First McConnell government
{{Short description|Scottish Government from 2001 to 2003}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox government cabinet
|cabinet_name = First McConnell government
|cabinet_number = 3rd
|cabinet_type=government
| flag = Flag of Scotland.svg
| flag_border = true
| flag_width =
|jurisdiction = Scotland
|incumbent = 2001–2003
|image =First Cabinet Meeting of McConnell Government.jpg
|date_formed = 27 November 2001
|date_dissolved = 20 May 2003
|government_head_title = First Minister
|government_head = Jack McConnell
|government_head_history = MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw (1999–2011)
Minister for Finance (1999–2000)
Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs (2001–2001)
|deputy_government_head = Jim Wallace
|state_head_title = Monarch
|state_head = Elizabeth II
|current_number =
|former_members_number =
|total_number =
|political_parties = {{ubl
|{{Color box|{{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}|border=darkgray}} Labour Party
|{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Liberal Democrats}}
|legislature_status =Majority (coalition)
72 / 129 (56%){{Composition_bar/advanced/infobox
|divisionname=
|total = 129
|boxwidth = 123
|party1 = 56
|partycolor1 = {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}
|party2 = 16
|partycolor2 = {{party color|Liberal Democrats}}
}}
|opposition_cabinet =
|opposition_party = {{Color box|{{party color|Scottish National Party}}|border=darkgray}} Scottish National Party
|opposition_leader = John Swinney
|election =
|last_election = 2003 general election
|legislature_term = 1st Scottish Parliament
|budget = 2002 Scottish budget
2003 Scottish budget
|incoming_formation =
|outgoing_formation =
|previous = McLeish government
|successor = Second McConnell government
}}
The first McConnell government was formed by Jack McConnell on 27 November 2001 during the 1st Scottish Parliament, following Henry McLeish's resignation as First Minister of Scotland as a consequence of the Officegate scandal.{{Cite news|date=2001-11-22|title=McConnell elected first minister|language=en-GB|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/scotland/2001/mcleish_resignation/1670438.stm|access-date=2021-06-27}} The first McConnell government was a continuation of the Labour–Liberal Democrat coalition that had existed under the previous McLeish and Dewar governments. It ended on 20 May 2003 following the 2003 election to the 2nd Scottish parliament, which saw McConnell returning to office as first minister to form a second government.
History
{{Jack McConnell sidebar}}
Henry McLeish resigned as first minister and leader of Scottish Labour in the aftermath of the Officegate scandal, which centred on expenses claimed for his Glenrothes constituency office.{{Cite news|date=2001-11-08|title=First minister to resign|language=en-GB|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/1643858.stm|access-date=2021-06-27}} McConnell was elected as Labour leader and was nominated for the post of first minister by a vote of the Scottish Parliament on 22 November, defeating Scottish National Party leader John Swinney, Scottish Conservative leader David McLetchie and Independent MSP Dennis Canavan by 70 votes to 34, 19 and 3 respectively.{{Cite news|date=2009-10-31|title=22 November 2001: McConnell elected First Minister|language=en-GB|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/historic_moments/newsid_8186000/8186187.stm|access-date=2021-06-27}}
Shortly after being appointed McConnell began making appointments to his cabinet. Jim Wallace remained in the post of deputy first minister while Cathy Jamieson took over Mr McConnell's education brief and Wendy Alexander and Ross Finnie remained as ministers. Sam Galbraith and Angus MacKay stood down and Jackie Baillie, Sarah Boyack and Tom McCabe reshuffled out of government, while Susan Deacon was offered the post of social justice minister but refused the offer and moved to the backbenches. Cathy Jamieson, Mike Watson, Malcolm Chisholm, Iain Gray, Patricia Ferguson and Andy Kerr were all promoted to cabinet.
Wendy Alexander resigned for her post of Enterprise Minister on 4 May 2002. Her vacancy was filled by Iain Gray, and his post as Social Justice Minister was in turn filled by Margaret Curran, who had been his deputy.{{cite book|author=Gerry Hassan and Eric Shaw|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bFKlBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA111|title=The Strange Death of Labour Scotland|publisher=Edinburgh University Press|year=2012|isbn=978-0748640010|pages=111}} Hugh Henry left the post of Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care on 9 May 2002, and took up the post of Deputy Minister for Social Justice.{{cite news|author=Stephen Khan|date=5 May 2002|title=Reshuffle is condemned as 'trawling for talent'|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/may/05/scotland.devolution|accessdate=20 January 2016}}{{cite web|title=Hugh Henry|url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/31614.aspx|work=scottish.parliament.uk|publisher=Scottish Parliament|accessdate=20 January 2016}} Frank McAveety filled his vacancy. Richard Simpson resigned from his post as Deputy Justice Minister on 26 November 2002, and was replaced by Hugh Henry.{{cite news|date=26 November 2002|title=Minister quits over fire 'fascists' row|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/2513847.stm|accessdate=20 January 2016}} Des McNulty filled Henry's vacancy as Deputy Health Minister.{{cite web|title=Des McNulty|url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/31927.aspx|work=scottish.parliament.uk|publisher=Scottish Parliament|accessdate=20 January 2016}}
In the 2003 Scottish Parliament election, the Labour–Liberal Democrat coalition was renewed and Jack McConnell returned to a second term as first minister and formed a second administration.
Cabinet
| class="wikitable" | ||
| colspan="6" | | ||
|---|---|---|
| style="width: 340px" |Post
!Minister !Portrait ! colspan="2" |Party !Term | ||
| First Minister
|The Rt Hon. Jack McConnell MSP ! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2003 | |
| Deputy First Minister
| rowspan="2" |The Rt Hon. Jim Wallace QC MSP | rowspan="2" |107x107px ! rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}" | | rowspan="2" |Liberal Democrats | 2001–2003 | |
| Minister for Justice
|2001–2003 | ||
| Minister for Education and Young People
! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2003 | |
| rowspan="2" |Minister for Social Justice
! rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2002 | |
| Margaret Curran MSP | Labour Party | 2002–2003 |
| rowspan="2" |Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning
! rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2002 | |
| Iain Gray MSP | Labour Party | 2002–2003 |
| Minister for Culture and Sport
! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}" | | 2001–2003 | |
| Minister for Finance and Public Services
! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2003 | |
| Minister for Health and Community Care
! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2003 | |
| Minister for Parliament
! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}" | | 2001–2003 | |
| Minister for the Environment and Rural Development
! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2003 | |
| Lord Advocate
! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2003 |
Junior ministers
| class="wikitable" | ||
| colspan="5" | | ||
|---|---|---|
| style="width: 340px" |Post
!Minister ! colspan="2" |Party !Term | ||
| Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport
|Dr Elaine Murray MSP ! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2003 | |
| Deputy Minister for Education and Young People
! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}; width: 1px" | | 1999–2000 | |
| Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
|Dr Lewis Macdonald MSP ! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2003 | |
| Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development
! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2003 | |
| Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services
! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2003 | |
| rowspan="3" |Deputy Ministers for Health and Community Care
! rowspan="3" style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}" | | 2001–2002 | |
| Frank McAveety MSP | Labour Party | 2002–2003 |
| Mary Mulligan MSP | Labour Party | 2001–2003 |
| rowspan="2" |Deputy Minister for Justice
|Dr Richard Simpson MSP ! rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}" | | 2001–2002 | |
| Hugh Henry MSP | Labour Party | 2002–2003 |
| Deputy Minister for Parliamentary Business
! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2003 | |
| rowspan="3" |Deputy Ministers for Social Justice
! rowspan="3" style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour Party}}; width: 1px" | | 2001–2002 | |
| Hugh Henry MSP | Labour Party | 2002 |
| Des McNulty MSP | Labour Party | 2002–2003 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland
| | | Independent | 2001–2003 |
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Scottish Governments}}
{{Scottish Labour Party}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McConnell ministry, First}}
Category:2001 establishments in Scotland
Category:2003 disestablishments in Scotland