Scottish Parliament election, 2003
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Parliament election, 2003, was the second general election
of the Scottish Parliament
. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive
. Jack McConnell
, the Labour Party
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
, remained in office as First Minister
and the Executive continued as a Labour and Liberal Democrat
coalition
.
The results also showed rises in support for "minor parties" including the Scottish Green Party
and the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP)
and declines in support for the Labour Party and the Scottish National Party (SNP)
. The Conservative and Unionist Party
and the Scottish Liberal Democrats each polled almost exactly the same percentage of the vote as they had in the 1999 election
, with each holding the same number of seats as before.
Three independent MSPs were elected: Dennis Canavan
, Margo MacDonald
and Jean Turner
. John Swinburne, leader of the Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party, was also elected. This led to talk of a "rainbow" Parliament, but the arithmetic meant that the coalition
of Labour and Scottish Liberal Democrats could continue in office, which they did until the 2007 election.
The decline in support for the SNP was viewed by some as a rejection of the case for Scottish independence
. Others argued against this, pointing out that the number of MSPs in favour of independence actually rose because most of the minor parties such as the SSP share this position with the SNP.
For a full list of MSPs elected or re-elected see Members of the Scottish Parliament, 2003-2007.
1. The Scottish Greens did not stand in any constituencies, instead concentrating their resources on winning the largest possible share of the "second" vote for 'list' seats
.
2. Two "others" were elected in constituencies: Dennis Canavan
and Jean Turner
, who both stood as independents.
3. Two "others" were elected as Additional Members: Margo MacDonald
(an independent) and John Swinburne, who represented the SSCUP.
4. Overall turnout was 49.4%, down on the 1999 election
.
|-
| || Total || 1,891,335 || 100.0 || || 73 || || 1,915,856 || 100.0 || || 56 || || 129 || || 100.0
|}
to be used in Scottish local government elections. This system was first used in 2007.
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
. Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
, the Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
, remained in office as First Minister
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
and the Executive continued as a Labour and Liberal Democrat
Scottish Liberal Democrats
The Scottish Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties within the federal Liberal Democrats; the others being the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England...
coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
.
The results also showed rises in support for "minor parties" including the Scottish Green Party
Scottish Green Party
The Scottish Green Party is a green party in Scotland. It has two MSPs in the devolved Scottish Parliament, Alison Johnstone, representing Lothian, and Patrick Harvie, for Glasgow.-Organisation:...
and the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP)
Scottish Socialist Party
The Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence....
and declines in support for the Labour Party and the Scottish National Party (SNP)
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
. The Conservative and Unionist Party
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party is the part of the British Conservative Party that operates in Scotland. Like the UK party, it has a centre-right political philosophy which promotes conservatism and strong British Unionism...
and the Scottish Liberal Democrats each polled almost exactly the same percentage of the vote as they had in the 1999 election
Scottish Parliament election, 1999
The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members...
, with each holding the same number of seats as before.
Three independent MSPs were elected: Dennis Canavan
Dennis Canavan
Dennis Andrew Canavan is a Scottish politician, and was an Independent Member of the Scottish Parliament for Falkirk West.-Early life:He was born in Cowdenbeath....
, Margo MacDonald
Margo MacDonald
Margo MacDonald MSP is a Scottish politician and former Scottish National Party MP and Deputy Leader...
and Jean Turner
Jean Turner
Dr. Jean McGivern Turner is a former Independent Member of the Scottish Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden....
. John Swinburne, leader of the Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party, was also elected. This led to talk of a "rainbow" Parliament, but the arithmetic meant that the coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
of Labour and Scottish Liberal Democrats could continue in office, which they did until the 2007 election.
The decline in support for the SNP was viewed by some as a rejection of the case for Scottish independence
Scottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
. Others argued against this, pointing out that the number of MSPs in favour of independence actually rose because most of the minor parties such as the SSP share this position with the SNP.
For a full list of MSPs elected or re-elected see Members of the Scottish Parliament, 2003-2007.
Party leaders in 2003
- Labour - Jack McConnellJack McConnellJack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
- SNP - John SwinneyJohn SwinneyJohn Ramsey Swinney is the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire North, having previously represented North Tayside...
- Conservative - David McLetchieDavid McLetchieDavid McLetchie is a Scottish politician, currently a Scottish Conservative and Unionist Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Lothian electoral region...
- Liberal Democrat - Jim WallaceJim WallaceThe Rt. Hon. James Robert Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness, PC, QC , is a British politician, currently a life peer in the House of Lords and the Advocate General for Scotland...
- Greens - Robin HarperRobin HarperRobin Harper FRSSA is a Scottish politician, and was a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Lothians region. He was co-convener of the Scottish Green Party...
& Eleanor ScottEleanor ScottDr Eleanor Scott is a Scottish politician. She is a former Scottish Green Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Highlands and Islands.-Background and career:...
(co-chairs) - SSP - Tommy SheridanTommy SheridanTommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician. He has had various prominent roles within the socialist movement in Scotland and is currently one of two co-convenors of the left-wing Scottish political party Solidarity....
Results
Notes:1. The Scottish Greens did not stand in any constituencies, instead concentrating their resources on winning the largest possible share of the "second" vote for 'list' seats
Mixed member proportional representation
Mixed-member proportional representation, also termed mixed-member proportional voting and commonly abbreviated to MMP, is a voting system originally used to elect representatives to the German Bundestag, and nowadays adopted by numerous legislatures around the world...
.
2. Two "others" were elected in constituencies: Dennis Canavan
Dennis Canavan
Dennis Andrew Canavan is a Scottish politician, and was an Independent Member of the Scottish Parliament for Falkirk West.-Early life:He was born in Cowdenbeath....
and Jean Turner
Jean Turner
Dr. Jean McGivern Turner is a former Independent Member of the Scottish Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden....
, who both stood as independents.
3. Two "others" were elected as Additional Members: Margo MacDonald
Margo MacDonald
Margo MacDonald MSP is a Scottish politician and former Scottish National Party MP and Deputy Leader...
(an independent) and John Swinburne, who represented the SSCUP.
4. Overall turnout was 49.4%, down on the 1999 election
Scottish Parliament election, 1999
The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members...
.
|-
| || Total || 1,891,335 || 100.0 || || 73 || || 1,915,856 || 100.0 || || 56 || || 129 || || 100.0
|}
Central Scotland
Glasgow
Highlands and Islands
Lothians
Mid Scotland and Fife
North East Scotland
South of Scotland
West of Scotland
Coalition
As part of the coalition deal between Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Labour allowed proportional representationProportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
to be used in Scottish local government elections. This system was first used in 2007.
See also
- Members of the Scottish Parliament, 2003-2007
- Welsh Assembly election, 2003Welsh Assembly election, 2003The National Assembly for Wales election, 2003 was the second general election to the National Assembly for Wales. It was held on 1 May 2003.The election was characterised by a resurgence for the Labour Party, whilst Plaid Cymru saw a reduction in support and the number of Assembly Members they...
and United Kingdom local elections, 2003United Kingdom local elections, 2003Local elections took place in various parts of the United Kingdom on 1 May 2003, the same day as the Scottish Parliamentary and the Welsh Assembly elections. There were local elections for all councils in Scotland and in most of England...
the same day
Party Manifestos
- British National Party- Freedom
- Pro-Life Alliance
- Scottish Liberal Democrats- Make the difference
- Scottish National Party- Release our potential