View source for Douglas Alexander

{{Short description|British politician (born 1967)}}
{{other people}}
{{distinguish|Danny Alexander}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name                = Douglas Alexander
| honorific-suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100|MP}}
| image               = Official portrait of Douglas Alexander MP crop 2, 2024.jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 2024
| office              = [[Secretary of State for Scotland]]
| predecessor         = [[Ian Murray (Scottish politician)|Ian Murray]]
| primeminister       = [[Keir Starmer]]
| term_start          = 5 September 2025
| primeminister1      = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start1         = 6 May 2006
| term_end1           = 28 June 2007
| predecessor1        = [[Alistair Darling]]
| successor1          = [[Des Browne]]
{{collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |Ministerial offices<br>{{nobold|2001{{nbnd}}2025}}
 |titlestyle       = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office2             = [[Minister of State at the Cabinet Office]]
| term_start2         = 10 February 2025
| termend2            = 5 September 2025
| primeminister2      = [[Keir Starmer]]
| predecessor2        = [[Lucy Neville-Rolfe|The Baroness Neville-Rolfe]]
| successor2          = [[Dan Jarvis]]
| office3             = [[Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security]]{{efn|name=trade|As Minister of State for Trade (2004–2005)}}
| term_start3         = 6 July 2024
| termend3            = 5 September 2025
| primeminister3      = [[Keir Starmer]]
| predecessor3        = [[Greg Hands]]
| successor3          = [[Chris Bryant]]
| primeminister4      = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start4         = 8 September 2004
| term_end4           = 5 May 2005
| predecessor4        = [[Mike O'Brien (British politician)|Mike O'Brien]]
| successor4          = [[Ian Pearson]]
| office5             = [[Secretary of State for International Development]]
| primeminister5      = [[Gordon Brown]]
| term_start5         = 28 June 2007
| term_end5           = 11 May 2010
| predecessor5        = [[Hilary Benn]]
| successor5          = [[Andrew Mitchell]]
| office6             = [[Secretary of State for Transport]]
| primeminister6      = Tony Blair
| term_start6         = 6 May 2006
| term_end6           = 28 June 2007
| predecessor6        = Alistair Darling
| successor6          = [[Ruth Kelly]]
| office7             = [[Minister of State for Europe]]
| primeminister7      = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start7         = 5 May 2005
| term_end7           = 6 May 2006
| predecessor7        = [[Denis MacShane]]
| successor7          = [[Geoff Hoon]]
| office8             = [[Minister for the Cabinet Office]]<br />[[Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster]]
| primeminister8      = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start8         = 13 June 2003
| term_end8           = 8 September 2004
| predecessor8        = [[Gus Macdonald|The Lord Macdonald of Tradeston]]
| successor8          = [[Alan Milburn]]
| office9             = [[Minister for the Cabinet Office#Ministers of State for the Cabinet Office|Minister of State for the Cabinet Office]]
| primeminister9      = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start9         = 29 May 2002
| term_end9           = 13 June 2003
| predecessor9        = [[Barbara Roche]]
| successor9          = [[David Miliband]] (2004)
| office10            = [[Minister of State for Competitiveness|Minister of State for {{nowrap|e-Commerce}} and Competitiveness]]
| primeminister10     = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start10        = 11 June 2001
| term_end10          = 29 May 2002
| predecessor10       = [[Ian McCartney]] (1999)
| successor10         = [[Stephen Timms]]
{{collapsed infobox section end}}}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin
| last                = yes
| [[Shadow cabinet]] portfolios
| titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey}}{{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| subterm             = 2011–2015
| suboffice           = [[Shadow Foreign Secretary]]
| subterm1            = 2010–2011
| suboffice1          = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|Work and Pensions Secretary]]
| subterm2            = 2010–2010
| suboffice2          = [[Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development|International Development Secretary]]
{{collapsed infobox section end}}
}}
| office11            = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<br />for [[Lothian East]]
| term_start11        = 4 July 2024
| term_end11          = 
| predecessor11       = [[Kenny MacAskill]]
| successor11         = 
| majority11          = 13,265 (27.7%)
| office12            = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<br />for [[Paisley and Renfrewshire South]]<br />{{nobold|[[Paisley South (UK Parliament constituency)|Paisley South]] (1997–2005)}}
| term_start12        = 6 November 1997
| term_end12          = 30 March 2015
| predecessor12       = [[Gordon McMaster]]
| successor12         = [[Mhairi Black]]
<!-- Personal -->| birth_name          = Douglas Garven Alexander
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1967|10|26|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Glasgow]], Scotland
| party               = [[Labour Co-op]]
| relations           = [[Wendy Alexander]] (sister)
| education           = [[University of Edinburgh]] ([[Bachelor of Law|LLB]])
}}
'''Douglas Garven Alexander''' (born 26 October 1967) is a [[Scottish Labour Party|Scottish Labour]] politician who has served as [[Secretary of State for Scotland]] since 5 September 2025, having previously held the role from 2006 to 2007. A member of the [[Scottish Labour|Labour Party]], he has been [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Lothian East]] since 2024. He was previously MP for [[Paisley and Renfrewshire South]], formerly [[Paisley South (UK Parliament constituency)|Paisley South]], from 1997 to 2015 and served as [[Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster]], [[Transport Secretary]] and [[International Development Secretary]] in the cabinets of [[Tony Blair]] and [[Gordon Brown]].

Alexander was first elected at the [[1997 Paisley South by-election]]. In 2001, he was appointed by [[Tony Blair]] as [[Minister of State for Competitiveness|Minister of State for {{nowrap|e-Commerce}} and Competitiveness]] in the [[Department of Trade and Industry (United Kingdom)|Department of Trade and Industry]]. He was [[Minister of State for the Cabinet Office]] from 2002 to 2003. In 2003, he was promoted to [[Minister for the Cabinet Office]] and [[Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster]]. In 2004, he was appointed [[Minister of State for Trade]]. Following the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], he was appointed [[Minister of State for Europe]] and made a member of the [[Privy Council (United Kingdom)|Privy Council]]. During this period, he started attending [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|cabinet]]. In 2006, he was appointed to serve jointly as both [[Secretary of State for Scotland]] and [[Secretary of State for Transport]]. In 2007, when [[Gordon Brown]] became Prime Minister, he appointed Alexander as [[Secretary of State for International Development]].

After Labour lost the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]] Alexander co-chaired [[David Miliband]]'s [[2010 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|leadership]] campaign. When [[Ed Miliband]] became the party's leader, Alexander was elected to the [[Shadow cabinet]] and was made the [[Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions]]. He held this position until a 2011 reshuffle, when he was appointed [[Shadow Foreign Secretary]]. In October 2013, he was appointed by Miliband as the party's chair of general election strategy. In [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]], he lost his seat to 20 year-old [[Mhairi Black]] of the [[Scottish National Party]], in what was one of the worst results for Labour; with forty seats lost to the SNP nationwide.

In December 2022, Alexander sought out a return to Parliament by applying to be Labour's parliamentary candidate for [[Lothian East (UK Parliament constituency)|East Lothian]], held by the [[Alba Party]]'s [[Kenny MacAskill]]. He won the selection to stand for the [[Labour and Co-operative parties]] in the constituency in February 2023 and was elected as the MP for the redrawn Lothian East constituency in July 2024.

==Early life and career==
Alexander was born in [[Glasgow]], the son of Joyce Oliver Alexander (née Garven), a doctor, and Douglas Niven Alexander, a [[Church of Scotland]] minister.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|date=2007-12-01|title=Alexander, Rt Hon. Douglas (Garven), (born 26 Oct. 1967), PC 2005|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-5212|journal=Who's Who|language=en|publisher=Oxford University Press|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.5212|isbn=978-0-19-954088-4|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Much of his childhood was spent in [[Bishopton, Renfrewshire|Bishopton]] in [[Renfrewshire]]. Alexander attended his local comprehensive school [[Park Mains High School]] in [[Erskine, Renfrewshire|Erskine]], also in Renfrewshire, from where he joined the Labour Party as a schoolboy in 1982.

In 1984 he won a Scottish scholarship to attend [[Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific]] in Canada, where he gained the [[International Baccalaureate Diploma]], returning to Scotland to study politics and modern history at the [[University of Edinburgh]]. He spent 1988/89, the third of his four undergraduate years, at the [[University of Pennsylvania]] as part of the exchange scheme between the two universities. When studying in America, he worked for [[Michael Dukakis]] during the [[1988 United States presidential election|1988 American presidential election campaign]], and also worked for a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] [[United States Senate|senator]] in [[Washington DC]]. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a first-class degree in 1990.<ref name=":0" />

In 1990, Alexander worked as a speech writer and parliamentary researcher for [[Shadow Cabinet|Shadow]] [[Department of Trade and Industry (United Kingdom)|Trade and Industry]] Secretary [[Gordon Brown]]. He returned to [[Edinburgh]] to study for an [[LLB]] at the University of Edinburgh, where he won the Novice Moot Trophy and graduated with distinction in 1993. He then qualified as a Scottish [[solicitor]]. On qualifying as a solicitor, he worked for a firm of solicitors in Edinburgh that provided legal services to Trade Union members and specialised in industrial injury cases.

==Political career==

===Perth and Kinross===
Whilst still studying in 1995 and with friends in the local [[Constituency Labour Party]] and the backing of his mentor shadow chancellor Gordon Brown, he was selected to be The Labour Party in Scotland candidate at the [[1995 Perth and Kinross by-election|Perth and Kinross by-election]] caused by the death of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP [[Nicholas Fairbairn]]. The by-election in the highly volatile Tory seat of Perth and Kinross came in the middle of the [[John Major]] government and was won by [[Roseanna Cunningham]] of the [[Scottish National Party]], but Alexander received enough votes to push the Conservative candidate into third place. It was a seat where Labour had never previously done particularly well, and the result, which saw Labour overtake the Conservatives and move up to second place, broke several post war election records.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Douglas Alexander|url=http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/douglas-garven-alexander|access-date=2020-08-13|website=politics.co.uk|language=en}}</ref> This brought him to the attention of party leader [[Tony Blair]], and shortly after his defeat by the SNP he was welcomed at The Labour Party in Scotland Conference in the [[Eden Court Theatre]] in [[Inverness]] where he spoke immediately before Blair in the critical debate on abolition of [[Clause IV]] of the [[Labour Party Constitution]].

When the Perth and Kinross constituency was abolished, Alexander was chosen to be the Labour candidate in the newly drawn [[Perth (UK Parliament constituency)|Perth constituency]] at the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]]. Once again, Labour achieved a further swing with Alexander securing 24.8% share of the vote compared to 22.9% achieved during the [[1995 Perth and Kinross by-election|1995 by-election]], though pushed into third place.

===Member of Parliament===
On 28 July 1997, [[Gordon McMaster]], the Labour Member of Parliament for [[Paisley South (UK Parliament constituency)|Paisley South]], committed suicide. Alexander, who grew up in [[Renfrewshire]], was chosen to contest the [[1997 Paisley South by-election|by-election]] and he was elected to serve as the Member of Parliament for Paisley South on 6 November 1997. In June 2001 he was returned to Westminster with an increased majority. Following the general election in May 2005 Alexander was re-elected, becoming MP for the new constituency of [[Paisley and Renfrewshire South]], as well as promoted to Minister of State for Europe attending Cabinet at the Foreign Office. At the 2010 General Election Alexander was re-elected for Paisley and Renfrewshire South with a majority of 13,232 votes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://electionresults.parliament.uk/election/2005-05-05/results/Location/Constituency/Paisley%20and%20Renfrewshire%20South|title=Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Constituency) 2005 results – General election results – UK Parliament}}</ref> He lost his seat to 20-year-old [[Mhairi Black]] of the [[Scottish National Party]] at the general election on 8 May 2015 with a swing against him of 26.9%.

===Minister of state===
Alexander took a successful co-ordinating role in his party's campaign for the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 general election]]. He was rewarded by [[Tony Blair]] and was appointed [[Minister of State for Competitiveness|Minister of State for {{nowrap|e-Commerce}} and Competitiveness]] at the [[Department of Trade and Industry (United Kingdom)|Department of Trade and Industry]] in June 2001. In May 2002, Alexander was transferred to the [[Cabinet Office]] as Minister of State.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page7468.asp |title=No. 10 – Douglas Alexander MP |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20050509192112/http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page7468.asp |archive-date=9 May 2005}}</ref> As Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, Alexander oversaw the work of the government's Strategy Unit, the Central Office of Information, and the [[Civil Service]].

In June 2003 Alexander was promoted to [[Minister for the Cabinet Office]] and [[Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster]], and in September 2004 was moved to [[Minister of State for Trade]] at both the [[Department of Trade and Industry (United Kingdom)|Department of Trade and Industry]] and the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]].

===Cabinet minister===
[[File:Douglas Alexander at the India Economic Summit 2008.jpg|thumb|right|Alexander at the India Economic Summit, 2008]] 
Following the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], he was given the role of [[Minister of State for Europe]], part of the Foreign Office, with special provision to attend [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]]. During the United Kingdom's [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union]], he contributed directly to successful negotiations on agreement of the [[Multiannual Financial Framework]]. On 7 June 2005, he was made a Member of the [[Privy Council (United Kingdom)|Privy Council]].

On 5 May 2006, he was appointed [[Secretary of State for Transport]] and, simultaneously, [[Secretary of State for Scotland]], replacing [[Alistair Darling]]. On 10 August 2006, Alexander was helicoptered by the [[Royal Air Force]] from Scotland to London to join Home Secretary [[John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan|John Reid]], in leading the UK Government's response to the [[2006 transatlantic aircraft plot]] and attend meetings of [[Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms|COBRA]], the government emergencies committee.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2006-08-10|title=Parties 'united' over terror plot|language=en-GB|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4778713.stm|access-date=2020-08-01}}</ref> He worked with police, Intelligence Agencies, the Airlines and the [[US Department of Homeland Security]].

During his time as Scottish Secretary, Alexander oversaw the running of the [[2007 Scottish Parliament election]]. Following [[Gordon Brown]]'s appointment as [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] on 27 June 2007, he appointed Douglas Alexander as [[Secretary of State for International Development]]. During this time Alexander served as a governor of the [[World Bank]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=2009 Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors|url=http://documents.vsemirnyjbank.org/curated/ru/819621468139191970/pdf/549450BR0SecM2101Official0Use0Only1.pdf|website=The World Bank Group}}</ref> the [[African Development Bank]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=List of the New Governors and Alternate Governors Recorded by the Bank in February 2009|url=https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Images/Maps/List%20of%20Governors%20and%20Alternate%20Governors%20as%20at%2028%20February%202009.pdf|website=afdb.org}}</ref> the [[Inter-American Development Bank]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Inter-American Development Bank Annual Report 2007|url=https://issuu.com/idb_publications/docs/anreports_en_21078|access-date=2020-08-01|website=Issuu|date=4 March 2008 |language=en}}</ref> the [[Caribbean Development Bank]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Annual Report 2007|url=https://www.caribank.org/sites/default/files/publication-resources/2007-AR.pdf|access-date=29 May 2021|website=caribank.org}}</ref> and the [[Asian Development Bank]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Asian Development Bank & United Kingdom (Fact Sheet)|url=https://www.think-asia.org/bitstream/handle/11540/5821/united%20kingdom.pdf?sequence=1|website=think-asia.org}}</ref>

===Election campaign roles===
Alexander took a central role in the first [[Scottish Parliament]] elections in 1999 which saw [[Donald Dewar]] elected as the first [[First Minister of Scotland]]. Alexander is credited with devising the strategy for the campaign, including the successful 'Divorce is an Expensive Business' messaging unveiled at the Labour Party in Scotland Conference in Glasgow (March 1999).<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hassan|first=Gerry|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hTurBgAAQBAJ&q=divorce+is+an+expensive+business+scottish+1999+elections+douglas&pg=PA93|title=Strange Death of Labour Scotland|date=2012-06-20|publisher=Edinburgh University Press|isbn=978-0-7486-5555-7|language=en}}</ref> Labour secured 56 seats under the Proportional Representation system, nine short of an overall majority, and agreed to enter a coalition with the 17-strong Liberal Democrats to form the first Government in the newly established [[Scottish Parliament]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=A short history of Scottish Parliament elections, 1999–2011|url=https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/short-history-scottish-parliament-elections-1999-2011-1477518|access-date=2020-08-13|website=scotsman.com|date=3 May 2016 |language=en}}</ref> Alexander also coordinated Labour's successful 2001 General Election Campaign which resulted in another Labour landslide and the Party winning 413 of the 659 seats available: securing a 167-seat majority in the House of Commons.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Vote 2001 {{!}} Results & Constituencies|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/results_constituencies/default.stm|access-date=2020-08-13|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Alexander was appointed by [[Tony Blair]] to Labour's National Executive Committee in 2003 and was appointed by [[Gordon Brown]] to be Labour's General Election Coordinator for the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]] campaign. This campaign saw the first televised Leaders' debates,<ref>{{Cite news|date=2010-04-10|title=Why leaders have never debated on TV|language=en-GB|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/8612153.stm|access-date=2020-08-13}}</ref> and Alexander was part of the core team preparing [[Gordon Brown]] for each debate, as well as devising the strategy and messaging for the campaign across the UK which would ultimately deny [[David Cameron]]'s Conservatives a Majority in May 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC NEWS {{!}} Election 2010 {{!}} Results {{!}} United Kingdom – National Results|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/|access-date=2020-08-13|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Later in that year Alexander accepted the role as co-chair of [[David Miliband]]'s campaign for the [[2010 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|leadership of the Labour party]].<ref name=ft-20150305>{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/9c82ee68-c0dd-11e4-9949-00144feab7de |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/9c82ee68-c0dd-11e4-9949-00144feab7de |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Labour poll general Douglas Alexander faces dire SNP threat |first=Jim |last=Pickard |newspaper=Financial Times |date=5 March 2015 |access-date=27 April 2017}}</ref><ref name=newstatesman-20100604>{{cite news |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2010/06/elder-miliband-alexander-david |title=Why Douglas chose David, not Ed |first=Jon |last=Bernstein |newspaper=New Statesman |date=4 June 2010 |access-date=27 April 2017}}</ref> He subsequently was [[Ed Miliband]]'s chair of general election strategy for the Labour [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]] campaign.<ref name=ft-20150305/><ref name=guardian-20150603>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jun/03/undoing-of-ed-miliband-and-how-labour-lost-election |title=The undoing of Ed Miliband – and how Labour lost the election |first=Patrick |last=Wintour |newspaper=The Guardian|date=3 June 2015 |access-date=27 April 2017}}</ref>

===Opposition to antisemitism===
In September 2012 Alexander gave an interview to the ''[[Evening Standard]]'' newspaper criticising [[Ken Livingstone]]'s [[2012 London mayoral election|election campaign]] and calling out anti-Semitic comments made by the former London Mayor. He said Livingstone paid the "deserved price" when he lost the London mayoral election.<ref>{{cite news |title=Douglas Alexander: I blame Ken for losing to Boris. He paid a deserved price for errors he made |first=Joe |last=Murphy |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/douglas-alexander-i-blame-ken-for-losing-to-boris-he-paid-a-deserved-price-for-errors-he-made-8189690.html |work=[[Evening Standard]]|location=London |date=28 September 2012 |access-date=22 October 2012}}</ref> Alexander said: "Ken's campaign too often looked like the past rather than the future and when I saw his remarks about the Jewish community in London in particular, I didn't just think it was ill-advised, I thought it was wrong".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-09-28|title=Douglas Alexander: I blame Ken for losing to Boris. He paid a deserved|url=http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/douglas-alexander-i-blame-ken-for-losing-to-boris-he-paid-a-deserved-price-for-errors-he-made-8189690.html|access-date=2020-08-13|work=Evening Standard|location=London|language=en}}</ref> Livingstone hit back on [[Twitter]], saying the Shadow Foreign Secretary "represents a failed [[New Labour]] project that lost millions of votes". He also invited him to discuss the issue on his radio show.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/29708/alexander_sparks_ken_row.html |title=Alexander sparks Ken row |work=PoliticsHome |publisher=[[Dods Parliamentary Communications]] |location=London |access-date=22 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131145510/http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/29708/alexander_sparks_ken_row.html |archive-date=31 January 2013 }}</ref>

Alexander has been a vocal critic of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party and is a supporting member of one of the oldest socialist societies affiliated to the Party: the [[Jewish Labour Movement]]. In 2011, Alexander was among the first to publicly condemn [[Paul Flynn (British politician)|Paul Flynn]], the Labour MP for [[Newport West (UK Parliament constituency)|Newport West]] for his comments regarding the religion of Britain's first Jewish ambassador to Israel.<ref>{{Cite web|date=1 December 2011|title=Chilling words|url=https://www.thejc.com/comment/leaders/chilling-words-1.29761|access-date=2020-08-13|website=thejc.com}}</ref> Alexander, who at the time was serving as Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary, said in response to Flynn's comments about Ambassador [[Matthew Gould]] that: "The faith of any British diplomat is irrelevant to their capability to their job. To make suggestions otherwise is wrong and offensive".<ref>{{Cite web|date=1 December 2011|title=Jewish envoy not loyal to UK, says Labour MP|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/jewish-envoy-not-loyal-to-uk-says-labour-mp-1.29760|access-date=2020-08-13|website=thejc.com}}</ref>

===Public speeches===
[[File:Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in conversation with the BBC's Martha Kearney (12342016944).jpg|thumb|right|Alexander (right) in January 2014]] 
On 29 June 2010, five years after the [[Make Poverty History]] March in Edinburgh, Alexander gave a speech to the Labour Campaign for International Development about the progress made towards achieving the Gleneagles Summit Goals and on the future of International Development.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-07-01|title=Read Douglas Alexander's speech to LCID|url=https://lcid.org.uk/2010/07/01/read-douglas-alexanders-speech-to-lcid/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Labour Campaign for International Development|language=en}}</ref>

On 12 October 2011, Alexander delivered the Andrew John Williamson Memorial Lecture, at Stirling University. In his lecture entitled: "A Better Nation?" A Personal Reflection on Scotland's Future. Alexander explored the difference between the political ideologies of nationalism and socialism and outlined a strategy for Scottish Labour to reclaim the mantel of devolution and successfully defeat the campaign for Scottish separation.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Douglas Alexander: we must tell an alternative story to beat the SNP|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13041777.douglas-alexander-we-must-tell-an-alternative-story-to-beat-the-snp/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=HeraldScotland|date=13 October 2011 |language=en}}</ref>

On 17 January 2013, in a speech to the foreign policy think-tank [[Chatham House]], Alexander outlined his support for the UK to remain a [[Member state of the European Union|full member state of the European Union]] but would not support a [[Federal Europe|federal United States of Europe]].<ref>[http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/2959/labour-party-says-no-to-a-united-states-of-europe Labour Party says no to a United States of Europe] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120041111/http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/2959/labour-party-says-no-to-a-united-states-of-europe |date=20 January 2013 }}</ref>

On 3 May 2013, Alexander delivered the 4th [[Judith Hart]] Memorial Lecture for which he received a lot of media attention for addressing the issue of Scottish Independence ahead of the referendum to be held the following year.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-05-13|title=Judith Hart Remembered|url=https://lcid.org.uk/2013/05/13/judith-hart-remembered/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Labour Campaign for International Development|language=en}}</ref> Alexander paid tribute to Judith Hart's "strong sense of solidarity" advocating for Scotland to vote to remain part of the United Kingdom, saying: "Walking away from others has never been our way – walking with others has been our heritage and to my mind should be our future".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Alex|first=Douglas|date=2013-05-03|title=Walking with others, not walking away from them|url=https://labourhame.com/walking-with-others-not-walking-away-from-them/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Labour Hame|language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Expenses controversy===
During the [[United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal|2009 MP expenses scandal]], Alexander was one of three Labour ministers who "quietly repaid more £50,000 in expenses". It emerged he had repaid more than £12,000 that he had previously claimed in expenses on his taxpayer-funded second home while also receiving income from a tenant at the same home. This represented double-funding for his second home and was against the expenses rules.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8108315.stm |title=MPs pay back £500,000 in expenses |publisher=BBC |date=2009-06-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/three-labour-ministers-repay-pound50000-of-expenses-to-fees-office-75m5fhxkjxv |title=Three Labour ministers repay £50,000 of expenses to Fees Office |work=The Times |date=2009-06-20}}</ref>

==Career outside Parliament==
After leaving public office, Alexander became a Fisher Family Fellow at [[Harvard University]] where he served as a Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs (2016–2022). He has served as a Fellow in the Institute of Politics at the [[University of Chicago]] (2016),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.uchicago.edu/story/adrian-talbott-appointed-executive-director-uchicago-institute-politics |title=UChicago news| author=Peters, Mark (19 July 2017)|date=19 July 2017 }} access date 8 March 2025</ref> and as a visiting professor at New York University (Abu Dhabi) (2020-2024). He also served as a visiting professor at [[King's College London]]'s Policy Institute (2015-2024). In November 2015 Alexander started working as a senior advisor to [[Bono]], helping secure investment to tackle global poverty.<ref name=ft-20151129>{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/6babdf24-96b7-11e5-95c7-d47aa298f769 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/6babdf24-96b7-11e5-95c7-d47aa298f769 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=U2's Bono hires Douglas Alexander as adviser |first=Jim |last=Pickard |newspaper=Financial Times |date=29 November 2015 |access-date=27 April 2017}}</ref><ref name=heraldscotland-20151129>{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14110762.Guess_who_Douglas_Alexander_has_as_a_new_BFF______It_s_Bono/ |title=Guess who Douglas Alexander has as a new BFF? ... It's Bono |first=Peter |last=Swindon |newspaper=The Herald |location=Scotland |date=29 November 2015 |access-date=27 April 2017}}</ref> In March 2016 Alexander joined the [[Pinsent Masons]] law firm as a "strategic advisor".<ref name=thelawyer-20160301>{{cite news |url=https://www.thelawyer.com/issues/online-march-2016/pinsents-appoints-former-labour-mp-douglas-alexander-as-brexit-adviser/ |title=Pinsents appoints former Labour MP Douglas Alexander as Brexit adviser |author=Jonathon Manning |newspaper=The Lawyer |date=1 March 2016 |access-date=13 October 2016}}</ref><ref name=heraldscotland-20160302>{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14313137.Ousted_MP_Douglas_Alexander_takes_job_with_legal_firm/ |title=Ousted MP Douglas Alexander takes job with legal firm |first=Daniel |last=Sanderson |newspaper=The Herald |location=Scotland |date=2 March 2016 |access-date=27 April 2017}}</ref>

He served as a Council Member on the [[European Council on Foreign Relations]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=London Office – UK Members of the Council {{!}} ECFR|url=https://www.ecfr.eu/london/council|access-date=2020-08-13|website=ecfr.eu}}</ref> a Trustee of the [[Royal United Services Institute]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alexander|url=https://rusi.org/people/alexander|access-date=2020-08-13|website=RUSI|language=en}}</ref> and Chair of the Programme Committee at The Ditchley Foundation<ref>{{Cite web|title=Think new things, make new connections {{!}} Ditchley Foundation|url=https://www.ditchley.com/|access-date=2022-01-12|website=ditchley.com}}</ref> (2024).

===Broadcasting===
Alexander has written and presented programmes for BBC Radio 4 including: the documentary: "A Culture of Encounter" (2017), in which Alexander brought together experts and community organisations to explore the cultural, economic, and political polarising forces in society.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Culture of Encounter|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09dxz1b|access-date=2020-08-13|publisher=BBC}}</ref> He also authored and presented the three part "Belonging" series (2018) comprising these episodes: 'Old Ties',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001d9y|title=BBC Radio 4 – Belonging, Old Ties|publisher=BBC}}</ref> 'New Bonds',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001hkk|title=BBC Radio 4 – Belonging, New Bonds|publisher=BBC}}</ref> and 'Tomorrow's Stories'.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Belonging, Tomorrow's stories|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001l7h|access-date=2020-08-13|publisher=BBC}}</ref> This series, in which Alexander explored the erosion of class, religion and security in society to explain why the ties that previously gave so many a shared sense of belonging have weakened, was nominated by BBC Radio 4 for the International URTI Radio Grand Prix (31st edition) Prize for Public Service Media and Social Networks.<ref>{{Cite web|title=News {{!}} URTI|url=http://www.urti.org/news/grand-prix-radio-2019-en|access-date=2020-08-13|website=urti.org}}</ref>

At the end of 2019 Alexander authored and presented a programme called: A Guide to Disagreeing Better.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Guide to Disagreeing Better|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000cn12|access-date=2020-08-13|publisher=BBC}}</ref> This programme was broadcast in January 2020 and explores why public discourse has become so ill-tempered and lacking in respect. Alexander interviews a range of contributors with personal tales about how to disagree better. The programme received widespread news coverage.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Perraudin|first=Frances|date=2019-12-30|title=Head of Radio 4 to put focus on programmes about 'solutions'|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/dec/30/head-of-radio-4-to-put-focus-on-programmes-about-solutions|access-date=2020-08-13|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Alex|first1=Douglas|last2=er|title=Douglas Alexander: Here's a New Year's resolution, let's agree to disagree... but better|url=https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/n291219-douglas/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=The Sunday Post|date=30 December 2019 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Ahead of COP26<ref>{{Cite web|title=UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) at the SEC – Glasgow 2021|url=https://ukcop26.org/|access-date=2022-01-12|website=UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) at the SEC – Glasgow 2021|language=en-GB}}</ref> in 2021, Alexander authored and presented a further BBC Radio 4 programme called 'Glasgow: Our Last Best Hope',<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Radio 4 – Glasgow: Our Last Best Hope?|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0010pv9|access-date=2022-01-12|publisher=BBC|language=en-GB}}</ref> an essential guide to COP26, its hope of success and what the transition to net zero could mean for Glaswegians and all of us, with contributions from John Kerry,<ref>{{Cite web|title=John Kerry|url=https://www.state.gov/biographies/john-kerry/|access-date=2022-01-12|website=United States Department of State|language=en-US}}</ref> Christian Figueres,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Christiana Figueres|url=http://christianafigueres.com/#/|access-date=2022-01-12|website=christianafigueres.com}}</ref> Mark Carney and Alok Sharma.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/alok-sharma|access-date=2022-01-12|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}</ref>

In May 2022, Alexander authored and presented ''Connections'' which examined whether recent crises, including the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] and [[Russo-Ukrainian War]], have helped bring people together or driven them apart.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 – Connections |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0016h3z |access-date=2022-08-25 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Bullying claims while chair of UNICEF UK===

Douglas Alexander served as chair of the board of trustees for UNICEF UK from June 2018 to September 2020. Alexander stepped down as chair in September 2020 following accusations of bullying by then-executive director Sasha Deshmukh, although he had the support of the board.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murray |first1=Jessica |title=Unicef UK chair Douglas Alexander resigns amid bullying allegations |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/sep/24/unicef-uk-chair-douglas-alexander-resigns-amid-bullying-allegations |access-date=25 January 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=24 September 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-24|title=Unicef UK chief quits after bullying claims against chairman|url=http://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/sep/24/unicef-uk-chief-sacha-deshmukh-resigns-over-boards-inaction-on-bullying-claims-by-chair-douglas-alexander|access-date=2020-09-24|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Andy Ricketts|date=2020-09-23|title=Unicef UK chief resigns after raising bullying claims against chair|url=http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/article/1695198|access-date=2020-09-24|website=thirdsector.co.uk}}</ref> A review by [[Morgan, Lewis & Bockius]] which reported in January 2021 described the bullying allegations made by Deshmukh as "unsubstantiated", and in respect of complaints made by three other employees, said that although Alexander's manner "did cause some discomfort and upset to the three employees", that "when viewed objectively, it did not amount to bullying".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murray |first1=Jessica |title=Former Unicef UK chair Douglas Alexander cleared of bullying |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jan/08/former-unicef-uk-chair-douglas-alexander-cleared-bullying |access-date=25 January 2021 |work=The Guardian|date=8 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=External Review – Summary of Review Findings |url=https://downloads.unicef.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Unicef-UK-External-Review-Summary-of-Findings.pdf |publisher=[[Morgan, Lewis & Bockius]] |access-date=25 January 2021}}</ref>

=== University of Edinburgh ===
In August 2021, Alexander was a General Court Assessor at the University of Edinburgh Court,<ref>{{Cite web|title=University Court|url=https://www.ed.ac.uk/strategic-planning/governance/university-court|access-date=2022-01-12|website=The University of Edinburgh|language=en}}</ref> his alma mater (2021-2024). Alexander was a member of the University of Edinburgh Court, the university's highest governing body, and the General Council Business Committee and the Policy and Resources Committee.

== Return to Parliament ==
===Ministry appointment===
In December 2022, Alexander sought out a return to Parliament by applying to be Labour's parliamentary candidate for [[East Lothian (UK Parliament constituency)|East Lothian]] which at the time was the party's #1 target seat in Scotland, held by the [[Alba Party]]'s [[Kenny MacAskill]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Crerar |first=Pippa |date=20 December 2022 |title=Ex-minister Douglas Alexander plans return as Labour MP |url=https://theguardian.com/politics/2022/dec/20/douglas-alexander-labour-east-lothian |access-date=20 December 2022 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> He won the selection to stand for Labour in the constituency in February 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/feb/13/douglas-alexander-on-comeback-trail-after-labour-selection-win|website=The Guardian|access-date=13 February 2023|date=13 February 2023|last=Adu|first=Alethea|title=Douglas Alexander on comeback trail after Labour selection win}}</ref> He won the seat and was re-elected to Parliament for the first time as a [[Labour Co-op]] MP in July 2024.<ref>{{cite web |date=5 July 2024 |title=Douglas Alexander Returns to Parliament |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crgl37y6d08o |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=BBC News}}</ref> He was subsequently appointed [[Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security]] on 6 July <ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Ministerial Appointments: July 2024 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-july-2024 |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Topping |first=Alexandra |date=2024-07-07 |title=Familiar faces but not all from politics: meet the surprise Labour ministers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/07/familiar-faces-but-not-all-from-politics-meet-the-surprise-labour-ministers |access-date=2024-07-16 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security – GOV.UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state--172 |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=www.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref> and appointed [[Minister of State]] in the [[Cabinet Office]] on 10 February 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minister of State in the Cabinet Office – GOV.UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state--185 |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=www.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref> 

===Secretary of State for Scotland (2025–)===

During the [[2025 British cabinet reshuffle]], he was appointed to succeed [[Ian Murray (Scottish politician)|Ian Murray]] as [[Secretary of State for Scotland]] on 5 September 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lennon |first=Holly |date=5 September 2025 |title=Douglas Alexander replaces Ian Murray after Scottish secretary sacked |url=https://news.stv.tv/politics/scottish-secretary-sacked-as-starmer-reshuffles-cabinet-in-wake-of-rayner-resignation |access-date=5 September 2025 |work=STV News}}</ref>

==Publications==
Alexander has written numerous pieces for publication in national newspapers in the UK and the USA including ''[[The New York Times]]'',<ref>{{Cite news|last=Alexander|first=Douglas|date=2006-03-24|title=Opinion {{!}} A tale of two elections|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/opinion/a-tale-of-two-elections.html|access-date=2020-08-13|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-03-21|title=Op-Ed: Brexit would hurt U.S.|url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0321-alexander-brexit-dangers-20160321-story.html|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref> ''[[The Guardian]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|title=Douglas Alexander |url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/douglasalexander|access-date=2020-08-13|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> and ''[[The Boston Globe]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Alex|first=Douglas|date=2 November 2017|title=Britain should right a historic wrong and recognize the state of Palestine – The Boston Globe|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2017/11/01/britain-should-right-historic-wrong-and-recognize-state-palestine/yZPSLbBlryQmH8dbjlJ5zN/story.html|access-date=2020-08-13|website=BostonGlobe.com|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Alexander|first=Douglas|date=28 March 2017|title=The EU-UK divorce begins – The Boston Globe|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2017/03/27/the-divorce-begins/eYOqETNmHGrqQomAgcPlhJ/story.html|access-date=2020-08-13|website=BostonGlobe.com|language=en-US}}</ref>

He has contributed to, authored and edited several books: "New Scotland New Britain" (1999),<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Scotland, New Britain|url=http://www.smith-institute.org.uk/book/new-scotland-new-britain/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Smith Institute|language=en-US}}</ref> "Europe in a Global Age" (2005),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Europe in a Global Age|url=https://fpc.org.uk/publications/europe-in-a-global-age/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=The Foreign Policy Centre|language=en-US}}</ref> "Serving a Cause, Serving a Community" (2006),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Serving a Cause, Serving a Community by Douglas Alexander, Dr. Stella Creasy {{!}} Waterstones|url=https://www.waterstones.com/book/serving-a-cause-serving-a-community/douglas-alexander/dr-stella-creasy/9781841801650|access-date=2020-08-13|website=waterstones.com|language=en}}</ref> "Renewing our offer not retracing our steps", The Purple Book (2011),<ref>{{Cite book|last=Philpot|first=Robert|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eeytAwAAQBAJ&q=%E2%80%9CRenewing+our+offer+not+retracing+our+steps%E2%80%9D%2C+The+Purple+Book+%282011%29&pg=PT22|title=The Purple Book|date=2011-09-23|publisher=Biteback Publishing|isbn=978-1-84954-210-4|language=en}}</ref> "Influencing Tomorrow: Future Challenges for British Foreign Policy (2013),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Influencing Tomorrow: future challenges for British foreign policy|url=https://www.europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/influencing-tomorrow-future-challenges-for-british-foreign-policy/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=europeanleadershipnetwork.org|language=en-GB}}</ref> and "Britain in a complex world", Why Vote Labour 2015: The Essential Guide (2014)<ref>{{Cite book|last=Jarvis|first=Dan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VuufBAAAQBAJ&q=%E2%80%9CBritain+in+a+complex+world%E2%80%9D%2C+Why+Vote+Labour+2015%3A+The+Essential+Guide+%282014%29&pg=PT133|title=Why Vote Labour 2015: The Essential Guide|date=2014-09-18|publisher=Biteback Publishing|isbn=978-1-84954-808-3|language=en}}</ref> and "Rethink: How We Can Make A Better World" (2021), a collection of essays focused on a global 'reset moment' with leading international figures giving glimpses of a better future after the pandemic including contributions from Pope Francis, Niall Ferguson, [[Samantha Power]] and Paul Krugman.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rajan |first=Amol |title=Rethink : leading voices on life after crisis and how we can make a better world |date=2021 |isbn=978-1-78594-717-9 |location=London |oclc=1263746390}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Douglas married Jacqueline Christian in 2000, and together they have a daughter and a son. His sister, [[Wendy Alexander]], was also involved in politics as an [[Member of the Scottish Parliament|MSP]] until 2011 and briefly as the [[Scottish Labour|Leader of the Labour Party]] in the [[Scottish Parliament]] until she resigned in 2008. His father, a Church of Scotland minister, conducted the funeral of the inaugural [[First Minister of Scotland]], [[Donald Dewar]] at [[Glasgow Cathedral]] in 2000.<ref name=":0" /> He is the great-nephew of [[Cecil Frances Alexander]].<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC Two – The Truth About Christmas Carols|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00gbgt3|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

He is a member of the [[Fabian Society]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-ministers-interests/list-of-ministers-interests-november-2024-html |website=[[UK Government]] |access-date=3 September 2025}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*Torrance, David, ''The Scottish Secretaries'' (Birlinn 2006)

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090210033447/http://douglasalexander.org.uk/ Douglas Alexander MP] ''official site''
*[http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1094235854169 Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP] at the Foreign Office
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050309235329/http://www.consumer.gov.uk/ministers/ministers/alexander.html Douglas Alexander] at the Department of Trade and Industry
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100430231256/http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-DFID/Our-organisation1/Minister-biographies/Douglas-Alexander/ Douglas Alexander] at Dfid{{UK MP links | parliament = mr-douglas-alexander/632 | hansard = mr-douglas-alexander | hansardcurr = 3629 | guardian = 48/douglas-alexander | publicwhip = Douglas_Alexander | theywork = douglas_alexander | record = Douglas-Alexander/Paisley-and-Renfrewshire-South/966 | bbc = 25705.stm | journalisted = douglas-alexander }}
*[https://archive.today/20110604124320/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2090-2370049,00.html Steering safely down the middle], Gillian Bowditch interview in ''[[The Sunday Times Scotland]]'', 24 September 2006
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100628044755/http://yourdemocracy.newstatesman.com/profile/douglas-alexander Douglas Alexander] profile in ''The New Statesman''

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Douglas}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh School of Law]]
[[Category:Chancellors of the Duchy of Lancaster]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Paisley constituencies]]
[[Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:People educated at a United World College]]
[[Category:People educated at Park Mains High School]]
[[Category:People from Bishopton, Renfrewshire]]
[[Category:Politicians from Glasgow]]
[[Category:Scottish Labour MPs]]
[[Category:Scottish Labour politicians]]
[[Category:Scottish solicitors]]
[[Category:Secretaries of state for Scotland]]
[[Category:Secretaries of state for transport (UK)]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1997–2001]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2001–2005]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2005–2010]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2010–2015]]
[[Category:New Labour]]
[[Category:One Nation Labour]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2024–present]]
[[Category:Labour Co-operative MPs for Scottish constituencies]]
[[Category:Members of the Fabian Society]]