The Rt Hon Jack McConnell MSP
3rd First Minister of Scotland
In office 22 November 2001 – 16 May 2007
Deputy	Jim Wallace (1999-2005) Nicol Stephen (2005-2007)
Preceded by	Henry McLeish
Succeeded by	Alex Salmond
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Motherwell and Wishaw
Incumbent
Assumed office  6 May 1999
Preceded by	new constituency
Majority	5928 (22.7%)
Born	June 30, 1960 (1960-06-30) (age 47) Irvine, North Ayrshire
Political party	Labour
Profession	Teacher

Jack Wilson McConnell (born June 30, 1960 in Irvine, North Ayrshire) is a former First Minister of Scotland, leader of the Scottish Labour Party and current Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Motherwell and Wishaw constituency. To date he is the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The First Minister of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: ; Scots: ) is, in practice, the political leader of Scotland, as head of Scotlands national devolved government, the Scottish Executive, which was established in 1999 along with the Scottish Parliament. ... is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... May 16 is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... The Deputy First Minister of Scotland is, as the name suggests, the Deputy to the First Minister of Scotland. ... The Right Honourable Jim Wallace QC (born August 25, 1954 in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway) is a Scottish politician, first leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, first Deputy First Minister of the Scottish Executive, and and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Orkney. ... Nicol Ross Stephen (born 23 March 1960) is the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Aberdeen South. ... Henry McLeish (born June 15, 1948) is a Scottish politician. ... Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond, known as Alex Salmond (born 31 December 1954 ) (age 52)), has been nominated by the Scottish Parliament as First Minister of Scotland. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... Motherwell and Wishaw is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). ... For the ecclesiastical office, see Incumbent (ecclesiastical). ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... , For the river of the same name see River Irvine. ... North Ayrshire (Sìorrachd Inbhir Air a Tuath in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland. ... This article is about the Scottish Labour Party founded in 1976. ... For university teachers, see professor. ... is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... , For the river of the same name see River Irvine. ... North Ayrshire (Sìorrachd Inbhir Air a Tuath in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland. ... The First Minister of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: ; Scots: ) is, in practice, the political leader of Scotland, as head of Scotlands national devolved government, the Scottish Executive, which was established in 1999 along with the Scottish Parliament. ... This article is about the country. ... This article is about the Scottish Labour Party founded in 1976. ... Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) (Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba (BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... Motherwell and Wishaw is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). ...

McConnell became an MSP in the first elections to the Scottish Parliament in 1999, later holding the positions of Finance Minister, and Education Minister. He became First Minister upon the resignation of his predecessor Henry McLeish, and led the Scottish Labour Party to its second election victory in the 2003 election. For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on May 6th, 1999. ... Henry McLeish (born June 15, 1948) is a Scottish politician. ... The polling date for the second Scottish Parliament election was held on May 1, 2003. ...

Education and career

McConnell was born in Irvine and raised on a sheep farm near Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. He attended Arran High School and later went on to study at the University of Stirling, graduating with a BSc Dip Ed. He was also President of the Students' Association^[1]. “Sheep” redirects here. ... Lamlash Lamlash is the secondary village (after Brodick) on the Isle of Arran, situated in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. ... The Isle of Arran (Scots Gaelic: Eilean Arainn) is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde with an area of 430 km² (167 square miles). ... The University of Stirling is a campus university, founded in 1967, in Stirling, Scotland. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Diploma from Mexico City College, 1948 (in Latin) A diploma (from Greek δίπλωµα diploma) is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study, or confers an academic degree. ... A students union, student government, student leadership, student council, or students association is a student organization present in many elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities. ...

After graduating in 1983 he began work as a mathematics teacher at Lornshill Academy in Alloa, Clackmannanshire (a position he retained throughout his subsequent council service). Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Euclid, Greek mathematician, 3rd century BC, as imagined by by Raphael in this detail from The School of Athens. ... Alloa is a small burgh in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, 6 miles to the east of Stirling, on the north bank of the River Forth, it smells of pish. ... Look Aboot Ye Clackmannanshire (Siorrachd Chlach Mhannainn in Gaelic) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area, bordering Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Fife. ...

Aged sixteen, he joined the Scottish National Party ^[2], but later resigned his membership, becoming a vocal opponent of Scottish independence in later life. He is a member of the GMB Union and Amnesty International. The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... Scottish independence is an ambition of a number of political parties, pressure groups and individuals within Scotland. ... The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom, and has more than 700,000 members. ... Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a pressure group that promotes human rights. ...

Early political career

McConnell's political career began with his election to Stirling District Council. McConnell served on the council for eight years, while retaining his job at Lornshill. He served as Treasurer from 1988 until 1992, and was the Leader of the council from 1990 to 1992. Stirling (Sruighlea in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland with a population of about 85,000. ... In many governments, a treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

McConnell became the General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party in 1992. His major breakthrough was in his handling of the 1997 General Election success, where Labour attained a large overall majority victory over the Conservatives. Together the Scottish Labour Party, the Scottish Liberal Democrats, and the Scottish National Party eliminated every seat the Conservatives held in Scotland. In 1998, he served as a member of the Scottish Constitutional Convention where he pioneered the Scottish devolution referendum success, establishing the Scottish Parliament. The term General Secretary (alternatively First Secretary) denotes a leader of various unions, parties or associations. ... This article is about the Scottish Labour Party founded in 1976. ... The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... The Scottish Constitutional Convention (SCC) was established after prominent Scottish individuals signed the Claim of Right in 1989. ... The Scottish referendum of 1997 was a pre-legislative referendum held in Scotland only, over whether there was support for the creation of a parliament for Scotland and whether there was support for a parliament with tax varying powers. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ...

Member of the Scottish Parliament

Finance Minister

McConnell was elected an MSP in the first Scottish Parliament elections in 1999. He was appointed Minister for Finance in the new Scottish Executive by then-First Minister Donald Dewar. Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) (Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba (BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament. ... The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on May 6th, 1999. ... This article is about the year. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Executives logo, shown with English and Scottish Gaelic caption The term Scottish Executive is used in two different, but closely-related senses: to denote the executive arm of Scotlands national legislature (i. ... Donald Campbell Dewar (August 21, 1937 – October 11, 2000) was First Minister of Scotland from 1999 until his death in 2000. ...

One of his first moves as Finance Minister was to establish the budgeting procedures for the new Scottish Executive, including publishing a consulatation document asking the public and MSPs how the budget should be spent. His department also passed the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000 through Parliament which set out the finance and auditing procedures of the Executive.^[3]

He was involved in one of the first scandals to hit the new Parliament when he was called to appear before the standards committee during an investigation into newspaper allegations that the lobbying arm of public relations company Beattie Media had privileged access to ministers.^[4] The committee later cleared McConnell of any wrongdoing and declared there was no evidence he had been influenced from lobbying by Beattie Media.^[5]

During his time as Finance Minister, McConnell clashed with the Minister of Health and Community Care, Susan Deacon over the budget allocated to health, and the rows soon became public knowledge. Supporters of both camps would conduct secret media briefings against the other, prompting Donald Dewar to threaten to sack any Minister or aide who briefs the media against another member of the Executive.^[6] The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing in Scotland is a cabinet position in the devolved Scottish Executive. ... Susan Deacon (born February 2, 1964) is a prominent Scottish politician, and Labour MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh. ...

Education, Europe and External Affairs

Upon Dewar’s death in 2000, he contested Henry McLeish for the position of First Minister, but lost out in the ballot. McLeish later appointed him Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs.^[7] Some analysts considered this post to be a "poisoned chalice", as he would be required to resolve both a crisis in the Scottish Qualifications Authority over exam marking, and pay disputes with the teaching unions.^[8] Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Henry McLeish (born June 15, 1948) is a Scottish politician. ... For the town in France, see Ballots, Mayenne. ... The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning is a position in the Scottish Executive cabinet responsible for the Scottish Executive Education Department. ... In 2000, the new Higher Grade examination system in Scotland, through a mixture of incompetence and genuine bad luck, ground to a complete halt resulting in administrative chaos and misery for thousands of students. ... The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Executive responsible for the development, accreditation, assessment and certification of qualifications other than degrees in Scotland. ...

Election for First Minister

McLeish was forced to resign over the Officegate Scandal, regarding the sub-let of his constituency office. In the resulting search for a leader, McConnell was seen by many political analysts as the likely successor.^[9]. McConnell quickly emerged as the only candidate, but made a surprising admission that he had cheated on his wife Bridget by having an affair with a party worker in 1994, stating he wished to "clear the air" and avoid any innuendo during his time in office. He announced the affair with his wife by his side at a press conference. ^[10] The Officegate scandal was a controversy surrounding then Scottish First Minister Henry McLeish in 2001. ... The Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) has 73 constituencies, each electing one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post system of election, and eight additional member regions, each electing seven additional member MSPs. ...

He was elected First Minister by the Parliament on 22 November 2001, and was formally appointed into office by Queen Elizabeth II on 26 November 2001. ^[11] is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... is the 330th day of the year (331st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...

First Minister

First Term

A few days after his appointment, on 27 November 2001, McConnell carried out a controversial reshuffle of the Cabinet, axing four Ministers: Angus MacKay, Sarah Boyack, Tom McCabe and Jackie Baillie, and demoting Susan Deacon (she later resigned rather than accept the new post offered to her).^[12]. The move was considered controversial as the axed ministers were judged to be loyal to McLeish and other figures in the party leading The Sun to dub him “Jack The Ripper”. is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Angus MacKay (born 1964, Edinburgh) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh South constituency from 1999 to 2003. ... Sarah Boyack (born 16 May 1961) is Labour member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh Central. ... Tom McCabe (born 28 April 1954) is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for Hamilton South, a seat which he has held since 1999. ... Jackie Baillie, born January 15, 1964 is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Dumbarton constituency. ... Susan Deacon (born February 2, 1964) is a prominent Scottish politician, and Labour MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh. ... This article is about a British tabloid. ...

In February 2002, Scotland joined forces with the Republic of Ireland in a bid to host the 2008 UEFA European Football Championship.^[13] McConnell was initially unconvinced that it was worth spending around £100 million on the tournament, however he later put his support behind the joint bid with the Irish. Although the bid lost out to Switzerland, McConnell later supported other attempts to land major supporting events including London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games ^[14] and Glasgow's bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games^[15]. The 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2008, will take place in Austria and Switzerland, from 7 June to 29 June 2008. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... The venue for the 2014 Commonwealth Games has not been decided yet. ...

In May 2002, Wendy Alexander, the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning, and the only Minister not to have been sacked in the reshuffle, resigned. Many analysts speculated that Alexander, believed to be a close ally of Gordon Brown, had poor relations with McConnell.^[16] Wendy Alexander (born 27 June 1963, Glasgow) is a Scottish Labour Party Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Paisley North. ... For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ...

The end of his first term as First Minister was rocked by a scandal known as "Wishawgate"- when auditors discovered accounting irregularities in the accounts of his Motherwell and Wishaw constituency.^[17] The Scottish Labour Party later admitted that union cash in excess of £1,000 had been donated to the constituency and not declared, a breach of the Electoral Commission's rules. McConnell and Frank Roy (the MP for the constituency in the House of Commons) were cleared of any wrongdoing after an internal investigation, however the constituency's treasurer admitted embezzling £11,000 from party funds.^[18] The Electoral Commission is a non-ministerial government department with powers in the United Kingdom, which was created by an Act of Parliament, the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (2000 c. ... Frank Roy (born on August 29, 1958 in Motherwell, Scotland) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Type Lower House Speaker of the House of Commons Leader of the House of Commons Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Harriet Harman, QC, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Theresa May, PC, (Conservative) since December 6, 2005 Members 646 Political groups...

Second Term

Jack McConnell welcomes President of the United States George W. Bush and Laura Bush to Scotland on July 6, 2005 at Glasgow Prestwick International Airport.

Much of the election campaign for the 2003 elections took place during the invasion of Iraq. At the launch of the election campaign, McConnell made a plea that the polls should not be turned into a referendum on the war in Iraq. However, although losing 6 seats in the election, McConnell was re-elected as First Minister, with another term of coalition with the Scottish Liberal Democrats. In the reshuffle following the 2003 election, McConnell axed two Minister posts, although he increased the size of the Scottish cabinet from 10 to 11.^[19] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (515x802, 67 KB) Source: White House- http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (515x802, 67 KB) Source: White House- http://www. ... For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Laura Lane Welch Bush (born November 4, 1946) is the wife of the forty-third and current President of the United States of America George W. Bush and is thereby the First Lady of the United States. ... Glasgow Prestwick Airport (IATA: PIK, ICAO: EGPK) is an international airport serving Glasgow, situated north of the town of Prestwick in South Ayrshire, Scotland. ... The polling date for the second Scottish Parliament election was held on May 1, 2003. ... The subject of this article is the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party in the United Kingdom. ...

On 6 July 2005, the 31st G8 summit was held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross. McConnell formally welcomed all the G8 leaders (with the exception of the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair) as they arrived in Scotland at Glasgow Prestwick International Airport. He also hosted a dinner for African leaders and International dignitaries including Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan. ^[20] is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Official G8 2005 Portrait. ... Gleneagles Hotel and grounds. ... Auchterarder (Scottish Gaelic: Uachdar Ardair) is a small burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. ... Perth and Kinross (Peairt agus Ceann Rois in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy Area. ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... Glasgow Prestwick Airport (IATA: PIK, ICAO: EGPK) is an international airport serving Glasgow, situated north of the town of Prestwick in South Ayrshire, Scotland. ... The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. ... Kofi Atta Annan (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 2007, serving two five-year terms. ...

During the 2006 FIFA World Cup, McConnell was criticised for not supporting the English football team^[21], defending his stance by stating that he represented Scotland and did not link politics with football.^[22] “2006 World Cup” redirects here. ...

In November 2006, he celebrated the 5th anniversary as First Minister. An internal document obtained by The Observer, revealed what McConnell believed to be his major achievements during his 5 years as: the Fresh Talent initiative and the reverse of Scotland's population decline; banning smoking in enclosed public spaces in Scotland; taking measures to reduce sectarianism; and continuing aid to Malawi^[23] Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The cigarette is the most common method of smoking tobacco. ... Sectarianism refers (usually pejoratively) to a rigid adherence to a particular sect or party or religious denomination. ...

In December 2006 McConnell was interviewed by the Metropolitan Police in London in connection with their 'cash for honours' investigation. This related to McConnell's nomination of Colin Boyd, the then Lord Advocate for a peerage, although it is not believed that he is personally implicated in the scandal. ^[24] The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is the name currently used by the territorial police force which is responsible for Greater London other than the City of London (the responsibility of the City of London Police). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Cash for Peerages (also Loans for Peerages, Cash for Honours, Loans for Honours) is the name given by some in the media to a political scandal in the United Kingdom in 2006 and 2007 concerning the connection between political donations and the award of life peerages. ... Colin David Boyd, Baron Boyd of Duncansby QC (born June 7, 1953) was appointed Lord Advocate for Scotland on February 24, 2000. ... Her Majestys Advocate, known as the Lord Advocate (Morair Tagraidh in Scottish Gaelic) is the chief legal adviser to the Scottish Executive and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament. ...

2007 election

In the run-up to the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary Elections, McConnell was criticised by many inside and outside of the Labour party for his role in the party's poor start to the campaign, ^[25] with Labour solidly behind the Scottish National Party in many opinion polls. He initially refused to debate with the Leader of the Scottish National Party, Alex Salmond, and was the only leader of the major Scottish political parties not to appear on the February 22 edition of BBC's Question Time. He later appeared on a televised debate for STV and Sky News on April 1, clashing with Salmond over issues including council tax and Trident nuclear missiles. McConnell also admitted that the Scottish Labour Party would seek to form a minority government if it emerged as the largest party following the elections.^[26] The composition of the Scottish Parliament following the 2007 election. ... The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... An opinion poll is a survey of opinion from a particular sample. ... The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond, known as Alex Salmond (born 31 December 1954 ) (age 52)), has been nominated by the Scottish Parliament as First Minister of Scotland. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... Question Time is a topical debate television programme in the United Kingdom, based on Any Questions?. It is currently shown on BBC One at 22:35 on Thursdays, and typically features politicians from the three major political parties and other public figures who answer questions put to them by the... STV is the brand used by both ITV licensees in Northern and Central Scotland, formerly known as Grampian TV (now legally STV North Ltd. ... Sky News is a 24-hour British domestic and international television news channel that started broadcasting on 16 February 1989 as part of the then four-channel Sky Television service. ... The Council Tax is the main form of local taxation in England, Scotland and Wales. ... Diagramatic view of a Trident II D5 missile The UK Trident programme is the United Kingdoms Trident missile-based nuclear weapons programme. ...

On April 10, McConnell unveiled Scottish Labour's election manifesto, which included plans to scrap water bills for pensioners and reform council tax bandings. The manifesto also proposed a large increase in education spending, which would allow the increasing of the school leaving age to 18 and a reduction in average class sizes to 19.^[27]

McConnell was re-elected to the Motherwell and Wishaw constituency on May 4, 2007. McConnell polled 12574 votes with a majority 5938 votes, representing 48% of the vote with a turnout of 50.3%. However, in the wider country, McConnell's ruling Labour Party was defeated by the SNP, both in terms of the popular vote and in numbers of seats. The SNP won 47 seats in the new parliament, whilst the Labour Party won 46, thus securing them a one-seat majority over Labour, but still well short of a majority of the parliament.^[28]

SNP Leader, Alex Salmond, declared that the momentum was with his party to form an executive due to their victory in the popular vote. Further, he claimed that Labour lacked the "moral authority" to form a government. ^[29] However, McConnell strongly disagreed at this statement, arguing that "There is no moral authority to pursue separation and moral authority in the parliament will only come through parties working together in the majority."^[30]

Were the SNP unable to form a coalition, or to operate as a minority administration, then the Labour Party could have formed an executive. After the election, there was speculation that due to the election loss, McConnell would not survive long as Scottish Labour Leader. ^[31]

In the event, Alex Salmond defeated Jack McConnell by 49 votes to 46 on Wednesday 16 May 2007 in the vote for First Minister of Scotland. Salmond announced his list of Cabinet nominees to Parliament for approval on 17 May 2007. Parliament subsequently approved the nominees.

On 15 August 2007, McConnell announced his intention to resign as Scottish Labour leader. ^[32] He will undertake voluntary work on behalf of the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative in Malawi and Rwanda; and will take over as the UK's High Commissioner to Malawi in 2009, when the current office-holder, Richard Wildash, completes his posting. Bill Clinton in Africa on behalf of the Clinton Foundation The William J. Clinton Foundation was established by former President of the United States Bill Clinton. ... Sir Thomas Blane Hunter is a Scottish businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. ... This is a list of current heads of United Kingdom Missions abroad. ...

Personal life

He is married to Bridget McConnell, and has two adopted children from that marriage, Hannah and Mark. Bridget is the Director of Cultural and Leisure Services at Glasgow City Council.^[33] She was married to a 1970s rock star, Richard Brown, before she met McConnell. Hannah McConnell later revealed that Bridget suffered abuse during that marriage. ^{[citation needed]} She also revealed that the family celebrates an annual "Adoption Day" and that McConnell took the "difficult decision not to have children of his own".^[34] Politics in Glasgow, Scotland, are evident in the deliberations and decisions of the city council of Glasgow (Glaschu in Gaelic), in elections to the council, and in elections to the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) and the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster). ...

Hannah lives in London working for Michael Connarty, MP for Linlithgow and Falkirk East, and has previously dated controversial TV presenter John Leslie.^[35] Mark is a graduate of the University of Dundee, and is currently working as a teacher. He was involved in a minor scandal when some of his friends posted a video on YouTube of themselves larking around inside Bute House, the official residence of the First Minister.^[36] This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Michael Connarty (born 3 September 1947) is a British politician. ... Linlithgow and East Falkirk is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, created for use in the 2005 general election. ... John Leslie (born Leslie John Stott on February 22, 1965) is a Scottish former television presenter, best known as a presenter of BBC1s Blue Peter and ITV1s This Morning. ... The University of Dundee is the principal university in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee, Scotland. ... YouTube is a popular video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. ... Bute House is the official residence of the First Minister of Scotland, who is the head of the Scottish Executive, the countrys devolved government created in 1999. ...

McConnell is a close friend of Scottish broadcaster and Newsnight presenter, Kirsty Wark, a good friendship that began before their respective careers began^[37]. In January 2005, it was revealed that McConnell had taken a holiday in Wark's villa in Majorca without declaring it in the Scottish Parliament's Register of Interests for MSPs. McConnell defended not declaring the holiday, stating it was acceptable not to declare the holiday as the value did not exceed £250.^[38] Wark herself suffered from the scandal, later dubbed Villagate by the media, and she was axed as the anchor of BBC Scotland's election coverage in the UK 2005 election.^[39] The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner later cleared McConnell of breaking any rules stating as the accommodation did not amount to a benefit in kind and need not be registered, "there was no gift of a benefit in kind to the member as there was no cost which the McConnells could reasonably have been expected to pay which was met"^[40]. Newsnight is a British daily news analysis, current affairs and politics programme broadcast between 22:30 and 23:20 on weekdays on BBC Two. ... Kirsty Wark is one of the presenters of Newsnight, as well as Newsnight Review. ... Location Location of Majorca in Balearic Islands Coordinates : 39° 30’N , 3°0E Time Zone : CET (UTC+1) - summer: CEST (UTC+2) General information Native name Mallorca (Catalan) Spanish name Mallorca Postal code 07001-07691 Area code 34 (Spain) + 971 (Illes Balears) Website http://www. ... BBC Scotland (BBC Alba in Gaelic) is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. ...

a meet jack mcconnell 3 years a go at in glasgow lol am kenny btw

See also

Wikisource has original works written by or about:

Jack McConnell

• Politics of Scotland
• List of Scottish Executive Ministerial Teams
• Bute House

Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... The Politics of Scotland forms a distinctive part of the wider politics of the United Kingdom, with Scotland one of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom. ... Dewar Government Donald Dewar, Scotlands first First Minister, obtained the Scottish Parliaments approval to the first slate of members of the Scottish Executive and Junior Scottish Ministers on 19 May 1999. ... Bute House is the official residence of the First Minister of Scotland, who is the head of the Scottish Executive, the countrys devolved government created in 1999. ...

External links

• Official website

Jack McConnell

v • d • e First Ministers of Scotland Donald Dewar · Henry McLeish · Jack McConnell · Alex Salmond v • d • e      Leaders of the political parties in the Scottish Parliament Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party) · Jack McConnell (Scottish Labour Party) · Annabel Goldie (Scottish Conservative Party) · Nicol Stephen (Scottish Liberal Democrats) · Robin Harper (Scottish Green Party) v • d • e Members of the Scottish Parliament in the Central Scotland region Elected in the 2007 election Labour (8 seats), SNP (7 seats), Conservative (1 seat), Lib Dems (1 seat) Constituency MSPs Karen Whitefield (Lab, Airdrie and Shotts) • Elaine Smith (Lab, Coatbridge and Chryston) • Cathie Craigie (Lab, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) • Andy Kerr (Lab, East Kilbride) • Cathy Peattie (Lab, Falkirk East) • Michael Matheson (SNP, Falkirk West) • Michael McMahon (Lab, Hamilton North and Bellshill) • Tom McCabe (Lab, Hamilton South) • Willie Coffey (SNP, Kilmarnock and Loudoun) •Jack McConnell (Lab, Motherwell and Wishaw) Additional Members Linda Fabiani (SNP) • Jamie Hepburn (SNP) • Christina McKelvie (SNP) • Margaret Mitchell (Con) • Alex Neil (SNP) • Hugh O'Donnell (Lib Dem) • John Wilson (SNP) For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) (Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba (BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament. ... Motherwell and Wishaw is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). ... The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on May 6th, 1999. ... Henry McLeish (born June 15, 1948) is a Scottish politician. ... The First Minister of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: ; Scots: ) is, in practice, the political leader of Scotland, as head of Scotlands national devolved government, the Scottish Executive, which was established in 1999 along with the Scottish Parliament. ... Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond, known as Alex Salmond (born 31 December 1954 ) (age 52)), has been nominated by the Scottish Parliament as First Minister of Scotland. ... The First Minister of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: ; Scots: ) is, in practice, the political leader of Scotland, as head of Scotlands national devolved government, the Scottish Executive, which was established in 1999 along with the Scottish Parliament. ... This article is about the country. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Scotland. ... Donald Campbell Dewar (August 21, 1937 – October 11, 2000) was First Minister of Scotland from 1999 until his death in 2000. ... Henry McLeish (born June 15, 1948) is a Scottish politician. ... Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond, known as Alex Salmond (born 31 December 1954 ) (age 52)), has been nominated by the Scottish Parliament as First Minister of Scotland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Scotland. ... Parties represented in the Scottish Parliament (in order of number of representatives): Labour Party - Centre-left, unionist - 50 MSPs Scottish National Party (SNP) - Centre-left, pro-independence- 27 MSPs Conservative and Unionist Party - Centre-right, unionist - 18 MSPs Liberal Democrats - Centre, federalist - 17 MSPs Scottish Green Party - Environmentalist, pro-independence... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond, known as Alex Salmond (born 31 December 1954 ) (age 52)), has been nominated by the Scottish Parliament as First Minister of Scotland. ... The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... This article is about the Scottish Labour Party founded in 1976. ... Annabel Goldie (born 27 February 1950, Glasgow) is a Scottish politician, the leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party in the Scottish Parliament, and chairwoman of the partys Shadow Cabinet. ... The Scottish Conservative Party (officially the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party), often referred to as the Scottish Tories (see Tory), is the part of the British Conservative Party that operates in Scotland. ... Nicol Ross Stephen (born 23 March 1960) is the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Aberdeen South. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party in the United Kingdom. ... Robin Harper is a Member of the Scottish Parliament, representing the Scottish Green Party for the Lothians. ... The Scottish Green Party (Pàrtaidh Uaine na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is the Green party of Scotland, and a full member of the European Federation of Green Parties. ... Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) (Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba (BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament. ... Central Scotland (Meadhan-Alba in Gaelic) is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Scotland. ... The composition of the Scottish Parliament following the 2007 election. ... This article is about the Scottish Labour Party founded in 1976. ... The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... The Scottish Conservative Party (officially the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party), often referred to as the Scottish Tories (see Tory), is the part of the British Conservative Party that operates in Scotland. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party in the United Kingdom. ... Karen Whitefield (born 8 January 1970, Bellshill) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Airdrie and Shotts constituency since 1999. ... Airdrie and Shotts is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. ... Elaine Smith (born 7 May 1963, Coatbridge) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Coatbridge and Chryston constituency since 1999. ... Coatbridge and Chryston is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. ... Cathie Craigie, born in Stirling on April 14, 1954, is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, first being elected in 1999. ... Cumbernauld and Kilsyth is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). ... Andy Kerr (born 17 March 1962, East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire) is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for East Kilbride constituency, a seat which he has held since 1999. ... East Kilbride is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). ... Cathy Peattie (born 24 November 1951, Grangemouth) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Falkirk East constituency since 1999. ... Falkirk East is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. ... Michael Matheson was born on September 8, 1970 and has been a Central Scotland MSP since 1999. ... Falkirk West is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). ... Michael McMahon (born 18 September 1961) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Hamilton North and Bellshill constituency since 1999. ... Hamilton North and Bellshill is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). ... Tom McCabe (born 28 April 1954) is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for Hamilton South, a seat which he has held since 1999. ... Hamilton South is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). ... Willie Coffey (born May 24, 1958) is a Scottish politican. ... Kilmarnock and Loudoun is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. ... Motherwell and Wishaw is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). ... Linda Fabiani (born December 14, 1956) is a Scottish politician. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Christina McKelvie is a Scottish National Party politican, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Scotland. ... Margaret Mitchell (born 15 November 1952, Coatbridge) is a Scottish Conservative politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament since 2003. ... Alex Neil was born in 1951 in Patna, East Ayrshire, Scotland. ... Red Hugh ODonnell (Aodh Rua Ó Domhnaill in Irish) (1572- 10 September 1602) was Prince of Tyrconnell, who led a rebellion against English government in Ireland from 1593 and helped to lead the Nine Years War, a revolt against English occupation, from 1595 to 1603. ... John Wilson is a Scottish politician. ... v • d • e Scottish Labour MSPs Elected in the 2007 election Wendy Alexander · Jackie Baillie · Claire Baker · Richard Baker · Sarah Boyack · Rhona Brankin · Bill Butler · Malcolm Chisholm · Cathie Craigie · Margaret Curran · Helen Eadie · Patricia Ferguson · George Foulkes · Karen Gillon · Marlyn Glen · Trish Godman · Charlie Gordon · Rhoda Grant · Iain Gray · Hugh Henry · Cathy Jamieson · James Kelly · Andy Kerr · Johann Lamont · Marilyn Livingstone · Lewis Macdonald · Ken Macintosh · Paul Martin · Frank McAveety · Tom McCabe · Jack McConnell · Michael McMahon · Duncan McNeil · Pauline McNeill · Des McNulty · Mary Mulligan · Elaine Murray · Irene Oldfather · John Park · Peter Peacock · Cathy Peattie · Richard Simpson · Elaine Smith · David Stewart · Karen Whitefield · David Whitton This article is about the Scottish Labour Party founded in 1976. ... Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) (Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba (BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament. ... The composition of the Scottish Parliament following the 2007 election. ... Wendy Alexander (born 27 June 1963, Glasgow) is a Scottish Labour Party Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Paisley North. ... Jackie Baillie, born January 15, 1964 is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Dumbarton constituency. ... Claire Baker (born March 4, 1971) is a Scottish Labour Party politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Scotland and Fife since 2007. ... Richard Baker (born May 29, 1974, Edinburgh) was the youngest sitting member of the Scottish Parliament when elected. ... Sarah Boyack (born 16 May 1961) is Labour member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh Central. ... Rhona Brankin, (born 19 January 1950), was first elected to represent Midlothian, Scotland in the Scottish Parliament in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003. ... Bill Butler (born March 30, 1956, Glasgow) is a Scottish Labour Party politician and former teacher. ... Malcolm Chisholm (born 7 March 1949) is a Scottish politician, and Minister for Health and Community Care in the Scottish Executive. ... Cathie Craigie, born in Stirling on April 14, 1954, is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, first being elected in 1999. ... Margaret Curran (b. ... Helen Eadie is a Scottish Labour Party politician. ... Patricia Ferguson (born 24 September 1958) is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Maryhill, a seat which she has held since 1999. ... For the US politician from Michigan, see George Ernest Foulkes. ... Karen Gillon (nee Karen Turnbull) (born 18 August 1967, Edinburgh) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Clydesdale constituency since 1999. ... Marlyn Glen (born 30 September 1951, Dundee) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for North East Scotland region since 2003. ... Trish Godman (born 31 October 1939, Govan) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for West Renfrewshire constituency since 1999. ... Charlie Gordon MSP. Charles Gordon (born October 28, 1951) is a Scottish Labour Party politician. ... Rhoda Grant (born 1963, Stornoway) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Highlands and Islands region from 1999 to 2003. ... Iain Gray (born 1957, Edinburgh) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh Pentlands constituency from 1999 to 2003. ... Hugh Henry, (b. ... Cathy Jamieson, (Born 3 November 1956) is the Minister for Justice in the Scottish Executive, Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley. ... James Kelly (b. ... Andy Kerr (born 17 March 1962, East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire) is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for East Kilbride constituency, a seat which he has held since 1999. ... Johann Lamont is a Labour member of the Scottish Parliament. ... Marilyn Livingstone (born 30 September 1952) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Kirkcaldy constituency since 1999. ... Lewis Macdonald (born 1 January 1957, Stornoway) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Aberdeen Central constituency since 1999. ... Kenneth Macintosh is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... Paul Martin (born St. ... Frank McAveety (born 27 June 1962) is a Scottish Labour Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Shettleston. ... Tom McCabe (born 28 April 1954) is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for Hamilton South, a seat which he has held since 1999. ... Michael McMahon (born 18 September 1961) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Hamilton North and Bellshill constituency since 1999. ... Duncan McNeil, born in Greenock on 7 September 1950, is a Labour politician and member of the Scottish Parliament for Greenock and Inverclyde. ... Pauline McNeill (born September 12, 1962) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... Des McNulty (born 28 July 1952, Stockport) is a Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Clydebank and Milngavie constituency since 1999. ... Mary Mulligan (born 12 February 1960, Liverpool) is a Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Linlithgow constituency since 1999. ... Dr. Elaine Murray (born 22 December 1954, Hitchin) is a Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Dumfries constituency since 1999. ... Irene Oldfather (born 1954, Glasgow) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Cunninghame South constituency since 1999. ... John Park (b. ... Peter Peacock, (Born 27 May 1952) has been a Labour regional list Member of the Scottish Parliament for Highlands and Islands since 1999. ... Cathy Peattie (born 24 November 1951, Grangemouth) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Falkirk East constituency since 1999. ... Dr Richard Simpson (born 1942, Edinburgh) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Ochil constituency from 1999 to 2003, currently a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Mid-Scotland and Fife region as of the 2007 election A GP and psychiatrist prior to... Elaine Smith (born 7 May 1963, Coatbridge) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Coatbridge and Chryston constituency since 1999. ... David John Stewart (born 5 May 1956) is a Scottish politician. ... Karen Whitefield (born 8 January 1970, Bellshill) is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Airdrie and Shotts constituency since 1999. ... David Whitton is a Scottish Labour Party politican, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden. ...