2007 Scottish Parliament election

{{PoliticsScotland}}

The main issues during the campaign trail were healthcare, education, council tax reform, pensions, the Union, Trident (the submarines are based in Scotland), the Iraq War and more powers for the Scottish Parliament. Some parties proposed raise the school leaving age from 16 to 18 and raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 16 to 18.

Jack McConnell, as First Minister, entered the election defending a small overall majority of five seats via a coalition of Labour and the Liberal Democrats. The Lab-LD social liberal coalition had been in power, with three different First Ministers, since the first Scottish Parliament election in 1999. Opinion polls suggested its majority could be lost in 2007, due to falling support for the Labour Party and rising support for other parties, in particular the Scottish National Party (SNP). The polls suggested that no single party was likely to acquire an overall majority, nor was there an obvious alternative coalition ready to form a new Executive.

A TNS Poll in November 2006 gave Labour an 8% lead over the SNP which was second behind Labour in terms of numbers of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). As the election approached the SNP gained support while Labour's support declined. Based on pre-election projections, there could have been some possibility of an SNP–Liberal Democrat coalition, which might have extended to include the Scottish Green Party.{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=104&id=513662005 |title=Somewhere over the Rainbow Coalition... Scotsman 12 May 2005 |access-date=7 May 2007 |location=Edinburgh |work=The Scotsman |date=11 May 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060222145859/http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=104&id=513662005 |archive-date=22 February 2006 }}{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=333222006|title=Panic within Labour as membership falls|access-date=7 May 2007|location=Edinburgh|work=The Scotsman|first=Murdo|last=Macleod|date=5 March 2006|archive-date=13 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213064339/https://www.scotsman.com/news|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=342882006|title=Lib Dems open door to coalition with SNP Scotsman 7 March 2006|access-date=7 May 2007|location=Edinburgh|work=The Scotsman|first=Hamish|last=Macdonell|date=7 March 2006|archive-date=13 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213064336/https://www.scotsman.com/news|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=458162006|title=Is this the end of Lab–Lib Dem pact? Scotsman 24 March 2006|access-date=7 May 2007|location=Edinburgh|work=The Scotsman|first=Hamish|last=Macdonell|date=24 March 2006|archive-date=25 March 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070325220056/http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=458162006|url-status=live}} The other parties represented in the Parliament before the election were the Scottish Conservative Party, the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP), Solidarity and the Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party. (Solidarity is a new party, having broken away from the SSP in 2006.)

Other parties that campaigned for seats in Holyrood included the UK Independence Party (UKIP), the British National Party (BNP), the Scottish Unionist Party, the Scottish Socialist Labour Party, the Christian Peoples Alliance, the Scottish Christian Party.

• Susan Deacon, Edinburgh East and Musselburgh{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/4790113.stm |title=Former minister to leave Holyrood |work=BBC News |date=14 August 2006 |access-date=2 January 2017 |archive-date=13 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213064344/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/4790113.stm |url-status=live }}
• John Home Robertson, East Lothian{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6136904.stm | work=BBC News | title=Kriss casts shadow over Holyrood | date=10 November 2006 | access-date=23 May 2010 | first=John | last=Knox | archive-date=13 February 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213064345/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6136904.stm | url-status=live }}
• Janis Hughes, Glasgow Rutherglen{{cite web |url=http://election.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2248382005 |title=Scotsman.com News - Politics |publisher=Election.scotsman.com |access-date=20 February 2011 |archive-date=6 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206193344/http://election.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2248382005 |url-status=live }}
• Kate Maclean, Dundee West{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/5097742.stm |title=Maclean to quit Scots Parliament |work=BBC News |date=21 June 2006 |access-date=2 January 2017 |archive-date=22 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060622032429/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/5097742.stm |url-status=live }}

• Bruce McFee, West of Scotland list{{cite web|url=http://www.alba.org.uk/scot07/retiring.html |title=Retiring MSPs |publisher=Alba.org.uk |access-date=20 February 2011 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030042925/http://www.alba.org.uk/scot07/retiring.html |archive-date=30 October 2008 |df=dmy }}
• George Reid, Ochil

• Phil Gallie, South of Scotland list
• James Douglas-Hamilton, Lothians list

• Donald Gorrie, Central Scotland list
• Jim Wallace, Orkney

• Frances Curran, West of Scotland list{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6512689.stm | work=BBC News | title=Another chapter ends at Holyrood | date=30 March 2007 | access-date=23 May 2010 | first=John | last=Knox | archive-date=13 February 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213064335/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/6512689.stm | url-status=live }}

• Dennis Canavan, Falkirk West{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/6289637.stm | work=BBC News | title=Canavan will not fight election | date=23 January 2007 | access-date=23 May 2010 | archive-date=22 November 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122014809/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/6289637.stm |url-status=live }}
• Brian Monteith (elected as a Conservative), Mid Scotland and Fife list{{cite news |url=http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1091&id=1616472006 |title=Monteith to stand down as MSP |first=Ian |last=Swanson |date=1 November 2006 |newspaper=The Scotsman |location=Edinburgh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070325231612/http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1091&id=1616472006 |archive-date=25 March 2007 |url-status=dead}}

• Gordon Jackson, Glasgow Govan
• Sylvia Jackson, Stirling
• Margaret Jamieson, Kilmarnock and Loudoun
• Maureen Macmillan, Highlands and Islands
• Christine May, Fife Central
• Alasdair Morrison, Western Isles
• Bristow Muldoon, Livingston
• Allan Wilson, Cunninghame North

• Andrew Arbuckle, Mid Scotland and Fife
• Nora Radcliffe, Gordon
• Euan Robson, Roxburgh and Berwickshire
• George Lyon, Argyll and Bute

• Dave Petrie, Highlands and Islands
• Murray Tosh, West of Scotland

• Shiona Baird, North East Scotland
• Chris Ballance, South of Scotland
• Mark Ballard, Lothians
• Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife
• Eleanor Scott, Highlands and Islands

• Colin Fox, Lothians
• Rosie Kane, Glasgow
• Carolyn Leckie, Central Scotland

• Rosemary Byrne, South of Scotland - originally elected as Scottish Socialist Party
• Tommy Sheridan, Glasgow - originally elected as Scottish Socialist Party

• John Swinburne, Central Scotland

• Campbell Martin, West of Scotland - Former SNP MSP
• Jean Turner, Strathkelvin and Bearsden

{{Further|Opinion polling for the 2007 Scottish Parliament election}}

File:Scottish Election Results 2007.svg

{{election table|title=← 2007 Scottish Parliament election{{Cite web |url=https://www.parliament.scot/msps/25388.aspx |title=2007 Scottish Parliament Election: Analysis of Results |website=Scottish Parliament |access-date=12 April 2020 |archive-date=12 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412192503/https://www.parliament.scot/msps/25388.aspx |url-status=dead }} →}}

|-

| style="background-color:white" colspan=15 | File:Scottish Parliament elected members, 2007.svg

|-

! rowspan=2 colspan=2 | Party

! colspan=5 | Constituencies

! colspan=5 | Regional additional members

! colspan=5 | Total seats

|-

! Votes !! % !! ± !! Seats !! ± !! Votes !! % !! ± !! Seats !! ± !! Total !! ± !! %

|-

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish National Party

|votes = 664,227

|votes % = 32.9

|votes net = {{increase}}9.1

|seats = 21

|seats net = {{increase}}12

|AMS votes = 633,611

|AMS votes % = 31.0

|AMS votes net = {{increase}}10.1

|AMS seats = 26

|AMS seats net = {{increase}}8

|Seats total = 47

|Seats net = {{increase}}20

|Seats % = 37.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish Labour

|votes = 648,374

|votes % = 32.1

|votes net = {{decrease}}2.5

|seats = 37

|seats net = {{decrease}}9

|AMS votes = 595,415

|AMS votes % = 29.1

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}0.2

|AMS seats = 9

|AMS seats net = {{increase}}5

|Seats total = 46

|Seats net = {{decrease}}4

|Seats % = 36.2

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|votes = 334,743

|votes % = 16.6

|votes net = {{steady}}

|seats = 4

|seats net = {{increase}}1

|AMS votes = 284,035

|AMS votes % = 13.9

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}1.6

|AMS seats = 13

|AMS seats net = {{decrease}}2

|Seats total = 17

|Seats net = {{decrease}}1

|Seats % = 13.4

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|votes = 326,232

|votes % = 16.2

|votes net = {{increase}}0.8

|seats = 11

|seats net = {{decrease}}2

|AMS votes = 230,651

|AMS votes % = 11.3

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}0.5

|AMS seats = 5

|AMS seats net = {{increase}}1

|Seats total = 16

|Seats net = {{decrease}}1

|Seats % = 12.6

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish Greens

|votes = 2,971

|votes % = 0.1

|votes net = {{increase}}0.1

|seats = 0

|seats net = {{steady}}

|AMS votes = 82,577

|AMS votes % = 4.0

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}2.9

|AMS seats = 2

|AMS seats net = {{decrease}}5

|Seats total = 2

|Seats net = {{decrease}}5

|Seats % = 1.6

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Margo MacDonald

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 19,256

|AMS votes % = 0.9

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}0.5

|AMS seats = 1

|AMS seats net = 0

|Seats total = 1

|Seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats % = 0.8

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party

|votes = 1,702

|votes % = 0.1

|votes net = {{steady}}

|seats = 0

|seats net = {{steady}}

|AMS votes = 39,038

|AMS votes % = 1.9

|AMS votes net = {{increase}}0.4

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = {{decrease}}1

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = {{decrease}}1

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish Christian Party

|votes = 4,586

|votes % = 0.2

|votes net = new

|seats = 0

|seats net = new

|AMS votes = 26,575

|AMS votes % = 1.3

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Solidarity (Scotland)

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 31,096

|AMS votes % = 1.5

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = British National Party

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 24,598

|AMS votes % = 1.2

|AMS votes net = {{increase}}1.1

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Christian Peoples Alliance

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 14,745

|AMS votes % = 0.7

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 14,054

|AMS votes % = 0.7

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}0.4

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish Socialist Party

|votes = 525

|votes % = 0.0

|votes net = {{decrease}}6.2

|seats = 0

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 13,096

|AMS votes % = 0.6

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}6.1

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = {{decrease}}6

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = {{decrease}}6

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = UK Independence Party

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 8,197

|AMS votes % = 0.4

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}0.2

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish Voice

|votes = 2,827

|votes % = 0.1

|votes net = new

|seats = 0

|seats net = new

|AMS votes = 3,339

|AMS votes % = 0.2

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Publican Party

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 5,905

|AMS votes % = 0.3

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish Unionist Party (1986)

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 4,401

|AMS votes % = 0.2

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}0.1

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Action to Save St John's Hospital

|votes = 2,814

|votes % = 0.1

|votes net = new

|seats = 0

|seats net = new

|AMS votes = –

|AMS votes % = –

|AMS votes net = –

|AMS seats = –

|AMS seats net = –

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Save Our NHS Group

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 2,682

|AMS votes % = 0.1

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = NHS First

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 1,955

|AMS votes % = 0.1

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Free Scotland Party

|votes = 575

|votes % = 0.0

|votes net = new

|seats = 0

|seats net = new

|AMS votes = 664

|AMS votes % = 0.0

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Had Enough Party

|votes = 498

|votes % = 0.0

|votes net = new

|seats = 0

|seats net = new

|AMS votes = 670

|AMS votes % = 0.0

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish Enterprise Party

|votes = 409

|votes % = 0.0

|votes net = new

|seats = 0

|seats net = new

|AMS votes = 616

|AMS votes % = 0.0

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Adam Lyal's Witchery Tour Party

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 867

|AMS votes % = 0.0

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}0.1

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Scottish Jacobite Party

|votes = 309

|votes % = 0.0

|votes net = new

|seats = 0

|seats net = 0

|AMS votes = 446

|AMS votes % = 0.0

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Scottish Voice / NHS

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 661

|AMS votes % = 0.0

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 615

|AMS votes % = 0.0

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Peace Party (United Kingdom)

|votes = 577

|votes % = 0.0

|votes net = new

|seats = 0

|seats net = new

|AMS votes = –

|AMS votes % = –

|AMS votes net = –

|AMS seats = –

|AMS seats net = –

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Communist Party of Britain

|votes = 251

|votes % = 0.0

|votes net = new

|seats = 0

|seats net = new

|AMS votes = 260

|AMS votes % = 0.0

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Independent Green Voice

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 496

|AMS votes % = 0.0

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}0.1

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Anti-Trident Party

|votes = 187

|votes % = 0.0

|votes net = new

|seats = 0

|seats net = new

|AMS votes = –

|AMS votes % = –

|AMS votes net = –

|AMS seats = –

|AMS seats net = –

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Socialist Equality Party (UK)

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 139

|AMS votes % = 0.0

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Equal Parenting Alliance

|votes = 124

|votes % = 0.0

|votes net = new

|seats = 0

|seats net = new

|AMS votes = –

|AMS votes % = –

|AMS votes net = –

|AMS seats = –

|AMS seats net = –

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Nine Per Cent Growth Party

|votes = –

|votes % = –

|votes net = –

|seats = –

|seats net = –

|AMS votes = 80

|AMS votes % = 0.0

|AMS votes net = new

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = new

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = new

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary Party|

|party = Independent politician

|votes = 24,862

|votes % = 1.2

|votes net = {{decrease}}0.1

|seats = 0

|seats net = −2

|AMS votes = 2,064

|AMS votes % = 0.1

|AMS votes net = {{increase}}0.1

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = {{decrease}}2

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = {{decrease}}2

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

{{AMS Election Summary|

|party = Others

|votes = 185

|votes % = 0.0

|votes net = {{decrease}}1.4

|seats = 0

|seats net = {{steady}}

|AMS votes = –

|AMS votes % = –

|AMS votes net = {{decrease}}1.5

|AMS seats = 0

|AMS seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats total = 0

|Seats net = {{steady}}

|Seats % = 0.0

}}

|-

|style="text-align:left"; colspan="2" | Valid votes || 2,016,978 || 95.9 || {{decrease}}3.5 || colspan="2"|   || 2,042,804 || 97.1 || {{decrease}}2.3 || colspan="5"|  

|-

|style="text-align:left"; colspan="2" | Spoilt votes || 85,631 || 4.1 || {{increase}}3.5 || colspan="2"|   || 62,038 || 2.9 || {{increase}}2.3 || colspan="5"|  

|-

!style="text-align:left"; colspan="2" | Total || 2,102,609 || 100 ||   || 73 || – || 2,104,842 || 100 ||   || 56 || – || 129 || – || 100

|-

|style="text-align:left"; colspan="2" | Electorate/Turnout || 3,899,472 || 53.9 || {{increase}}4.2 || colspan="2"|   || 3,899,472 || 54.0 || {{increase}}4.3 || colspan="5"|  

|}

{{bar box

| title=Popular Vote (Constituency)

| titlebar=#ddd

| width=600px

| barwidth=410px

| bars=

{{bar percent border|SNP|{{party color|Scottish National Party}}|border=darkgray|32.93}}

{{bar percent|Labour|{{party color|Scottish Labour}}|32.15}}

{{bar percent|Conservative|{{party color|Scottish Conservatives}}|16.60}}

{{bar percent|Liberal Democrats|{{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}|16.17}}

{{bar percent|Other|#777777|2.15}}

}}

{{bar box

| title=Popular Vote (Regional)

| titlebar=#ddd

| width=600px

| barwidth=410px

| bars=

{{bar percent border|SNP|{{party color|Scottish National Party}}|border=darkgray|31.02}}

{{bar percent|Labour|{{party color|Scottish Labour}}|29.16}}

{{bar percent|Conservative|{{party color|Scottish Conservative Party}}|13.91}}

{{bar percent|Liberal Democrats|{{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}|11.30}}

{{bar percent|Green|{{party color|Scottish Greens}}|4.04}}

{{bar percent|SSCUP|{{party color|Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party}}|1.90}}

{{bar percent|Other|#777777|8.67}}

}}

{{bar box

| title=Parliament seats

| titlebar=#ddd

| width=600px

| barwidth=410px

| bars=

{{bar percent border|SNP|{{party color|Scottish National Party}}|border=darkgray|36.43}}

{{bar percent|Labour|{{party color|Scottish Labour}}|35.66}}

{{bar percent|Conservative|{{party color|Scottish Conservative Party}}|13.18}}

{{bar percent|Liberal Democrats|{{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}|12.40}}

{{bar percent|Green|{{party color|Scottish Greens}}|1.55}}

{{bar percent|Other|#777777|0.78}}

}}

Turnout in the election was 51.7% in the constituency vote and 52.4% in the regional vote up from 2003 where the turnout was 49.4% in both the constituency and regional vote{{cite web |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Research%20briefings%20and%20fact%20sheets/SB07-21.pdf |title=Election 2007: SPICe briefing 07/21 |publisher=Scottish Parliament |date=8 May 2007 |access-date=10 January 2016 |archive-date=20 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120121647/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Research%20briefings%20and%20fact%20sheets/SB07-21.pdf |url-status=live }}

Notes: Independents contested 17 seats and three regions. Scottish Greens contested 1 seat, Scottish Socialist Party contested 1 seat, Scottish Christian Party, Scottish Voice etc. contested a small number of seats. A number of local issue parties also stood in single constituencies. The Nine Per Cent Growth Party stood candidates on the regional lists, and had a candidate for the local council elections of the same year.{{cite web |url=http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/News/councilcandidates2007wards8to14.htm |title=Glasgow Council candidates |website=Glasgow City Council |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070506232352/http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/News/councilcandidates2007wards8to14.htm |archive-date=6 May 2007 }} Standing in the Glasgow Regional List[http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/YourCouncil/Elections_Voting/ElectionScotland2007/WheretoVote/ScottishParliamentGlasgowRegionWTV.htm Glasgow Region elections]{{dead link|date=February 2011}} the party finished last of 23 candidates, receiving only 80 votes (0.04%), a record low.

{{election table|title=2007 Scottish Parliament election: Central Scotland}}

|-

! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency

! style="width: 150px"|Elected member

! style="width: 300px"|Result

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Airdrie and Shotts

|MSP = Karen Whitefield

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Coatbridge and Chryston

|MSP = Elaine Smith

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

|MSP = Cathie Craigie

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = East Kilbride

|MSP = Andy Kerr

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Falkirk East

|MSP = Cathy Peattie

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Falkirk West

|MSP = Michael Matheson

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Independent politician

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Hamilton North and Bellshill

|MSP = Michael McMahon

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Hamilton South

|MSP = Tom McCabe

|winner =Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Kilmarnock and Loudoun

|MSP = Willie Coffey

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Motherwell and Wishaw

|MSP = Jack McConnell

|winner = Scottish Labour Party

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table | title=Scottish Parliament election, 2007: Central Scotland}}

|-

! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party

! Elected candidates

! style="width: 40px"|Seats

! style="width: 40px"|+/−

! style="width: 50px"|Votes

! style="width: 40px"|%

! style="width: 40px"|+/−%

|-

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|votes = 89,210

|percentage = 31.4%

|change = +8.8%

|number = 5

|numberchange= +2

|elected = Alex Neil
Linda Fabiani
Jamie Hepburn
Christina McKelvie
John Wilson

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|votes = 24,253

|percentage = 8.5%

|change = −0.6%

|number = 1

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Margaret Mitchell

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|votes = 14,648

|percentage = 5.2%

|change = −0.7%

|number = 1

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Hugh O'Donnell

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table|title=2007 Scottish Parliament election: Glasgow}}

|-

! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency

! style="width: 150px"|Elected member

! style="width: 300px"|Result

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Glasgow Anniesland

|MSP = Bill Butler

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Glasgow Baillieston

|MSP = Margaret Curran

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Glasgow Cathcart

|MSP = Charles Gordon

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Glasgow Govan

|MSP = Nicola Sturgeon

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Glasgow Kelvin

|MSP = Pauline McNeill

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Glasgow Maryhill

|MSP = Patricia Ferguson

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Glasgow Pollok

|MSP = Johann Lamont

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Glasgow Rutherglen

|MSP = James Kelly

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Glasgow Shettleston

|MSP = Frank McAveety

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Glasgow Springburn

|MSP = Paul Martin

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table | title=Scottish Parliament election, 2007: Glasgow}}

|-

! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party

! Elected candidates

! style="width: 40px"|Seats

! style="width: 40px"|+/−

! style="width: 50px"|Votes

! style="width: 40px"|%

! style="width: 40px"|+/−%

|-

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|votes = 55,832

|percentage = 27%

|change = +9.9%

|number = 4

|numberchange= +2

|elected = Bashir Ahmad
Sandra White
Bob Doris
Bill Kidd

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|votes = 14,767

|percentage = 7.2%

|change = −0.1%

|number = 1

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Robert Brown

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|votes = 13,751

|percentage = 6.7%

|change = −0.8%

|number = 1

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Bill Aitken

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Greens

|votes = 10,759

|percentage = 5.2%

|change = −1.9%

|number = 1

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Patrick Harvie

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table|title=2007 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands}}

|-

! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency

! style="width: 150px"|Elected member

! style="width: 300px"|Result

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Argyll and Bute

|MSP = Jim Mather

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross

|MSP = Jamie Stone

|winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber

|MSP = Fergus Ewing

|winner = Scottish National Party

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Moray

|MSP = Richard Lochhead

|winner = Scottish National Party

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Orkney

|MSP = Liam McArthur

|winner =Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Ross, Skye and Inverness West

|MSP = John Farquhar Munro

|winner =Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Shetland

|MSP = Tavish Scott

|winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Western Isles

|MSP = Alasdair Allan

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table | title=Scottish Parliament election, 2007: Highlands and Islands}}

|-

! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party

! Elected candidates

! style="width: 40px"|Seats

! style="width: 40px"|+/−

! style="width: 50px"|Votes

! style="width: 40px"|%

! style="width: 40px"|+/−%

|-

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|votes = 63,979

|percentage = 34.4%

|change = +11.0

|number = 2

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Rob Gibson
David Thompson

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|votes = 32,952

|percentage = 17.7%

|change = −4.6

|number = 3

|numberchange= +1

|elected = Peter Peacock
Rhoda Grant
David Stewart

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|votes = 23,334

|percentage = 12.6%

|change = −3.4

|number = 2

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Mary Scanlon
Jamie McGrigor

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table|title=2007 Scottish Parliament election: Lothians}}

|-

! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency

! style="width: 150px"|Elected member

! style="width: 300px"|Result

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Edinburgh Central

|MSP = Sarah Boyack

|winner =Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Edinburgh East and Musselburgh

|MSP = Kenny MacAskill

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Edinburgh North and Leith

|MSP = Malcolm Chisholm

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Edinburgh Pentlands

|MSP = David McLetchie

|winner = Scottish Conservatives

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Edinburgh South

|MSP = Mike Pringle

|winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Edinburgh West

|MSP = Margaret Smith

|winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Linlithgow

|MSP = Mary Mulligan

|winner =Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Livingston

|MSP = Angela Constance

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Midlothian

|MSP = Rhona Brankin

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table | title=Scottish Parliament election, 2007: Lothians}}

|-

! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party

! Elected candidates

! style="width: 40px"|Seats

! style="width: 40px"|+/−

! style="width: 50px"|Votes

! style="width: 40px"|%

! style="width: 40px"|+/−%

|-

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|votes = 76,019

|percentage = 26.5%

|change = +10.2

|number = 3

|numberchange= +1

|elected = Fiona Hyslop
Ian McKee
Stefan Tymkewycz

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|votes = 75,495

|percentage = 26.3%

|change = +0.8

|number = 1

|numberchange= +1

|elected = George Foulkes

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|votes = 37,548

|percentage = 13.1%

|change = −2.0

|number = 1

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Gavin Brown

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Greens

|votes = 20,147

|percentage = 7.0%

|change = −5.0

|number = 1

|numberchange= −1

|elected = Robin Harper

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Independent politician

|votes = 19,256

|percentage = 6.7%

|change = −3.5

|number = 1

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Margo MacDonald

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table|title=2007 Scottish Parliament election: Mid Scotland and Fife}}

|-

! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency

! style="width: 150px"|Elected member

! style="width: 300px"|Result

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Dunfermline East

|MSP = Helen Eadie

|winner =Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Dunfermline West

|MSP = Jim Tolson

|winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|loser =Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Fife Central

|MSP = Tricia Marwick

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Fife North East

|MSP = Iain Smith

|winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Kirkcaldy

|MSP = Marilyn Livingstone

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = North Tayside

|MSP = John Swinney

|winner = Scottish National Party

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Ochil

|MSP = Keith Brown

|winner = Scottish National Party

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Perth

|MSP = Roseanna Cunningham

|winner = Scottish National Party

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Stirling

|MSP = Bruce Crawford

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table | title=Scottish Parliament election, 2007: Mid Scotland and Fife}}

|-

! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party

! Elected candidates

! style="width: 40px"|Seats

! style="width: 40px"|+/−

! style="width: 50px"|Votes

! style="width: 40px"|%

! style="width: 40px"|+/−%

|-

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|votes = 90,090

|percentage = 33.0%

|change = +10%

|number = 1

|numberchange= −1

|elected = Chris Harvie

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|votes = 71,922

|percentage = 26.3%

|change = +1.0%

|number = 3

|numberchange= +3

|elected = John Park
Claire Brennan-Baker
Richard Simpson

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|votes = 44,341

|percentage = 16.2%

|change = −1.3%

|number = 3

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Murdo Fraser
Liz Smith
Ted Brocklebank

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table|title=2007 Scottish Parliament election: North East Scotland}}

|-

! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency

! style="width: 150px"|Elected member

! style="width: 300px"|Result

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Aberdeen Central

|MSP = Lewis Macdonald

|winner = Scottish Labour Party

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Aberdeen North

|MSP = Brian Adam

|winner = Scottish National Party

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Aberdeen South

|MSP = Nicol Stephen

|winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Angus

|MSP = Andrew Welsh

|winner = Scottish National Party

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Banff and Buchan

|MSP = Stewart Stevenson

|winner = Scottish National Party

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Dundee East

|MSP = Shona Robison

|winner = Scottish National Party

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Dundee West

|MSP = Joe Fitzpatrick

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Labour Party

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Gordon

|MSP = Alex Salmond

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

|MSP = Mike Rumbles

|winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table | title=Scottish Parliament election, 2007: North East Scotland}}

|-

! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party

! Elected candidates

! style="width: 40px"|Seats

! style="width: 40px"|+/−

! style="width: 50px"|Votes

! style="width: 40px"|%

! style="width: 40px"|+/−%

|-

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|votes = 105,265

|percentage = 40.5%

|change = +13.2%

|number = 2

|numberchange= +1

|elected = Maureen Watt
Nigel Don

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|votes = 52,125

|percentage = 20.0%

|change = −0.1%

|number = 2

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Richard Baker
Marlyn Glen

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|votes = 37,666

|percentage = 14.5%

|change = -2.9%

|number = 2

|numberchange= −1

|elected = Alex Johnstone
Nanette Milne

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|votes = 40,934

|percentage = 15.7%

|change = −3.1%

|number = 1

|numberchange= +1

|elected = Alison McInnes

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table|title=2007 Scottish Parliament election: South of Scotland}}

|-

! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency

! style="width: 150px"|Elected member

! style="width: 300px"|Result

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Ayr

|MSP = John Scott

|winner = Scottish Conservatives

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

|MSP = Cathy Jamieson

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Clydesdale

|MSP = Karen Gillon

|winner =Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Cunninghame South

|MSP = Irene Oldfather

|winner =Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Dumfries

|MSP = Elaine Murray

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = East Lothian

|MSP = Iain Gray

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

|MSP = Alex Fergusson

|winner = Scottish Conservatives

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Roxburgh and Berwickshire

|MSP = John Lamont

|winner = Scottish Conservatives

|loser = Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

|MSP = Jeremy Purvis

|winner =Scottish Liberal Democrats

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table | title=Scottish Parliament election, 2007: South of Scotland}}

|-

! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party

! Elected candidates

! style="width: 40px"|Seats

! style="width: 40px"|+/−

! style="width: 50px"|Votes

! style="width: 40px"|%

! style="width: 40px"|+/−%

|-

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|votes = 77,053

|percentage = 27.8%

|change = +9.4%

|number = 5

|numberchange= +2

|elected = Christine Grahame
Michael Russell
Adam Ingram
Alasdair Morgan
Aileen Campbell

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|votes = 62,475

|percentage = 22.6%

|change = −1.7%

|number = 1

|numberchange= −1

|elected = Derek Brownlee

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|votes = 28,040

|percentage = 10.1%

|change = −0.1%

|number = 1

|numberchange= +1

|elected = Jim Hume

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table|title=2007 Scottish Parliament election: West of Scotland}}

|-

! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency

! style="width: 150px"|Elected member

! style="width: 300px"|Result

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Clydebank and Milngavie

|MSP = Des McNulty

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Cunninghame North

|MSP = Kenneth Gibson

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Dumbarton

|MSP = Jackie Baillie

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Eastwood

|MSP = Ken Macintosh

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Greenock and Inverclyde

|MSP = Duncan McNeil

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Paisley North

|MSP = Wendy Alexander

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Paisley South

|MSP = Hugh Henry

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link|

|constituency = Strathkelvin and Bearsden

|MSP = David Whitton

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|loser = Independent politician

}}

{{Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link|

|constituency = West Renfrewshire

|MSP = Patricia Godman

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{election table | title=Scottish Parliament election, 2007: West of Scotland}}

|-

! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party

! Elected candidates

! style="width: 40px"|Seats

! style="width: 40px"|+/−

! style="width: 50px"|Votes

! style="width: 40px"|%

! style="width: 40px"|+/−%

|-

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|votes = 75,953

|percentage = 28.3%

|change = +8.7%

|number = 4

|numberchange= +1

|elected = Stewart Maxwell
Gil Paterson
Bill Wilson
Stuart McMillan

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|votes = 40,637

|percentage = 15.2%

|change = −0.5%

|number = 2

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Annabel Goldie
Jackson Carlaw

}}

{{Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link|

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|votes = 22,515

|percentage = 8.4%

|change = −3.9%

|number = 1

|numberchange= ±0

|elected = Ross Finnie

}}

{{Election box end}}

File:Count machines.JPG.]]

Some counts in the Western Isles (Barra & the Uists) were delayed because the chartered helicopter sent to pick up the ballot boxes was delayed by bad weather. The boxes were instead transferred by sea and road to be counted in Stornoway. The votes were announced around 12.00 on Friday 4 May.

A man smashed ballot boxes with a golf club at a polling station at Carrick Knowe in Corstorphine in Edinburgh. About 100 ballots were damaged, some having to be taped back together. The man was arrested on the scene.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6622105.stm |title=Polling clerk tells of 'bedlam' |work=BBC News |date=3 May 2007 |access-date=4 May 2007 |archive-date=8 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608093507/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6622105.stm |url-status=live }}

The number of 'invalid' ballot papers (residual votes) in this election was significantly higher than usual, with a total of 146,099 ballot papers (regional: 60,455 or 2.88%; constituency: 85,644 or 4.075%) being rejected,{{cite news |url=https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/sites/default/files/electoral_commission_pdf_file/Scottish-Election-Report-A-Final-For-Web.pdf |title=Scottish elections 2007 The independent review of the Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections 3 May 2007 |work=Electoral Commission |date=October 2007 |access-date=3 December 2019 |archive-date=4 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204183043/https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/sites/default/files/electoral_commission_pdf_file/Scottish-Election-Report-A-Final-For-Web.pdf |url-status=live }} with some constituencies such as Glasgow Shettleston having rejection rates as high as 12.1%.{{cite news |url=https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0261379408000279?token=A28DE04953930CC769AAAAC06DEAF1FE4C634B592B28684EEDE2C95EAB0C180B7151E0C015FFC162C3BD2358F9780764 |title=The unfortunate natural experiment in ballot design:The Scottish Parliamentary elections of 2007 |work=Elsevier |date=February 2008 |access-date=3 December 2019 |archive-date=13 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213064414/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261379408000279 |url-status=live }} For comparison, the rejected ballot paper rate in 2003 was 0.65% for regional ballot papers and 0.66% for constituency ballot papers. In total there were 16 constituencies where the number of rejected ballots exceeded the winning candidate's majority. This led to calls for an independent enquiry into the implementation of the new voting system. The BBC Scotland Chief Political Editor, Brian Taylor, described the situation as "a disgrace" during their Election Night coverage.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6622379.stm |title=Elections marred by vote problems |work=BBC News |date=3 May 2007 |access-date=4 May 2007 |archive-date=13 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213064348/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/6622379.stm |url-status=live }}

There are several reasons for the unusually high levels of rejected ballots in the election. One primary reason is that both the regional and constituency ballots were placed on a single sheet of paper. A large-type instruction at the top indicated "you have two votes." Being told that they had two votes, far too many voters used both votes on parties in the regional list.{{cite news |last=Barnes |first=Eddie |url=http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=701122007 |title=The Scotsman |publisher=News.scotsman.com |date=6 May 2007 |access-date=20 February 2011 |location=Edinburgh |archive-date=13 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213064354/https://www.scotsman.com/news |url-status=live }} Although a rough template of the ballot was provided to voters by VoteScotland prior to the election, many ballots in reality had subtle yet consequential differences. Taking the ballot from Glasgow Shettleston for example, although its layout is similar to the sample ballot it has many more parties on the regional ballot, giving the illusion that the list continues onto the next side (constituency ballot). Furthermore, instructions provided to voters using these sheets were abbreviated. While the brief written instructions remained, they were presented in a much smaller font size. The column headings moved above the bold lines defining the columns and the visual prompt of the split arrow leading to the two columns is completely missing. This misleading ballot was made more complicated by two additional features of the balloting: several small parties like the Green Party ran one or fewer candidates in the constituency seats and parties were able to choose to put the name of their leader instead of the name of the party in the label for the list seats (For example, the SNP was listed as "Alex Salmond for First Minister", rather than the party name). Such poor ballot design decisions contributed to a similarly higher rate of spoiled ballots in the 2000 United States presidential election in areas of Florida such as Miami-Dade and Duval counties.

Another reason presented was that local elections took place on the same day with a different voting system and different design. Whereas the parliamentary election asked voters to mark a cross, the local council elections asked voters to number/ rank their candidates, as the council elections were under the single transferable vote system. Undercutting this theory, however, was the fact that the invalid rate in the local elections was far lower than the parliamentary elections (although still greater than in previous local elections) despite single transferable vote being a new system for most voters.

A third proposed reason was that this was the first election where electronic counting of papers had taken place. Many blamed e-counting for the increase in rejected papers, in part because the new machine counting system abandoned many counts during the early hours of Friday morning before all results had been counted. Furthermore, the primary reason for the regional and constituency ballots being placed on the same sheet of paper is due to restrictions on the size of paper the machines could accurately scan. The main company concerned was DRS Ltd.{{cite web |url=http://www.drs.co.uk/ |title=Electronic automated data capture services and document scanning specialists |publisher=DRS |access-date=20 February 2011 |archive-date=9 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110209154636/http://www.drs.co.uk/ |url-status=live }} Nevertheless, nearly all invalid ballots would have been spoiled no matter how they were counted. However, the last minute redesign of ballot papers that was blamed for the high number of rejections in two electoral regions was done to make electronic voting easier.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6656181.stm | work=BBC News | title=Clue over voter ballot confusion | date=15 May 2007 | access-date=23 May 2010 | archive-date=9 September 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070909023848/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6656181.stm | url-status=live }}

On 5 May 2007, the BBC reported that Labour were considering legal action against some results (particularly Cunninghame North, where the SNP beat Labour by just 48 votes) due to the high number of rejected votes.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6629093.stm|title=Holyrood vote may face challenges|work=BBC News|date=6 May 2007|access-date=5 May 2007|archive-date=10 May 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070510193152/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6629093.stm|url-status=live}} A further challenge was expected from Mike Dailly from the Govan Law Centre, a member of the Labour Party, purportedly on behalf of voters in the Glasgow region. He said that the result should be challenged because there were over 10,000 rejected ballots which could have caused a different result if they had counted. Tommy Sheridan of Solidarity was only 2,215 votes short of beating the Greens for the last place as an MSP.

There were no election petitions raised to challenge the results.{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}

There are 73 constituencies, each electing one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality (first past the post) system of election, which are grouped into eight regions. These regions each elect seven additional member MSPs so as to produce an overall proportional result. The D'Hondt method is used to calculate which additional member MSPs the regions elect. Each constituency is a sub-division of a region; the additional members system is designed to produce proportional representation for each region, and the total number of MSPs elected to the parliament is 129.

The election was the first using constituencies (see Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions) that are not identical to constituencies of the House of Commons (Parliament of the United Kingdom). Scottish Westminster constituencies were replaced with a new set of generally larger constituencies, fewer in number, in 2005.

The Arbuthnott Commission reported in January 2006, concerning the multiplicity of voting systems and electoral divisions in Scotland. Council elections on the same day used Single Transferable Vote for the first time, but there was no change to the Holyrood election system, except regarding use of vote-counting machines, before the 2007 election. Scanners supplied by DRS Data Services Limited of Milton Keynes, in partnership with Electoral Reform Services, the trading arm of the Electoral Reform Society, were used to electronically count the paper ballots in both the Scottish Parliament general election and the Scottish council elections, which took place on the same day.{{cite news |url=http://election.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1064&id=588392006 |title=Electronic counting to take over from tellers at elections |date=19 April 2006 |newspaper=The Scotsman |location=Edinburgh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213064330/https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics |archive-date=13 February 2022}}{{cite press release |url=http://www.drs.co.uk/corporate/newsitem.asp?id=106 |title=Green light for DRS & ERS to deliver e-Count for 2007 Scottish Elections |date=26 June 2006 |publisher=DRS Data Services Limited |website=www.drs.co.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061001231636/http://www.drs.co.uk/corporate/newsitem.asp?id=106 |archive-date=1 October 2006}}

Below are listed all the constituencies which required a swing of less than 5% from the 2003 result to change hands.

Many of the seats that changed hands are not listed here. For example, the Scottish National Party gained several seats (Stirling, Edinburgh East & Musselburgh, Gordon, Livingston and Argyll & Bute) with very large swings, yet did not gain any of their top three targets.

The Scottish Parliament officially met on 9 May, and met again on 14 May to elect a Presiding Officer. On 16 May, the Parliament met to hold the election of the First Minister. Four nominations were made: Annabel Goldie of the Conservatives, Jack McConnell of Labour, Nicol Stephen of the Liberal Democrats, and Alex Salmond of the Scottish National Party.

Salmond was elected in the second round of voting by 49 votes to McConnell's 46. 33 abstentions were recorded. The election provided for a minority administration which did not have the explicit support of Parliament. Salmond was supported in the election by the two Green MSPs. Otherwise, voting was conducted strictly along party lines.

At time of dissolution of the Scottish Parliament at midnight on Monday 2 April 2007, there were five party 'groups' represented on the Parliament's Bureau: Labour (50), SNP (25), Conservative (17), LibDem (17), and the Greens (7). There was also one 'mixed' administrative grouping of 5 independent MSPs and 1 Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party MSP.

Of the major party leaders in the Scottish Parliament, only one, Jack McConnell, of the Scottish Labour Party fought the 2003 Scottish Parliamentary election as leader. Nicol Stephen succeeded Jim Wallace as Deputy First Minister and Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats in June 2005, after the latter announced that he would not be contesting the 2007 election.{{cite news

| title = Lib Dems choose Stephen as leader

| work = BBC News

| publisher = BBC

| date = 23 June 2005

| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4122106.stm

| access-date = 11 October 2006

}} Alex Salmond was elected leader of the Scottish National Party in 2004, with his deputy Nicola Sturgeon.{{cite news | title = Salmond is SNP leader again with Sturgeon as No 2 | first = Ian | last = Swanson | work = Edinburgh Evening News | publisher = Scotsman | date = 3 September 2004 | url = http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/salmond-is-snp-leader-again-with-sturgeon-as-no-2-1-1024142 | access-date = 10 January 2015 | archive-date = 20 January 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160120121647/http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/salmond-is-snp-leader-again-with-sturgeon-as-no-2-1-1024142 | url-status = live }} Salmond previously led the SNP between 1990 and 2000, but stood down and was replaced by his preferred successor John Swinney, who headed the party between 2000 and 2004. Following Swinney's resignation in 2004, Salmond announced that he would, once again contest the leadership and won the ballot of members in June 2004. Annabel Goldie was elected leader of the Scottish Conservatives in November 2005{{cite news | title = Tories have their 'coronation' as Goldie becomes leader unopposed | first = Hamish | last = MacDonell | publisher = Scotsman | date = 3 November 2005 | url = http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/tories-have-their-coronation-as-goldie-becomes-leader-unopposed-1-1102852 | access-date = 10 January 2015 | archive-date = 20 January 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160120121647/http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/tories-have-their-coronation-as-goldie-becomes-leader-unopposed-1-1102852 | url-status = live }} after the resignation of the incumbent David McLetchie on 31 October 2005 after a row surrounding taxi expenses.{{cite news | title = McLetchie finally quits over taxi row | first = Hamish | last = MacDonell | work = The Scotsman | publisher = Scotsman | date = 1 November 2005 | url = http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/mcletchie-finally-quits-over-taxi-row-1-1102553 | access-date = 10 January 2015 | archive-date = 20 January 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160120121647/http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/mcletchie-finally-quits-over-taxi-row-1-1102553 | url-status = live }}

Robin Harper and Shiona Baird were elected as Greens Co-convenors in 2004, but as the sole Green MSP Harper was effectively party spokesperson from 1999.{{cite web

|title=Scottish green party elects new party co-conveners

|publisher=Scottish Green Party

|date=30 October 2004

|url=http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/site/id/3936/title/SCOTTISH_GREEN_PARTY_ELECTS_NEW_PARTY_CO_CONVENERS_First_Party_In_Scotland_To_Elect_Gender_Balanced_Leadership.html

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007001923/http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/site/id/3936/title/SCOTTISH_GREEN_PARTY_ELECTS_NEW_PARTY_CO_CONVENERS_First_Party_In_Scotland_To_Elect_Gender_Balanced_Leadership.html

|archive-date=7 October 2007

|df=dmy

}}

Colin Fox was elected as the Scottish Socialist Party Convenor in 2005. In 2006 Tommy Sheridan left the party to form Solidarity.

This was Scottish Labour's first defeat since the 1979 European Parliament election, which was won by the Conservtives. In his memoir, A Journey (2010), Tony Blair claimed responsibility for the SNP's victory, stating that he believed his leadership had cost Labour votes and that things could have been different had his successor Gordon Brown been in office at the time.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-11155249 | title=Blair admits role in 2007 Holyrood election defeat | work=BBC News | date=September 2010 }}

• Members of the 3rd Scottish Parliament
• Elections in Scotland
• National Assembly for Wales election and 2007 United Kingdom local elections, which took place on the same day

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [http://www.parliament.scot/SPICeResources/Research%20briefings%20and%20fact%20sheets/SB07-21.pdf Election 2007] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510091525/http://www.parliament.scot/SPICeResources/Research%20briefings%20and%20fact%20sheets/SB07-21.pdf |date=10 May 2017 }}, a briefing by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre
• [http://www.scotlandvotes.com ScotlandVotes], by Weber Shandwick Public Affairs and Scotland on Sunday
• [http://www.ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/scottish-voting-intention/ Scottish Voting Intention], by UKPollingReport, in association with YouGov
• [http://www.votescotland.com/stv/CCC_FirstPage.jsp VoteScotland], a Scottish Executive and Electoral Commission website
• [http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/article.php?id=31 Electoral Reform Society – Scotland]
• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2007/scottish_parliment/html/region_99999.stm Scottish elections 2007], at the BBC News website
• [http://www.theherald.co.uk/elections2007/ Election 2007], at The Herald {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929121009/http://www.theherald.co.uk/elections2007/ |date=29 September 2007 }}
• [http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=757 Holyrood Elections], at The Scotsman
• [http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1572 Election Supplement 2007]
• [http://gswing.sourceforge.net/scotland/ Scottish Elections Between 1997 and present]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100110094120/http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ass07/ass07.htm#scot Links to Party manifestos for the election.]

{{Scottish elections}}

{{United Kingdom local elections, 2007}}

{{Scottish Parliament election, 2007A}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scottish Parliament Election, 2007}}

2007

Category:2007 elections in the United Kingdom

Category:2007 in Scotland

Category:2000s elections in Scotland

Category:May 2007 in the United Kingdom