, Lothians) claimed nearly £45,000 from the taxpayer for overnight expenses to stay in a London flat which he inherited from his mother in 1999. Lord Foulkes, a past Scottish Office Minister, was arrested in the early 1990s in an incident following a Scotch Whisky function when he pretended to be Batman, injured an elderly lady, then assaulted the policeman who attempted to arrest him for being drunk and disorderly.
A motion is tabled at Holyrood condemning the Commission on Scottish Devolution as a 'hand-picked Unionist clique' following revelations that Labour vetoed the appointment of the Rt Hon George Reid, a past SNP MP and MSP for being "too nationalist". George Reid is currently the Queen's Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and was Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament from 2003 to 2007. Of 15 members on the Unionist Commission, five are members of the House of Lords, two are knights of the realm and one is from TV's Big Brother. Other members include the convenor of the Scottish Lib Dems, the chief executive of the Telegraph group, the director of the CBI Scotland and the Scottish secretary of Unison.
Angus Cllr Jim Millar (Conservative & Unionist, Arbroath East & Lunan) is reprimanded for using 'four letter expletives' to describe Tory Justice Spokesman Bill Aitken MSP (Conservative & Unionist, Glasgow).
There are calls for the resignation of Cllr Kate Dean (Liberal Democrat, Kincorth/Loirston) the leader of Aberdeen City Council following revelations that the Labour and Liberal Democrat administrations sold off properties on six occassions between 2001 and 2006 at only 40% of their value losing out on more than £5.5m of local taxpayers' money.
South Ayrshill Cllr Elaine Little (Labour, Ayr West) resigns from the Labour Party to sit as an Independent. This leaves the political composition of South Ayrshire Council as 12 Conservative & Unionists, eight Labour, eight Scottish National Party and and three Independents.
Bob Watson holds a seat for the Scottish National Party in the Troup ward of Aberdeenshire Council with 62.8 % of first preference votes. The by-election followed the death of Scottish National Party Cllr Mitchell Burnett on the 4 th February 2008.
Michael John Thomson holds a seat for the Conservative & Unionist Party in the Abbey ward of Dumfries & Galloway Council with 40.1 % of first preference votes. The by-election follows the resignation of Conservative & Unionist Cllr Bruce Hodgson on the 26 th February 2008.
The disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) makes a policy U-turn on the Politics Show and states that she is now in favour of a referendum on Scottish independence.
The disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) confirms that she is now in favour of a referendum on Scottish independence. The Scottish National Party welcome the policy U-turn.
The spokesman for the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Duncan McNeil MSP (Labour, Greenock & Inverclyde) claims that all Labour MSPs now support holding a referendum on independence and states '"We will not vote down any referendum bill that comes to the parliament.'
Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie MSP (Conservative & Unionist, West of Scotland) accuses Wendy Alexander of betraying Scotland.
A spokesman for Alexander states that a referendum should be held in 2009.
The Scottish National Party state that the referendum will take place in 2010 as planned in their election manifesto.
Death of Baroness Michie of Gallanach (Liberal Democrat MP for Argyll & Bute 1987 - 2001).
At Prime Minister's Questions at Westminster, the UK Prime Minister the Rt Hon Dr James Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) denies that the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) had called for a referendum on Scottish independence. A spokesman for Alexander fails to reconfirm that she is in favour of a referendum. An aide to Wendy Alexander later admits that there is a 'difference' between Labour's leaders in London and Edinburgh.
At First Minister's Questions at Holyrood, the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) renews her call for an early referendum on independence - just 24 hours after the UK Prime Minister the Rt Hon Dr James Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) denied that is what she wanted.
Labour colleagues at Westminster and Holyrood call on the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) to step down as leader.
An aide to the UK Prime Minister the Rt Hon Dr James Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath) describes the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) as a 'political pygmy'. An aide to Alexander describes the Prime Minister as 'a ditherer'.
The disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) backs down from her call for a referendum on Scottish Parliament.
Labour MSPs make a U-turn on their statement of 6 th May and now say they can not guarantee support for the Scottish government's proposed 2010 independence referendum bill. However party group convener Duncan McNeil MSP (Labour, Greenock & Inverclyde) states there is "no prinicpal objection" to a referendum on independence.
The Westminster Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, John Lyon, declares the £4,139.17 spent on taxis, mostly for shopping trips, by Mary Martin, the wife of the Rt Hon Michael Martin MP, Speaker of the House of Commons (Independent, Glasgow North East) was "reasonable" and within the rules. He states the expenses were "not excessive", and that the journeys had been taken to assist her husband with his parliamentary business.
By 79 votes to 43, the Scottish Parliament backs demands for the reinstatement of an annual £30m attendance allowance which was confiscated from Scotland by the UK Labour Government at Westminster after the Labour-Liberal Democrat Scottish Executive policy for free personal and nursing care for the elderly came into effect on 1 July 2002 under the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002. The vote against returning this money to Scotland by the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) and the Labour group represents another U-turn. Two weeks previously Labour MSPs had pledged to back all the recommendations of Lord Sutherland.
First anniversary of the election of the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Gordon and Banff & Buchan) as First Minister of Scotland.
The House of Commons loses its High Court battle against the Information Tribunal's decision to force disclosure of MPs' expenses.
Leading accountancy firm Grant Thornton, using Treasury oil revenue forecasts and official spending figures, calculate that, without money from oil and gas taxation, an independent Scotland would have an underlying deficit of £7.8 billion. However, they calculate that when £12.2billion of oil and gas revenues are included, Scotland has a surplus of more than £4 billion.
The Scottish Affairs Committee of the Imperial Parliament at Westminster criticises the UK Government's Scotland Office and the discredited Electoral Commission for their role in the May 2007 Holyrood Parliamentary elections where over 180,000 votes were rejected. They recommend abandoning the use of electronic counting and having a Returning Officer for Scotland. However Westminster refuses to contemplate devolving power for Scottish Parliamentary elections to the Scottish Parliament as recommended by the Gould Report on the fiasco.
Former Labour First Minister of Scotland the Rt Hon Henry McLeish makes a 'devastating critique' of the leadership of Wendy Alexander MSP (Labour, Paisley North) the disgraced leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, accusing it of having 'no road map and no signposting'.
UK Labour Ministers are described as 'Neo-Fascists' and 'perverts' after the BBC announces that they are to consider plans for a database of electronic information holding details of every phone call and e-mail sent in the UK.
The Scottish Social Attitudes survey reveals that 35 % of Scots trust the Westminster Government (Labour) to act in Scotland's interests compared to 71 % who trust the Scottish Government (Scottish National Party) to act in Scotland's interets.
Following in the tradition of Margaret Thatcher's Sermon on the Mound, the Rt Hon David Cameron MP (Conservative & Unionist) states at the Scottish Tory conference: 'The ugly stain of separatism is seeping through the Union flag! The simple truth is that the Union between England and Scotland is under attack as never before! I will do anything and everything to keep our two countries as one!'
South Ayrshill Cllr Douglas Campbell (Labour, Ayr North) resigns from the Labour Party to sit as an Independent. This leaves the political composition of South Ayrshire Council as 12 Conservative & Unionists, eight Scottish National Party and seven Labour and three Independents.
The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Alistair Darling (Labour, Edinburgh South West) warns Scots that they are "never going to get" the £400m currently spent on council tax benefit which is owed them by the Labour governement at Westminster.
It is revealed that Scottish Tory Chairman, Andrew Fulton, who falsely claimed to be a 'Professor' after only briefly being a visiting Professor at Glasgow University in 1999, is still listed as as 'Professor' on the Electoral Roll and in the director's section of Companies House.
Former Health Minister, Andy Kerr MSP (Labour, East Kilbride) is reprimanded by the Holyrood Standards Committee for failing to declare £1,000 in gifts and hospitality from a fast food chain.
The First Minister of Scotland the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP (Scottish National Party, Banff & Buchan and Gordon) reiterates his call a long term Scottish oil fund to be set up, using 10% of an additional £4.4bn expected to come from the Westminster government's fuel tax.
The BBC state that John Purves MEP (Conservative & Unionist, Scotland) may have breached the rules on European Parliament expenses by paying staff in his parliamentary office through a company of which he is a partner.
The Rt Hon Elish Angiolini, Lord Advocate of Scotland opposes the UK Government (Labour) proposal to extend the period in which a terror suspect can be held without charge from the current 28 days to 42 days.
Lord Foulkes of Cumnock MSP (Labour, Lothians) uses parliamentary questions to reveal that:
Advisers to the First Minister have claimed one sixth of the expenses of those for the Labour and Lib Dem Administrations who claimed £57,000 in 2004-05.
The number of communications officers, number of press releases issued, communications officers costs, and PR costs are all LESS under the SNP Scottish Government than the Labour/LibDem Executive. For example, PR costs between 1 May 2007-31 January 2008 are nearly 40% less than the equivalent costs between 1 May 2006-31 January 2007.
The number of ministerial car journeys between 16 May 2007-31 January 2008 is 500 fewer than during the comparable period in the previous year of the Labour/LibDem Executive.
Three times as many people have viewed Alex Salmond's online broadcasts as viewed Jack McConnell's.
In the Scottish Parliament, Labour, the Tories, and the Liberal Democrats veto the merger of the Scottish Arts Council with Scottish Screen, a policy which all three parties had decla