The first Salmond government, which was sworn in on 17 May 2007 at the start of the
3rd Scottish Parliament, was an
SNP minority government
A minority government, minority cabinet, minority administration, or a minority parliament is a government and cabinet formed in a parliamentary system when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in ...
.
Having won the largest number of seats in the general election (47 of 129) the SNP sought to form a coalition with the
Scottish Liberal Democrats
The Scottish Liberal Democrats ( gd, Pàrtaidh Libearal Deamocratach na h-Alba, sco, Scots Leeberal Democrats) is a liberal, federalist political party in Scotland, a part of the United Kingdom Liberal Democrats. The party currently holds 4 of ...
. When those talks failed, the SNP chose to form a one-party minority government. The SNP and
Scottish Greens
The Scottish Greens (also known as the Scottish Green Party; gd, Pàrtaidh Uaine na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Green Pairtie) are a green political party in Scotland. The party has seven MSPs in the Scottish Parliament as of May 2021. As of the ...
signed an agreement where the Greens supported SNP ministerial appointments, but did not offer support for any confidence or budget votes ("confidence and supply"). SNP leader,
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond (; born 31 December 1954) is a Scottish politician and economist who served as First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014. A prominent figure on the Scottish nationalist movement, he has served as leader o ...
was elected
First Minister on 16 May 2007; he was officially sworn in and his slate of ministerial appointments were ratified by the
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of the capital ...
the following day.
History
Due to the agreement signed with the Greens, Salmond's investiture vote was successful despite only having 47 of 129 seats in the Parliament. The vote was 49–46, with the SNP and Greens voting in favour and the 46 Scottish Labour MSPs voting against, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats abstaining.
On 16 May 2007, a few hours after Salmond was sworn in by parliament, he announced his intention to form a government composed of five cabinet secretaries and ten junior ministers. Furthermore, the Lord Advocate lost her seat in the cabinet.
A cabinet reshuffle took place in February 2009.
Cabinet
May 2007 to February 2009
2007 to 2011
Changes
*
Fiona Hyslop
Fiona Jane Hyslop (born 1 August 1964) is a Scottish politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture from 2020 to 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been a Member of the Scottish Parliame ...
is demoted from Cabinet and appointed
Minister for Culture and External Affairs; Hyslop is replaced as Education Secretary by
Michael Russell.
*
John Elvidge stood down as the
Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government in June 2010 and was succeeded by
Peter Housden.
Junior Ministers
Scottish Law Officers
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salmond ministry, First
Salmond, first
2007 establishments in Scotland
2011 disestablishments in Scotland
Ministries of Elizabeth II