4th Scottish Parliament

Fourth session of Scottish parliament

4th Scottish Parliament

| ←| 3rd Scottish Parliament | 5th Scottish Parliament| →

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Scottish Parliament Building

Overview
Legislative body| Scottish Parliament
Jurisdiction| Scotland
Meeting place| Scottish Parliament Building
Term| 11 May 2011 – 24 March 2016
Election| 2011
Government| Second Salmond government
First Sturgeon government
Members| 129
Presiding Officer| Rt Hon Tricia Marwick
First Minister of Scotland| Alex Salmond (2011–14)
Nicola Sturgeon (2014–16)
Deputy First Minister| Nicola Sturgeon (2011–14)
John Swinney (2014–16)
Leader of the Opposition| Iain Gray (2011)
Johann Lamont (2011–14)
Jackie Baillie (2014)
Kezia Dugdale (2014–15)
Iain Gray (2015)
Kezia Dugdale (2015–16)
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This is a list of members (MSPs) returned to the fourth Scottish Parliament at the 2011 general election. Of the 129 MSPs, 73 were elected from first past the post constituencies with a further 56 members being returned from eight regions, each electing seven MSPs as a form of mixed member proportional representation.

The 2011 general election produced an unexpected majority government with the governing Scottish National Party winning 69 seats, to the opposition Scottish Labour Party's 37 (down seven seats from the previous election). First Minister, Alex Salmond went on to form his second government.

## Composition

[edit]

Party  | May 2011
election  | March 2016
dissolution

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• | Scottish National Party | 69 | 64
| Scottish Labour Party | 37 | 38
| Scottish Conservative Party | 15 | 15
| Scottish Liberal Democrats | 5 | 5
| Scottish Green Party | 2 | 2
| Independents | 1 | 3
| Presiding Officer | 0 | 1
Total  | 129  | 128
Vacant  | 0 | 1[1]
Government majority  | 9  | 1[2]

Government parties denoted with bullets (•)

## Graphical representation

[edit]

These are graphical representations of the Scottish Parliament showing a comparison of party strengths as it was directly after the 2011 general election and its composition at the time of its dissolution in March 2016:

* Note this is not the official seating plan of the Scottish Parliament.

## List of MSPs

[edit]

This is a list of MSPs at dissolution. The changes table below records all changes in party affiliation during the session. See here a list of MSPs elected in the 2011 election.

Name | Image | Member for | Type | Party

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| George Adam |  | Paisley | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Clare Adamson |  | Central Scotland | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| Alasdair Allan |  | Na h-Eileanan an Iar | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Christian Allard |  | North East Scotland
(since 15/05/13) | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| Jackie Baillie |  | Dumbarton | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Claire Baker |  | Mid Scotland and Fife | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Jayne Baxter |  | Mid Scotland and Fife
(since 7/12/12) | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Claudia Beamish |  | South Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Colin Beattie |  | Midlothian North and Musselburgh | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Marco Biagi |  | Edinburgh Central | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Neil Bibby |  | West Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Sarah Boyack |  | Lothian | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Lesley Brennan |  | North East Scotland
(since 13/1/16) | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Chic Brodie |  | South Scotland | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| Gavin Brown |  | Lothian | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Keith Brown |  | Clackmannanshire and Dunblane | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Cameron Buchanan |  | Lothian
(since 04/09/13) | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Margaret Burgess |  | Cunninghame South | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Aileen Campbell |  | Clydesdale | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Roderick Campbell |  | North East Fife | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Jackson Carlaw |  | West Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Malcolm Chisholm |  | Edinburgh North and Leith | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Willie Coffey |  | Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Angela Constance |  | Almond Valley | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Bruce Crawford |  | Stirling | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Roseanna Cunningham |  | Perthshire South and Kinross-shire | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Ruth Davidson |  | Glasgow | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Graeme Dey |  | Angus South | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Nigel Don |  | Angus North and Mearns | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Bob Doris |  | Glasgow | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| James Dornan |  | Glasgow Cathcart | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Kezia Dugdale |  | Lothian | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Jim Eadie |  | Edinburgh Southern | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Annabelle Ewing |  | Mid Scotland and Fife | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| Fergus Ewing |  | Inverness and Nairn | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Linda Fabiani |  | East Kilbride | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Mary Fee |  | West Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Patricia Ferguson |  | Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Alex Fergusson |  | Galloway and West Dumfries | Constituency  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Neil Findlay |  | Lothian | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| John Finnie |  | Highlands and Islands | Regional  | Independent
| Joe FitzPatrick |  | Dundee City West | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Murdo Fraser |  | Mid Scotland and Fife | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Kenneth Gibson |  | Cunninghame North | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Rob Gibson |  | Caithness, Sutherland and Ross | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Annabel Goldie |  | West Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Christine Grahame |  | Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Rhoda Grant |  | Highlands and Islands | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Iain Gray |  | East Lothian | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Mark Griffin |  | Central Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Patrick Harvie |  | Glasgow | Regional  | Scottish Green Party
| Hugh Henry |  | Renfrewshire South | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Jamie Hepburn |  | Cumbernauld and Kilsyth | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Cara Hilton |  | Dunfermline
(since 25/10/13) | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Jim Hume |  | South Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Liberal Democrats
| Fiona Hyslop |  | Linlithgow | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Adam Ingram |  | Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Alex Johnstone |  | North East Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Alison Johnstone |  | Lothian | Regional  | Scottish Green Party
| Colin Keir |  | Edinburgh Western | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| James Kelly |  | Rutherglen | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Bill Kidd |  | Glasgow Anniesland | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Johann Lamont |  | Glasgow Pollok | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| John Lamont |  | Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire | Constituency  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Richard Lochhead |  | Moray | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Richard Lyle |  | Central Scotland | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| Kenny MacAskill |  | Edinburgh Eastern | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Angus MacDonald |  | Falkirk East | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Gordon MacDonald |  | Edinburgh Pentlands | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Lewis Macdonald |  | North East Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Ken Macintosh |  | Eastwood | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Derek Mackay |  | Renfrewshire North and West | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Mike MacKenzie |  | Highlands and Islands | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| Hanzala Malik |  | Glasgow | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Jenny Marra |  | North East Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Paul Martin |  | Glasgow Provan | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Tricia Marwick |  | Mid Fife and Glenrothes | Constituency  | Presiding Officer
| John Mason |  | Glasgow Shettleston | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Michael Matheson |  | Falkirk West | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Stewart Maxwell |  | West Scotland | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| Joan McAlpine |  | South Scotland | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| Liam McArthur |  | Orkney | Constituency  | Scottish Liberal Democrats
| Margaret McCulloch |  | Central Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Mark McDonald |  | Aberdeen Donside
(since 20/06/13) | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Margaret McDougall |  | West Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Sir Jamie McGrigor, Bt |  | Highlands and Islands | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Alison McInnes |  | North East Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Liberal Democrats
| Christina McKelvie |  | Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Aileen McLeod |  | South Scotland | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| Fiona McLeod |  | Strathkelvin and Bearsden | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Michael McMahon |  | Uddingston and Bellshill | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Siobhan McMahon |  | Central Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Stuart McMillan |  | West Scotland | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| Duncan McNeil |  | Greenock and Inverclyde | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Anne McTaggart |  | Glasgow | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Nanette Milne |  | North East Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Margaret Mitchell |  | Central Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Elaine Murray |  | Dumfriesshire | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Alex Neil |  | Airdrie and Shotts | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Gil Paterson |  | Clydebank and Milngavie | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Graeme Pearson |  | South Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| John Pentland |  | Motherwell and Wishaw | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Willie Rennie |  | Mid Scotland and Fife | Regional  | Scottish Liberal Democrats
| Dennis Robertson |  | Aberdeenshire West | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Shona Robison |  | Dundee City East | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Alex Rowley |  | Cowdenbeath
(since 23/01/14) | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Michael Russell |  | Argyll and Bute | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Alex Salmond |  | Aberdeenshire East | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Mary Scanlon |  | Highlands and Islands | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| John Scott |  | Ayr | Constituency  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Tavish Scott |  | Shetland | Constituency  | Scottish Liberal Democrats
| Richard Simpson |  | Mid Scotland and Fife | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Drew Smith |  | Glasgow | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Elaine Smith |  | Coatbridge and Chryston | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party
| Liz Smith |  | Mid Scotland and Fife | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
| Stewart Stevenson |  | Banffshire and Buchan Coast | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| David Stewart |  | Highlands and Islands | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party
| Kevin Stewart |  | Aberdeen Central | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Nicola Sturgeon |  | Glasgow Southside | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| John Swinney |  | Perthshire North | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Dave Thompson |  | Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| David Torrance |  | Kirkcaldy | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Jean Urquhart |  | Highlands and Islands | Regional  | Independent
| Maureen Watt |  | Aberdeen South and North Kincardine | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| Paul Wheelhouse |  | South Scotland | Regional  | Scottish National Party
| Sandra White |  | Glasgow Kelvin | Constituency  | Scottish National Party
| John Wilson |  | Central Scotland | Regional  | Independent
| Humza Yousaf |  | Glasgow | Regional  | Scottish National Party

### Former MSPs

[edit]

Name | Image | Member for | Type | Party | Notes

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| John Park |  | Mid Scotland and Fife | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party | resigned 7 December 2012
| Brian Adam |  | Aberdeen Donside | Constituency  | Scottish National Party | died 25 April 2013
| David McLetchie |  | Lothian | Regional  | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party | died 12 August 2013
| Bill Walker |  | Dunfermline | Constituency  | Independent | resigned 7 September 2013
| Helen Eadie |  | Cowdenbeath | Constituency  | Scottish Labour Party | died 9 November 2013
| Margo MacDonald |  | Lothian | Regional  | Independent | died 4 April 2014
| Richard Baker |  | North East Scotland | Regional  | Scottish Labour Party | resigned 11 January 2016

## Changes

[edit]

Date  | Constituency/region  | Gain  | Loss  | Note

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11 May 2011  | Mid Fife and Glenrothes |  | Presiding Officer |  | SNP | Tricia Marwick is elected as the Presiding Officer and had to take voluntary suspension from her party.[3]
4 March 2012  | Dunfermline |  | Independent |  | SNP | Bill Walker was suspended from the SNP pending an investigation into domestic abuse allegations.
23 October 2012  | Highlands and Islands |  | Independent |  | SNP | John Finnie resigned from the SNP because of its conference decision on NATO membership.[4] Though he joined the Scottish Green Party in October 2014, Finnie continued to sit as an independent MSP until the end of the parliament.[5]
23 October 2012  | Highlands and Islands |  | Independent |  | SNP | Jean Urquhart resigned from the SNP because of its conference decision on NATO membership.[4]
07 December 2012  | Mid Scotland and Fife |  | Labour |  | Labour | John Park resigned as an MSP to take up a full time Trade-Union position,[6] he is replaced by Jayne Baxter.
25 April 2013  | Aberdeen Donside |  |  |  | SNP | Brian Adam dies of cancer at age 64,[7] causing a by-election.
14/15 May 2013  | North East Scotland |  | SNP |  | SNP | Mark McDonald resigns his position as an MSP in order to contest the 2013 Aberdeen Donside by-election. Christian Allard takes up the vacant seat as the next (and final) name on the SNP's list for the region.
20 June 2013  | Aberdeen Donside |  | SNP |  |  | Mark McDonald holds the seat for the SNP in the 2013 Aberdeen Donside by-election.
12 August 2013  | Lothian |  | Conservative |  | Conservative | David McLetchie dies of cancer, aged 61.[8] He was replaced by Cameron Buchanan.
7 September 2013  | Dunfermline |  | Labour |  | Independent | Bill Walker resigned following his conviction for assault, precipitating a by-election in the constituency. He was replaced by Cara Hilton.
9 November 2013  | Cowdenbeath |  | Labour |  | Labour | Helen Eadie dies of cancer at age 66,[9] causing a by-election. She was replaced by Alex Rowley.
4 April 2014  | Lothian |  |  |  | Independent | Margo MacDonald died, age 70.[1] She had been elected as an independent to a regional seat and therefore no-one could be nominated as a replacement.[1]
23 September 2014  | Central Scotland |  | Independent |  | SNP | John Wilson resigned from the SNP because of its 2012 conference decision on NATO membership.[10] Though he joined the Scottish Green Party in December 2014, Wilson continued to sit as an independent MSP until the end of the parliament.[11]
11 January 2016  | North East Scotland |  | Labour |  | Labour | Richard Baker resigned to take up a charity role,[12] and was replaced by Lesley Brennan, the next person on the Labour regional list.[13]

## References

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1. ^ a b c "Independent MSP Margo MacDonald dies". BBC News. BBC. 5 April 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2016. "As Ms MacDonald was an independent MSP elected to Holyrood as a regional list member, there will be no by-election, and her seat will remain vacant until the next Scottish Parliament election, in 2016."
2. ^ "SNP MSP John Wilson quits party over Nato row". BBC News. BBC. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
3. ^ "SNP MSP Tricia Marwick elected presiding officer". BBC News. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
4. ^ a b "MSPs John Finnie and Jean Urquhart quit SNP over Nato policy". BBC News. 23 October 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
5. ^ Why I’ve joined the Scottish Greens, John Finnie MSP.
6. ^ "Member's Oath/Affirmation: Jayne Baxter". BBC News. 10 December 2012.
7. ^ "Aberdeen SNP MSP Brian Adam dies aged 64". BBC News. 25 April 2013.
8. ^ "Former Scottish Conservative leader David McLetchie dies". BBC News. BBC. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
9. ^ "Labour MSP Helen Eadie dies, aged 66". BBC News. 9 November 2013.
10. ^ "SNP MSP John Wilson quits party over Nato row". BBC News.
11. ^ "John Wilson MSP joins the Scottish Greens". Scottish Greens.
12. ^ "Labour MSP Richard Baker quits Holyrood for charity role". BBC News. 11 January 2016.
13. ^ "New Scottish Labour MSP Lesley Brennan sworn in at Holyrood". BBC News. 13 January 2016.

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