The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, a remarkable feat as the mixed member proportional representation system used to elect MSPs was, according to Jack McConnell, originally implemented to prevent any party achieving an overall parliamentary majority. The SNP won 69 seats, the most the party has ever held at either a Holyrood or Westminster election, allowing leader Alex Salmond to remain First Minister of Scotland. The SNP gained 32 constituencies, twenty two from the Scottish Labour Party, nine from the Scottish Liberal Democrats and one from the Scottish Conservatives. Such was the scale of their gains that, of the 73 constituencies in Scotland, only 20 are now represented by MSPs of other political parties. The Scottish Labour Party lost seven seats and suffered their worst election defeat in Scotland since 1931, with huge losses in their traditional Central Belt constituencies and for the first time having to rely on the regional lists to elect members within these areas. They did, however, remain the largest opposition party. Party leader Iain Gray announced his resignation following his party's disappointing result. The Scottish Liberal Democrats were soundly defeated; their popular vote share was cut in half and their seat total reduced from 17 to 5. Tavish Scott announced his resignation as party leader shortly after the election. For Scottish Conservatives, the election proved disappointing as their popular vote dropped slightly and their number of seats fell by 2, with party leader Annabel Goldie also announcing her resignation.
This national electoral calendar for the year 2011 lists the national/federal direct elections held in 2011 in the de jure and de factosovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
The Scottish Parliament (Scottish Gaelic:Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: The Scots Pairlament) is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to informally as "Holyrood".
The Parliament is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), elected for four-year terms under the additional member system: 73 MSPs represent individual geographical constituencies elected by the plurality ("first past the post") system, while a further 56 are returned from eight additional member regions, each electing seven MSPs. The most recent general election to the Parliament was held on 5 May 2011.
The parliament, which is also referred to as the Estates of Scotland, the Community of the Realm, the Three Estates (Scots:Thrie Estaitis), the Scots Parliament, or the auld Scots Parliament (English: old), met until prorogued sine die at the time of the Acts of Union in 1707. Thereafter the Parliament of Great Britain operated for both England and Scotland, thus creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
The pre-Union parliament was long portrayed as a constitutionally defective body that acted merely as a rubber stamp for royal decisions, but research during the early 21st century has found that it played an active role in Scottish affairs, and was sometimes a thorn in the side of the Scottish crown.
The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the third general election to the devolved Scottish Parliament since it was created in 1999. Local elections in Scotland fell on the same day.
The 2016 Scottish Parliament election is to be held on Thursday 5 May 2016 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament. It will be the fifth general election since the parliament was established in 1999.
Date
Under the Scotland Act 1998, an ordinary general election to the Scottish Parliament would normally have been held on the first Thursday in May four years after the 2011 election, i.e. in May 2015. In May 2010, the new UK Government stated in the coalition agreement that the next United Kingdom general election would also be held in May 2015. This proposal was criticised by the Scottish National Party and Labour, as it had been recommended after the 2007 election that elections with different voting systems should be held on separate days: a recommendation which all of the political parties had then accepted. In response to this criticism, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg offered the right to vary the date of the Scottish Parliament election by a year either way. All the main political parties then stated their support for delaying the election by a year. The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, a statute of the Westminster Parliament, moved the date of the Scottish Parliament general election to 5 May 2016.
Scottish Parliamentary Election Result 2011 for Midlothian North and Musselburgh
Returning Officer Kenneth Lawrie announces the result of the Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency vote for the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary election.
published: 06 May 2011
Scotland: an actress and an editor debate the results
A historic night for Scotland as the SNP wins a majority in the Scottish Parliament. Actress and comedienne Elaine C Smith, and the Scottish Editor of the Telegraph Alan Cochrane look at the results.
.
published: 06 May 2011
Parliament re-elects FM
The Scottish Parliament today re-elected Alex Salmond, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, as First Minister to lead the Scottish Government for the next five years.
published: 18 May 2011
SNP's Alex Salmond: 'Team Scotland has won this election'
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond: "I believe the Scottish National Party won this election because Scotland wants to travel in hope and to aim high. Team Scotland has won this election.".
The 2011 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament.
published: 09 May 2021
Scottish Parliament Election 2011
Seats(129)
--------------------------------------------------
SNP(Scottish National Party)
Labour
Conservative
Lib Dems(Liberal Democrats)
Scottish Green
Independent
published: 06 May 2011
Scottish Parliament elections - Argyll and Bute count
The SNP swept to a majority win in the Scottish Parliament elections on May 5 2011 and in Argyll and Bute the result was no different. The count took place at the Lochgilphead Joint School Campus, with SNP candidate Mike Russell winning with a large majority. Joining the Highlands and Islands list of MSPs was SNP candidate Mike Mackenzie and Tory Jamie McGrigor missed out on the Argyll and Bute seat but was re-elected via the Highlands and Islands list.
published: 11 May 2011
2011 elections in numbers
Local elections, regional elections, and a referendum on AV? Channel 4 News breaks it down for you. .
published: 06 May 2011
The SNP wins a third consecutive Scottish Parliament election
In Scotland, Labour suffered its worst results for over a century. It means the Conservatives are now the official opposition. The SNP lost its majority, but Nicola Sturgeon says it doesn't mean she will be doing deals with any other party. As Leyla Hayes explains though - it's the prospect of another vote on independence that's looming large.
Returning Officer Kenneth Lawrie announces the result of the Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency vote for the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary election.
Returning Officer Kenneth Lawrie announces the result of the Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency vote for the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary election.
Returning Officer Kenneth Lawrie announces the result of the Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency vote for the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary election.
A historic night for Scotland as the SNP wins a majority in the Scottish Parliament. Actress and comedienne Elaine C Smith, and the Scottish Editor of the Teleg...
A historic night for Scotland as the SNP wins a majority in the Scottish Parliament. Actress and comedienne Elaine C Smith, and the Scottish Editor of the Telegraph Alan Cochrane look at the results.
.
A historic night for Scotland as the SNP wins a majority in the Scottish Parliament. Actress and comedienne Elaine C Smith, and the Scottish Editor of the Telegraph Alan Cochrane look at the results.
.
The Scottish Parliament today re-elected Alex Salmond, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, as First Minister to lead the Scottish Government for the next five years.
The Scottish Parliament today re-elected Alex Salmond, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, as First Minister to lead the Scottish Government for the next five years.
The Scottish Parliament today re-elected Alex Salmond, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, as First Minister to lead the Scottish Government for the next five years.
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond: "I believe the Scottish National Party won this election because Scotland wants to travel in hope and to aim high. Team Sc...
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond: "I believe the Scottish National Party won this election because Scotland wants to travel in hope and to aim high. Team Scotland has won this election.".
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond: "I believe the Scottish National Party won this election because Scotland wants to travel in hope and to aim high. Team Scotland has won this election.".
Seats(129)
--------------------------------------------------
SNP(Scottish National Party)
Labour
Conservative
Lib Dems(Liberal Democrats)
Scottish Green
...
Seats(129)
--------------------------------------------------
SNP(Scottish National Party)
Labour
Conservative
Lib Dems(Liberal Democrats)
Scottish Green
Independent
Seats(129)
--------------------------------------------------
SNP(Scottish National Party)
Labour
Conservative
Lib Dems(Liberal Democrats)
Scottish Green
Independent
The SNP swept to a majority win in the Scottish Parliament elections on May 5 2011 and in Argyll and Bute the result was no different. The count took place at t...
The SNP swept to a majority win in the Scottish Parliament elections on May 5 2011 and in Argyll and Bute the result was no different. The count took place at the Lochgilphead Joint School Campus, with SNP candidate Mike Russell winning with a large majority. Joining the Highlands and Islands list of MSPs was SNP candidate Mike Mackenzie and Tory Jamie McGrigor missed out on the Argyll and Bute seat but was re-elected via the Highlands and Islands list.
The SNP swept to a majority win in the Scottish Parliament elections on May 5 2011 and in Argyll and Bute the result was no different. The count took place at the Lochgilphead Joint School Campus, with SNP candidate Mike Russell winning with a large majority. Joining the Highlands and Islands list of MSPs was SNP candidate Mike Mackenzie and Tory Jamie McGrigor missed out on the Argyll and Bute seat but was re-elected via the Highlands and Islands list.
In Scotland, Labour suffered its worst results for over a century. It means the Conservatives are now the official opposition. The SNP lost its majority, but Ni...
In Scotland, Labour suffered its worst results for over a century. It means the Conservatives are now the official opposition. The SNP lost its majority, but Nicola Sturgeon says it doesn't mean she will be doing deals with any other party. As Leyla Hayes explains though - it's the prospect of another vote on independence that's looming large.
In Scotland, Labour suffered its worst results for over a century. It means the Conservatives are now the official opposition. The SNP lost its majority, but Nicola Sturgeon says it doesn't mean she will be doing deals with any other party. As Leyla Hayes explains though - it's the prospect of another vote on independence that's looming large.
Returning Officer Kenneth Lawrie announces the result of the Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency vote for the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary election.
A historic night for Scotland as the SNP wins a majority in the Scottish Parliament. Actress and comedienne Elaine C Smith, and the Scottish Editor of the Telegraph Alan Cochrane look at the results.
.
The Scottish Parliament today re-elected Alex Salmond, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, as First Minister to lead the Scottish Government for the next five years.
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond: "I believe the Scottish National Party won this election because Scotland wants to travel in hope and to aim high. Team Scotland has won this election.".
Seats(129)
--------------------------------------------------
SNP(Scottish National Party)
Labour
Conservative
Lib Dems(Liberal Democrats)
Scottish Green
Independent
The SNP swept to a majority win in the Scottish Parliament elections on May 5 2011 and in Argyll and Bute the result was no different. The count took place at the Lochgilphead Joint School Campus, with SNP candidate Mike Russell winning with a large majority. Joining the Highlands and Islands list of MSPs was SNP candidate Mike Mackenzie and Tory Jamie McGrigor missed out on the Argyll and Bute seat but was re-elected via the Highlands and Islands list.
In Scotland, Labour suffered its worst results for over a century. It means the Conservatives are now the official opposition. The SNP lost its majority, but Nicola Sturgeon says it doesn't mean she will be doing deals with any other party. As Leyla Hayes explains though - it's the prospect of another vote on independence that's looming large.
The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, a remarkable feat as the mixed member proportional representation system used to elect MSPs was, according to Jack McConnell, originally implemented to prevent any party achieving an overall parliamentary majority. The SNP won 69 seats, the most the party has ever held at either a Holyrood or Westminster election, allowing leader Alex Salmond to remain First Minister of Scotland. The SNP gained 32 constituencies, twenty two from the Scottish Labour Party, nine from the Scottish Liberal Democrats and one from the Scottish Conservatives. Such was the scale of their gains that, of the 73 constituencies in Scotland, only 20 are now represented by MSPs of other political parties. The Scottish Labour Party lost seven seats and suffered their worst election defeat in Scotland since 1931, with huge losses in their traditional Central Belt constituencies and for the first time having to rely on the regional lists to elect members within these areas. They did, however, remain the largest opposition party. Party leader Iain Gray announced his resignation following his party's disappointing result. The Scottish Liberal Democrats were soundly defeated; their popular vote share was cut in half and their seat total reduced from 17 to 5. Tavish Scott announced his resignation as party leader shortly after the election. For Scottish Conservatives, the election proved disappointing as their popular vote dropped slightly and their number of seats fell by 2, with party leader Annabel Goldie also announcing her resignation.