View source for Politics of Scotland

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox political system
| name                          = Politics of Scotland 
| native_name                   = Poilitigs na h-Alba
| image                         = Coat of arms of the United Kingdom in Scotland.svg
| image_size                    = 230px 
| caption                       = The [[Coat of Arms of Scotland|coat of arms]] as used in Scotland 
| type                          = [[Scottish devolution|Devolved parliamentary legislature]] within a [[constitutional monarchy]]
| constitution                  =
| legislature                   = [[Scottish Parliament]]
| legislature_type              = [[Unicameral]]
| legislature_place             = [[Scottish Parliament Building|Holyrood]] 
| legislature_speaker           = [[Alison Johnstone]]
| legislature_speaker_title     = [[Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament|Presiding Officer]]
| upperhouse                    =
| upperhouse_speaker            =
| upperhouse_speaker_title      =
| upperhouse_appointer          = 
| lowerhouse                    =
| lowerhouse_speaker            =
| lowerhouse_speaker_title      =
| lowerhouse_appointer          =
| title_hos                     = [[Monarchy in the United Kingdom|Monarch]]
| current_hos                   = {{Current UK monarch |Charles III}}
| appointer_hos                 = 
| title_hog                     = [[First Minister of Scotland|First Minister]]
| current_hog                   = [[John Swinney]]
| appointer_hog                 = Monarch 
| title_hosag                   = 
| current_hosag                 =
| appointer_hosag               =
| cabinet                       = [[Scottish Cabinet]]
| current_cabinet               = [[Swinney government]] 
| cabinet_leader                = [[First Minister of Scotland|First Minister]]
| cabinet_deputyleader          = [[Deputy First Minister of Scotland|Deputy First Minister]]
| cabinet_appointer             = The [[Monarchy in the United Kingdom|Monarch]]
| cabinet_hq                    = [[St. Andrew's House]], [[Edinburgh]] 
| cabinet_ministries            = 30 
| judiciary                     = [[Scots law]] 
| judiciary_head                = The [[Lord Advocate]] 
| courts                        = [[Scottish courts]] 
| court                         = [[Supreme Courts of Scotland]] 
| chief_judge                   = [[Paul Cullen, Lord Pentland|Lord Pentland]]
| court_seat                    = [[Parliament House, Edinburgh]]
| court1                        = [[Court of Session]]
| chief_judge1                  = Lord Pentland
| court_seat1                   = Parliament House
| court2                        = [[High Court of Justiciary]]
| chief_judge2                  = Lord Pentland
| court_seat2                   = Parliament House <br/> [[Justiciary Building, Edinburgh|Justiciary Building]] (Edinburgh) <br/> [[Justiciary Buildings, Glasgow|Justiciary Building]] (Glasgow) <br/> [[Aberdeen Sheriff Court Annex and High Court of Justiciary|Mercatgate]], (Aberdeen)
| civil_service                 = [[Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government]]
| leader_cs                     = [[Joe Griffin (civil servant)|Joe Griffin]]
| chief_cs                      = 
| membership_cs                 = [[Directorates of the Scottish Government]]
| auditory                      =
| leader_auditory               =
| chief_auditory                =
| membership_auditory           = 
}}
{{PoliticsScotland}}

The '''politics of Scotland''' ({{langx|gd|Poilitigs na h-Alba}}) operate within the [[constitution of the United Kingdom]], of which [[Scotland]] is a [[Constituent countries of the United Kingdom|country]]. Scotland is a democracy, being represented in both the [[Scottish Parliament]] and the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] since the [[Scotland Act 1998]]. Most [[executive power]] is exercised by the [[Scottish Government]], led by the [[First Minister of Scotland|first minister of Scotland]], the [[head of government]] in a [[multi-party system]]. The [[judiciary of Scotland]], dealing with [[Scots law]], is independent of the legislature and the Scottish Government, and is headed by the [[Lord Advocate]] who is the principal legal adviser to the Scottish Government.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lord Advocate: role and functions |url=https://www.gov.scot/publications/lord-advocate-role-and-functions/ |website=www.gov.scot |access-date=8 November 2024 |language=en |date=23 October 2024}}</ref> Scots law is primarily determined by the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government shares limited executive powers, notably over reserved matters, with the [[Scotland Office]], a [[British government department]] led by the [[Secretary of State for Scotland]].

The [[Kingdom of Scotland]] entered a fiscal and political union with the [[Kingdom of England]] with the [[Acts of Union 1707]], by which the [[Parliament of Scotland]] was abolished along with [[Parliament of England|its English counterpart]] to form the [[Parliament of Great Britain]], and from that time Scotland has been represented by members of the [[House of Commons]] in the [[Palace of Westminster]]. The Scottish Parliament was re–convened in 1999, as a result of the [[Scotland Act 1998]] and the preceding [[1997 Scottish devolution referendum]], held under the [[Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Act 1997]].

The issues of [[Scottish nationalism]] and [[Scottish independence]] are prominent political issues in the early 21st century. When the [[Scottish National Party]] formed a [[majority government]] after the [[2011 Scottish Parliament election]] and passed the [[Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013]], the British parliament concluded the [[Edinburgh Agreement (2012)|Edinburgh Agreement]] with the Scottish Government, enabling the [[2014 Scottish independence referendum]]. The referendum was held on 18 September 2014, with 55.3% voting to stay in the United Kingdom and 44.7% voting for independence.

== History ==
{{Further|History of Scotland|Parliament of Scotland|Kingdom of Scotland|Treaty of Union}}
===Kingdom of Scotland===

The unified kingdoms of [[Dál Riata]], [[Kingdom of Cat|Cat]], [[Cé (Pictish territory)|Cé]], [[Fortriu]], [[Fife|Fib]], [[Kingdom of Strathclyde|Strathclyde]], [[Kingdom of Galloway|Galloway]], [[Northumbria]] and the [[Earldom of Orkney]] became the [[Kingdom of Scotland]], an independent [[sovereign state]] which existed until the signing of the [[Treaty of Union]] in 1707 with the [[Kingdom of England]]. The unified Kingdom of Scotland retained some of the ritual aspects of Pictish and Scottish kingship. These can be seen in the elaborate ritual coronation at the [[Stone of Scone]] at [[Scone Abbey]].<ref name="Webster1997pp45-7">{{Cite book |last=Webster |first=Bruce |title=Medieval Scotland: the Making of an Identity |date=1997 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |isbn=978-0-33-356761-6 |ol=992284M |pages=45–47}}</ref> While the Scottish monarchy in the Middle Ages was a largely itinerant institution, [[Scone, Scotland|Scone]] remained one of its most important locations, with royal castles at [[Stirling Castle|Stirling]] and [[Perth Castle|Perth]] becoming significant in the later Middle Ages before [[Edinburgh]] developed as a capital city in the second half of the 15th century.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Atlas of Scottish History to 1707 |date=1996 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |isbn=978-0-95-039041-3 |editor-last=McNeill |editor-first=Peter G. B. |ol=8475784M |editor-last2=MacQueen |editor-first2=Hector L. |editor-link2=Hector MacQueen |pages=14–15}}</ref>

The Crown was the most important element of government in the Kingdom of Scotland despite the many royal [[minor (law)|minorities]]. In the late Middle Ages, it saw much of the aggrandisement associated with the New Monarchs elsewhere in Europe.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mackie |first=John Duncan |title=A History of Scotland |date=1978 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-192756-5 |editor-last=Lenman |editor-first=Bruce |edition=1991 reprint |location=London |ol=38651664M |author-link=John Duncan Mackie |orig-date=1964 |editor-last2=Parker |editor-first2=Geoffrey}}</ref> Theories of [[constitutional monarchy]] and resistance were articulated by Scots, particularly [[George Buchanan]], in the 16th century, but James VI of Scotland advanced the theory of the [[divine right of kings]], and these debates were restated in subsequent reigns and crises. The court remained at the centre of political life, and in the 16th century emerged as a major centre of display and artistic patronage, until it was effectively dissolved with the [[Union of the Crowns]] in 1603.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Thomas |first=Andrea |title=The Renaissance |date=2012}} in {{Cite book |title=The Oxford Handbook of Modern Scottish History |date=2012 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-162433-9 |ol=26714489M |editor-last=Devine |editor-first=Tom M. |editor-link=Tom Devine |editor-last2=Wormald |editor-first2=Jenny |editor-link2=Jenny Wormald |pages=200–202}}</ref>

The [[Parliament of Scotland]] also emerged as a major legal institution, gaining an oversight of taxation and policy.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The History of the Scottish Parliament |date=2004 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |isbn=978-0-74-861485-1 |editor-last=Brown |editor-first=Keith M. |editor-link=Keith Brown (linguist) |volume=1: Parliament and Politics, 1235–1560 |ol=7964055M |editor-last2=Tanner |editor-first2=Roland J. |editor-last3=Mann |editor-first3=Alfred K. |pages=1–28}}</ref> By the end of the Middle Ages it was sitting almost every year, partly because of the frequent royal minorities and regencies of the period, which may have prevented it from being sidelined by the monarchy.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wormald |first=Jenny |title=Court, Kirk, and Community: Scotland, 1470–1625 |date=1991 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |isbn=978-0-74-860276-6 |series=The New History of Scotland |ol=7963781M |author-link=Jenny Wormald |page=21}}</ref> In the early modern era, Parliament was also vital to the running of the country, providing laws and taxation, but it had fluctuating fortunes and was never as central to the national life as its counterpart in England.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mitchison |first=Rosalind |title=A History of Scotland |date=2002 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-41-527880-5 |edition=3rd |location=London |ol=3952705M |author-link=Rosalind Mitchison |orig-date=1982 |page=128}}</ref>

===Treaty of Union===
{{main|Treaty of Union}}
{{see|Acts of Union 1707}}
[[File:ParliamentHouse18thcenturyEdinburgh.jpg|thumb|left|The pre-union [[Kingdom of Scotland]]'s government met at [[Parliament House, Edinburgh]]]] 

The signing of the [[Treaty of Union]] in 1707 with the [[Kingdom of England]] ended both Scotland and England's political independence, unifying both countries into a new state known as the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]]. The [[Parliament of Scotland]], the Kingdom of Scotland's legislature situated at [[Parliament House, Edinburgh]], was merged with the [[Parliament of England]] to establish the new [[Parliament of Great Britain]] which would be based in [[London]].<ref name="The articles, constitution and trade"/>

Following the ratification of the Treaty of Union, Parliament House became the seat of the [[Supreme Courts of Scotland]] in which it remains today. Under the terms of the Treaty of Union, various elements of independence from England was retained for Scotland, such as a separate [[Education in Scotland|education]] and [[Scots law|legal system]] (including the Scottish court system – [[Court of Session]] and [[High Court of Justiciary]]) as was the countries [[Church of Scotland|church and religion]]. Additionally, the [[Crown of Scotland]] and the [[Honours of Scotland]] were to remain in Scotland, as were all parliamentary and other official records.<ref name="The articles, constitution and trade">{{cite web |title=The Articles, constitution and trade |url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/legislativescrutiny/act-of-union-1707/overview/the-articles-constitution-and-trade/ |website=parliament.uk |access-date=7 November 2024}}</ref>

Until 1832, Scottish politics remained very much in the control of landowners in the country, and of small cliques of merchants in the [[burgh]]s. Agitation against this position through the [[Friends of the People Society]] in the 1790s met with [[Lord Braxfield]]'s explicit repression on behalf of the landed interests.<ref>{{cite book|author=Buchan, James|url=https://archive.org/details/crowdedwithgeniu00buch/page/338|title=Crowded with Genius|publisher=Harper Collins|year=2003|isbn=0-06-055888-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/crowdedwithgeniu00buch/page/338 338]|url-access=registration}}</ref> The [[Scottish Reform Act 1832]] rearranged the constituencies and increased the electorate from under 5,000 to 65,000.<ref>{{cite book|author=Lynch, Michael|url=https://archive.org/details/scotlandnewhisto0000lync/page/391|title=Scotland: A New History|publisher=Pimlico|year=1992|isbn=0-7126-9893-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/scotlandnewhisto0000lync/page/391 391]}}</ref> The [[Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1868]] extended the electorate to 232,000 but with "residential qualifications peculiar to Scotland".<ref>Lynch (1992), p416</ref> However, by 1885 around 50% of the male population had the vote, the [[secret ballot]] had become established, and the modern political era had started.

===Liberal and Labour Party dominance===

From 1885 to 1918 the [[Liberal party (UK)|Liberal Party]] almost totally dominated Scottish politics. Only in the [[1931 United Kingdom general election|general election]] of 1931 and the [[1955 United Kingdom general election|general election]] of 1955 did the [[Unionist Party (Scotland)|Unionist Party]], together with their [[National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)|National Liberal]] and [[Conservative Party (UK)]] allies, win a majority of votes.

Following the [[1918 United Kingdom general election|coupon election of 1918]], [[1922 United Kingdom general election|1922]] saw the emergence of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] as a major force, and replacing the Liberals as one of the two dominant parties. [[Red Clydeside]] elected a number of Labour MPs. A [[Communist Party of Great Britain|Communist]] was elected for [[Motherwell (UK Parliament constituency)|Motherwell]] in [[1924 United Kingdom general election|1924]], but in essence the 1920s saw a 3-way fight between Labour, the Liberals and the Unionists. The [[National Party of Scotland]] contested their first seat in 1929. It merged with the centre-right [[Scottish Party]] in 1934 to form the [[Scottish National Party]], but the SNP remained a peripheral force until the watershed [[1967 Hamilton by-election|Hamilton by-election]] of 1967.

The Communists won [[West Fife]] in [[1935 United Kingdom general election|1935]] and again in [[1945 United Kingdom general election|1945]] ([[Willie Gallacher (politician)|Willie Gallacher]]) and several [[Glasgow]] Labour MPs joined the [[Independent Labour Party]] in the 1930s, often defeating the official Labour candidates by wide margins.

The [[UK National Government|National Government]] won the vast majority of Scottish seats in [[1931 United Kingdom general election|1931]] and [[1935 United Kingdom general election|1935]]. The [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]], banished to the [[Highlands and Islands]], no longer functioned as a significant force in [[Central Belt|central Scotland]].

In 1945, the [[Scottish National Party|SNP]] saw its first MP ([[Robert McIntyre (politician)|Robert McIntyre]]) elected at the [[1945 Motherwell by-election|Motherwell by-election]], but had little success during the following decade. The [[Independent Labour Party|ILP]] members rejoined the Labour Party, and Scotland now had in effect a two-party system.

=== Devolution ===
{{main|Scottish devolution}}
{{see|1979 Scottish devolution referendum|1997 Scottish devolution referendum|Scotland Act 1998}}
{{multiple image
 | align = right
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 | image1 = John Swinney - First Minister (53720492021) (cropped).jpg
 | alt1 = First Minister
 | caption1 = [[John Swinney]], [[First Minister of Scotland|First Minister]] since May 2024

 | image2 = Kate Forbes - 53727242856 (cropped).jpg
 | alt2 = Kate Forbes 
 | caption2 = [[Kate Forbes]], [[Deputy First Minister of Scotland|Deputy First Minister]] since May 2024

 | footer = The First Minister is the head of the [[Scottish Government]] and is supported by the Deputy First Minister
}}

[[Devolution in the United Kingdom|Devolution]] refers the process by which powers to legislate and govern are transferred from the UK Parliament in Westminster to a range of sub-UK level bodies, such as [[Local government in England|metro areas]] and the [[countries of the United Kingdom]]. Since the re–establishment of the [[Scottish Parliament]], all matters have been devolved to that body by default, except those matters explicitly reserved to Westminster, and Westminster does not by convention legislate on devolved matters which are the responsibility of both the Scottish Parliament and [[Scottish Government]], except by consent.

In Scotland, matters devolved to the Scottish Parliament exclusively include [[Scots law|justice and law]], [[Police Scotland|police]] and prisons, [[Local government in Scotland|local government]], [[NHS Scotland|health]], [[Education in Scotland|education]], housing and student support, social welfare, [[Economy of Scotland|the economy]], food safety and standards, planning policy, economic development, agriculture and rural affairs, [[Culture of Scotland|culture]], [[Tourism in Scotland|tourism]], the arts and [[Sport in Scotland|sport]]. A number of other matters are shared such as some elements of transport (the Scottish Government is responsible for the majority of Scotland's transportation network), public pension and taxation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Devolved and Reserved Powers |url=https://www.parliament.scot/about/how-parliament-works/devolved-and-reserved-powers |website=www.parliament.scot |access-date=7 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref> The Scottish Government receives a funding allocation from the UK Government, calculated under the [[Barnett Formula]], but it does also have its own tax resources. 

Subsequently, the Scotland Acts of [[Scotland Act 2012|2012]] and [[Scotland Act 2016|2016]] transferred powers over [[Taxation in Scotland|some taxation]] including [[Income tax in Scotland|Income Tax]], [[Land and Buildings Transaction Tax]], [[Scottish Landfill Tax|Landfill Tax]], Aggregates Levy and [[Air Departure Tax]], [[Drunk driving law by country|drink driving limits]], [[Elections in Scotland|Scottish Parliament and local authority elections]], some [[Social Security Scotland|social security powers]], the [[Crown Estate Scotland|Crown Estate of Scotland]], some aspects of the benefits system, some aspects of the [[Energy in Scotland|energy network in Scotland]] including [[Renewable energy in Scotland|renewable energy]], energy efficiency and onshore [[Oil industry in Scotland|oil and gas licensing]], some aspects of equality legislation in Scotland and gaming machine licensing.<ref name="Devolved Matters in Scotland">{{cite web| url=https://www.gov.scot/about/what-the-government-does/| title=What the Scottish Government does| publisher=Scottish Government| access-date=8 August 2019| archive-date=8 July 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708045359/https://www.gov.scot/about/what-the-government-does/| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Devolved and Reserved Powers |url=https://www.parliament.scot/about/how-parliament-works/devolved-and-reserved-powers |website=Parliament.scot |publisher=Scottish Parliament |access-date=28 December 2023}}</ref>

The programmes of legislation enacted by the Scottish Parliament have seen the divergence in the provision of [[public services]] compared to the rest of the United Kingdom.<ref>"[http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/DevolvedAdministrations/DG_4007267 Devolved services in Scotland] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080818130234/http://direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/DevolvedAdministrations/DG_4007267|date=18 August 2008}}" direct.gov.uk Retrieved 12 April 2008.</ref> While the costs of a [[Scottish universities|university]] education, and [[care services for the elderly]] are free at point of use in Scotland, fees are paid in the rest of the UK. Scotland was the first country in the UK to [[ban smoking]] in public places, with the ban effective from 26 March 2006.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4845260.stm Scotland begins pub smoking ban], ''[[BBC News Online]]'', 26 March 2006</ref> Also, on 19 October 2017, the Scottish government announced that smacking children as punishment was to be banned in Scotland, the first nation of the UK to do so.

In a further divergence from the rest of the [[United Kingdom]] from 1 January 2021 all [[Scottish Law|Scottish legislation]] will be legally required to keep in regulatory alignment in devolved competences with future [[European Union law]] following the end of the Brexit transition period which ended on 31 December 2020 after the Scottish Parliament passed the [[UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2020]] despite the United Kingdom no longer being an [[EU member state]].<ref>{{cite news|date=23 December 2020|title=MSPs pass Brexit bill to 'keep pace' with EU laws|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-55396311|access-date=26 December 2020}}</ref>

===Future constitutional status===
{{main|Proposed second Scottish independence referendum|Building a New Scotland|Bute House Agreement}}
[[File:Scottish independence rally 2018 Anarchist Banner.jpg|thumb|A pro-independence rally in Scotland in 2018]]
[[File:Building a New Scotland An Independent Scotland in the EU (53344432301).jpg|thumb|right|[[Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture]] [[Angus Robertson]], at the launch of ''An independent Scotland in the EU'', November 2023]] 

A large debate in modern Scottish politics is over the constitutional status of Scotland. One common proposal is for the [[independence of Scotland]] from the UK; this would mean Scotland would once again become a [[sovereign state]]. There was an [[independence referendum in 2014]] in which Scottish residents voted to remain within the United Kingdom, however this debate has been reignited due to the Brexit process, with the Scottish Government calling for a [[Proposed second Scottish independence referendum|second independence referendum]]. This position is supported by the SNP and Scottish Greens, among other groupings. Independence advocates propose that independence would resolve a democratic deficit for Scottish voters and allow Scotland to rejoin the EU. Opponents argue that Scotland would be worse off economically after independence. 

In 2022, the [[Scottish Government]] under [[First Minister of Scotland]] [[Nicola Sturgeon]] launched the first paper in a series of independence prospectuses entitled ''[[Building a New Scotland]]''. The publication is a series of papers published by the Scottish Government that seeks to lay out a prospectus for [[Scottish independence]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Ward |date=June 13, 2020 |title=Nicola Sturgeon to publish 'Building a New Scotland' paper on independence |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/20207012.nicola-sturgeon-publish-building-new-scotland-paper-independence/ |website=[[The National (Scotland)|The National]]}}</ref> The Scottish Government had previously proposed holding an [[Proposed second Scottish independence referendum|independence referendum]] on 19 October 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-06-28 |title=Scottish independence: 19 October 2023 proposed as date for referendum |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-61968607 |access-date=2022-07-13}}</ref> On 7 September 2021, Nicola Sturgeon stated that she would resume the case for independence and restart work on a prospects for independence.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Glenn |date=7 September 2021 |title=Scottish government to restart work on case for independence |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-58478187 |website=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> On 13 June 2022, Nicola Sturgeon published the first independence paper.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 June 2022 |title=Sturgeon to unveil first paper in Scotland's 'updated independence prospectus' |url=https://www.times-series.co.uk/news/national/20207178.sturgeon-unveil-first-paper-scotlands-updated-independence-prospectus/ |website=[[The Times]]}}</ref> On 14 July 2022, Nicola Sturgeon published the second independence paper.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Webster |first=Laura |date=14 July 2022 |title=Nicola Sturgeon to publish next paper in Scottish independence prospectus today |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/20277172.nicola-sturgeon-publish-next-paper-scottish-independence-prospectus-today/ |website=[[The National (Scotland)|The National]]}}</ref> As of March 2024, a total of ten papers had been published.<ref>{{cite web |title=Building a new Scotland |url=https://www.gov.scot/newscotland/ |website=www.gov.scot |publisher=Scottish Government |access-date=17 February 2024}}</ref>

Other proposals include more devolution for Scotland, supported by the SNP in lieu of full independence. Under the pressure of growing support for Scottish independence, a policy of [[devolution]] had been advocated by all three [[Great Britain|GB]]-wide parties to some degree during their history (although Labour and the Conservatives have also at times opposed it). This question dominated the Scottish political scene in the latter half of the twentieth century with [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] leader [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]] describing the revival of a Scottish parliament as the "settled will of the Scottish people".<ref>Cavanagh, Michael (2001) ''[http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/aspect/docs/aspectcampaigns.htm The Campaigns for a Scottish Parliament]''. University of Strathclyde. Retrieved 12 April 2008.</ref>

===Timeline of significant events===
====1950s====
* [[1950 United Kingdom general election|1950]]: The Liberals won two seats – [[Jo Grimond]] winning [[Orkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency)|Orkney and Shetland]]. The Liberals continue to hold Orkney and Shetland to the present day.
* [[1951 United Kingdom general election|1951]]: Labour and the Unionists won 35 seats each, the Liberals losing one seat.
* [[1955 United Kingdom general election|1955]]: The Unionists won a majority of both seats and votes. They have not won a majority of seats at a general election in Scotland since. The SNP came second in [[Perth and Kinross (UK Parliament constituency)|Perth and Kinross]].
* [[1959 United Kingdom general election|1959]]: In contrast to England, Scotland swung to Labour, which scored four gains at the expense of the Unionists and winning 38 out of 71 seats in Scotland. This marked the start of 56 years of political domination of Scottish seats in the UK Parliament by Labour. This also marked the start of a trend which in less than 40 years saw the Unionists' Scottish representation at Westminster reduced to zero. The election was the last occasion when the Unionists won the popular vote in Scotland: their merger with the Conservative Party of [[England]] and [[Wales]] in 1965, to become the [[Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party]] began a long, steady decline in their support.

====1960s====

* [[1964 United Kingdom general election|1964]]: There was a substantial swing to Labour, giving them 44 of Scotland's 71 seats. The Liberals won four seats, all in the [[Scottish Highlands|Highlands]]. 
* 1965: [[David Steel]] won the [[1965 Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles by-election|Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles by-election]] for the Liberals.
* [[1966 United Kingdom general election|1966]]: Labour gained 2 more seats and the Liberals made a net gain of 1. The SNP garnered over 100,000 votes and finished second in 3 constituencies.
* 1967: The SNP did well in the [[1967 Glasgow Pollok by-election|Glasgow Pollok by-election]]. Nonetheless, the Conservative and Unionist candidate won. However, in the subsequent [[1967 Hamilton by-election|Hamilton by-election]] [[Winnie Ewing]] won a decisive victory.

====1970s====

* 1970: The SNP performed poorly in local elections and in the [[1970 South Ayrshire by-election|Ayrshire South by-election]]. The [[1970 United Kingdom general election|general election]] saw a small swing to the Conservatives & Unionists, but Labour won a majority of seats in Scotland. The SNP made little progress in central Scotland, but took votes from the Liberals in the Highlands and in north east Scotland, and won the [[Western Isles]].
* 1971–73: The SNP did well in by-elections, [[Margo MacDonald]] winning [[1973 Glasgow Govan by-election|Glasgow Govan]].
* 1974: In the two general elections of 1974 (in [[February 1974 United Kingdom general election|February]] and [[October 1974 United Kingdom general election|October]]) the SNP won 7 and then 11 seats, their share of the vote rising from 11% in 1970 to 22% and then 30%. With the Labour Party winning the October 1974 election by a narrow margin of 3 seats, the SNP appeared in a strong position.
* 1974–79: Devolution dominated this period: the Labour government attempted to steer through devolution legislation, based on the recommendations of the [[Kilbrandon Commission]], against strong opposition, not least from its own backbenchers. Finally a [[1979 Scottish devolution referendum|referendum]], whilst producing a small majority in favour of an elected [[Scottish Assembly]], failed to achieve a turnout of 40% of the total electorate, a condition set in the legislation. At the [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979 general election]], the SNP fared poorly, falling to 17% of the vote and 2 seats. Labour did well in Scotland, but in the United Kingdom as a whole [[Margaret Thatcher]] led the Conservatives to a decisive victory, where Labour would spend the next 18 years in opposition.
* 1979–83: The SNP suffered severe splits as the result of the drop in support in 1979. Labour also was riven by internal strife as the [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|Social Democratic Party]] split away. Despite this, the [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983 general election]] still saw Labour remain the majority party in Scotland, with a smaller swing to the Conservatives than in England. The SNP's vote declined further, to 12%, although they won two seats.

====1980s and 1990s====
[[File:Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the opening of the Scottish Parliament.jpg|thumb|right|Dewar (left) with [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] and Presiding Officer [[David Steel]] (right) at the opening of the [[Scottish Parliament]], July 1999]]

* 1987: The Labour Party did well in the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]], mainly at the expense of the Conservatives & Unionists, who were reduced to their smallest number of Scottish seats since before [[World War I]]. The SNP made a small but significant advance.
* 1988: [[Jim Sillars]] wins the [[1988 Glasgow Govan by-election|Glasgow Govan by-election]] for the SNP from Labour with 48.8% of the vote and a 3,554 lead over Labour.
* 1991: [[Nicol Stephen]] of the Liberal Democrats wins the [[1991 Kincardine and Deeside by-election]] from the Conservatives, with 49.0% of the vote and a 7,824 lead over the Conservatives.
* [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992]]: This election proved a disappointment for Labour and the SNP in Scotland. The SNP went from 14% to 21% of the vote but won only 3 seats. The Conservative and Unionist vote did not collapse, as had been widely predicted, leading to claims that their resolutely anti-devolution stance had paid dividends.
* 1995: [[Roseanna Cunningham]] wins the [[1995 Perth and Kinross by-election]] for the SNP from the Conservatives with 40.4% of the vote and a 7,311 vote lead over Labour.
* [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]]: In common with England, there was a Labour landslide in Scotland. The SNP doubled their number of MPs to 6, but the Conservatives & Unionists failed to win a single seat. Unlike 1979, Scottish voters delivered a decisive "Yes" vote in the [[1997 Scottish devolution referendum|referendum]] on establishing a [[Scottish Parliament]].
* 1999: The Scottish Parliament was established. Labour take 56 seats, SNP 35, Conservative 18, Liberal Democrats 17, and Greens and Socialists one each. A coalition of Labour and [[Scottish Liberal Democrats|Liberal Democrats]] led by [[Donald Dewar]] of Scottish Labour, took power.

====2000s====

* 2000: In October, Dewar died of a heart attack in office and was succeeded by [[Henry McLeish]] as Scottish First Minister.
* 2001: In November, McLeish stands down as First Minister following the [[Officegate]] financial scandal, and is succeeded by [[Jack McConnell]].
* 2003: In the Scottish Parliament election, Labour take 50 seats, SNP 27, Conservative 18, Liberal Democrats 17, Greens 7, Socialists 6, Independents 3 and one from the [[Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party]]. The Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition was maintained.
* 2006: [[Willie Rennie]] wins the [[2006 Dunfermline and West Fife by-election]] for the Liberal Democrats from Labour with 35.8% of the vote and an 1,800 vote lead over Labour.
* 2007: The SNP became Scotland's largest party in the [[2007 Scottish Parliament election]] and formed a minority government. [[Alex Salmond]] succeeds Jack McConnell as First Minister. The SNP had 47 seats, Labour 46, Conservatives 17, Liberal Democrats 16, Greens 2 and Socialists, independents and other parties lost all their seats.
* 2008: [[John Mason (Scottish politician)|John Mason]] wins the [[Glasgow East by-election]] for the SNP from Labour with 43.1% of the vote and a 365-vote lead over Labour.
* 2009: [[Willie Bain]] wins the [[Glasgow North East by-election]] for Labour from the Speaker with 59.4% of the vote and an 8,111 lead over the SNP.

====2010s====
[[File:Scottish Cabinet, May 2011.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Second Salmond government]] (2011–2014) was the first majority Scottish Government]]

* 2010: [[2010 United Kingdom general election]]: Labour won 41 out of 59 Scottish seats and received over 1 million votes across Scotland, despite losing 91 seats across the UK as a whole.
* 2011: In the [[2011 Scottish Parliament election]], the SNP become the first party to win an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament. The SNP won 69 seats, with 65 needed for a majority. Labour got 37, Conservatives 15, Liberal Democrats 5 and Greens 2. The Scottish leaders of Labour, the Conservatives, and the Liberal Democrats all resigned over the results.
[[File:Scottish Independence Referendum Bill (8577267846).jpg|thumb|right|[[Deputy First Minister of Scotland|Deputy first minister]] [[Nicola Sturgeon|Sturgeon]] signs the [[Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013]] allowing an [[2014 Scottish independence referendum|independence referendum in 2014]]]]
* 2014: [[2014 Scottish independence referendum|An independence referendum is held]] on whether Scotland should secede from the UK and become an independent country. Scotland votes to remain a part of the UK 55.3% to 44.7%. Alex Salmond resigns as First Minister, and is succeeded by Deputy First Minister, [[Nicola Sturgeon]].
* 2015: At the general election, the SNP won 56 out of 59 Scottish seats, winning nearly exactly 50% of the popular vote. Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats won just a single seat each.
* 2016: In May's [[2016 Scottish Parliament election]], the SNP lost their majority but remained the largest party and formed a minority government. The SNP got 63 seats, Conservatives 31, Labour 24, Greens 6 and Liberal Democrats 5. This was the first time Labour had finished third at any Scottish election since the 1918 general election.
* 2016: The UK [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|votes to leave the European Union]] 51.9% to 48.1%, however 62% of Scottish voters backed remaining in the European Union.
* 2017: At the snap UK general election on 8 June, the SNP won 35 out of the 59 Scottish seats, the Conservatives won 13, Labour won 7 and the Liberal Democrats won 4 seats. This too was the first general election in 99 years where Labour finished in third place.
* 2019: At the 2019 UK general election, the SNP won 48 out of the 59 Scottish seats, the Conservatives won 6, the Liberal Democrats won 4 and Labour won a single seat. This was the worst result for Scottish Labour since the December 1910 general election, with Labour finishing in fourth place.

====2020s====

* 2021: At the [[2021 Scottish Parliament election]] the SNP won 64 seats, Conservatives 31, Labour 22, Greens 8 (a week later lowered to 7 due to [[Alison Johnstone]] becoming Holyrood's Presiding Officer, which requires one to give up their party affiliation), and the Liberal Democrats 4. The SNP signs a co-operation agreement with the Greens and the Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie resigns.
* 2023: [[Michael Shanks (politician)|Michael Shanks]] wins the [[Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election]] for Labour from the SNP with 58.6% of the vote and an 9,446 lead over the SNP.
* 2024: The [[Scottish Labour Party]] returns as the largest party representing Scottish constituencies at the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] following the [[2024 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|2024 United Kingdom general election]], winning 37 out of 57 seats. The [[Scottish National Party]] (SNP) fell to the second largest party by representation in the House of Commons, winning 9 Scottish seats whilst losing 39 seats.<ref>{{cite web |title=Scotland election results 2024 {{!}} Constituency map |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/regions/S92000003 |website=BBC News |access-date=8 November 2024}}</ref>

==The Crown==
{{Main|Monarchy of the United Kingdom}}
{{See also|Scottish republicanism|List of Scottish monarchs|Scottish monarchy|Union of the Crowns}}
[[File:Royal Standard of the United Kingdom (in Scotland).svg|thumb|The version of the [[Royal Standard of the United Kingdom|Royal Standard]] used in Scotland]]
Scotland is governed under the framework of a [[constitutional monarchy]]. The [[head of state]] in Scotland is the [[British monarch]], currently {{Current UK monarch |King |Charles III}} (since {{Current UK monarch |ascension |year}}). Until the early 17th century, Scotland and England were entirely separate kingdoms ruled by different royal families. However, on the death of [[Elizabeth I of England]] in 1603, the then-King of Scotland [[James VI]] became James I of England, in what is known as the [[Union of the Crowns]]. However, the two monarchies remained legally separate, albeit held by the same individual.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Union of the Crowns|url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/legislativescrutiny/act-of-union-1707/overview/union-of-the-crowns/|access-date=2021-06-12|publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom|language=en}}</ref>

Scotland is no longer an independent, sovereign country, nor is it a [[Kingdom of Scotland|kingdom]] in its own right. Under the [[Union with England Act 1707]], the Kingdoms of Scotland and England have been united into "One Kingdom" (Great Britain, later the United Kingdom). A unification of Scotland and England had been debated since the Union of the Crowns, however was initially met with little enthusiasm by the administrations of both countries.<ref name=":1" />

The [[Crown of Scotland]] is still used during the monarchs first visit to Scotland following their coronation ceremony and is also present at the [[state opening]] of the [[Scottish Parliament]] alongside the remaining [[Honours of Scotland]] which the monarch attends.<ref>{{cite web |title=A guide to King Charles' Scottish crown jewels ceremony |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65457230 |website=BBC News |access-date=7 November 2024 |date=4 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC NEWS {{!}} Special Report {{!}} 1999 {{!}} 06/99 {{!}} Scottish Parliament opening {{!}} Crown returns to seat of parliament |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/06/99/scottish_parliament_opening/378157.stm |website=news.bbc.co.uk |access-date=7 November 2024}}</ref>

==Legislature==
{{main|Scottish Parliament}}
{{see|Parliament of Scotland}}

[[File:Scottish Parliament - Main Chamber (5733237026).jpg|thumb|right|A session in process in the [[Scottish Parliament]] debating chamber with the parliaments 129 MSPs sitting]] 
There are two bodies with the power to legislate for Scotland: the [[Scottish Parliament]] and the [[UK Parliament]]. Until 1999, the UK Parliament was the source of all legislation across the whole of the UK. Since then, devolution has meant that Scotland, as well as Wales and Northern Ireland, have had independent legislatures which pass laws on devolved responsibilities. The Scottish Parliament has had the power to pass [[primary legislation]] since 1999, and passed 282 Acts between then and the end of 2018. The Scottish Parliament can legislate on anything that is not reserved to the UK Parliament.<ref>{{Cite web|title=StackPath|url=https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/devolution-at-20/parliaments-and-assemblies|access-date=2021-06-12|website=instituteforgovernment.org.uk}}</ref> The UK Parliament retains the ability to legislate on any matter for any part of the UK, including in Scotland, however since 1999 the UK Parliament has followed a convention (the [[Sewel convention]]) that means it will not normally legislate on devolved matters without the Scottish Parliament's consent.<ref>{{Cite web|title=StackPath|url=https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/sewel-convention|access-date=2021-06-12|website=instituteforgovernment.org.uk}}</ref>

Opposition parties include the [[Scottish Conservatives]] ([[centre-right]] to [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]], [[conservative]]), [[Scottish Labour]] ([[centre-left]], [[social democratic]]), the [[Scottish Liberal Democrats]] ([[centrist|centre]] to centre-left, [[social liberal]]), and the [[Scottish Greens]] (centre-left to [[left-wing]], [[Green politics|green]]). The [[Scottish Socialist Party]] (left-wing, [[democratic socialist]]) won a seat in the first Scottish Parliament election in 1999 and increased their number of seats to 6 in the 2003 Scottish Parliament election, but then lost their seats in the 2007 election and haven't regained representation in the Scottish Parliament since. Elections were normally held once every four years from the inception of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 to 2016 (the election scheduled for 2015 was [[2016 Scottish Parliament election#Date|delayed for one year to 2016]] after agreement by all of the main political parties). A Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 25 February 2016 and received Royal Assent on 30 March 2016 increasing the term of the Parliament to five years.<ref name="dates act">{{Cite web |title=Scottish Elections (Dates) Act 2016 |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2016/13/enacted?view=plain |access-date=7 May 2016 |publisher=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref> 73 Members are elected to represent constituencies, and the remaining 56 elected via a system of proportional representation. At Westminster, Scotland is represented by 37 MPs from the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], 9 from the [[Scottish National Party]], six from the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Liberal Democrats]], and five from the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], elected in the [[2024 United Kingdom general election]]. The Secretary of State for Scotland—currently [[Ian Murray (Scottish politician)|Ian Murray]] MP, a member of Scottish Labour—is usually a member of the House of Commons representing a constituency in Scotland.

==Scottish Government==
{{main|Scottish Government|First Minister of Scotland|Scottish cabinet}} 
[[File:Scottish Cabinet (53707539171).jpg|thumb|right|The incumbent [[Scottish cabinet]], the [[Swinney government]] (May 2024–present)]] 

Executive power in Scotland is exercised by the Sovereign (the [[Monarch of the United Kingdom|Monarch]]). The [[Scottish Government]] is responsible for all devolved matters, including, but not limited to, [[Education in Scotland|education]], [[Transport in Scotland|transport]], [[Scots law]], Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections, [[NHS Scotland|health care]], rural affairs, [[Housing in Scotland|housing]], [[Environment of Scotland|the environment]], [[Taxation in Scotland|taxation]], the [[Economy of Scotland|economy]] and [[Local government in Scotland|local government]], amongst other areas. The [[Government of the United Kingdom]] retains some limited powers of Scotland, as is responsible for reserved matters, such as deference, foreign policy and security.<ref>{{cite web |title=About the Scottish Government |url=https://www.gov.scot/about/#:~:text=The%20Scottish%20Government%20is%20the,and%20advice%2C%20transport%20and%20taxation. |website=www.gov.scot |publisher=Scottish Government |access-date=17 February 2024}}</ref> 

The reigning monarch formally appoints the [[First Minister of Scotland|first minister]] according to a nomination by the Scottish Parliament. The first minister leads the Scottish Government and appoints members to and chairs meetings of the [[Scottish Cabinet]], which consists of [[Scottish Government#Cabinet Secretaries, Junior Ministers & Law Officers|Cabinet Secretaries, Junior Ministers, and Law Officers]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Who runs government |url=https://www.gov.scot/about/who-runs-government/ |website=www.gov.scot |publisher=Scottish Government |access-date=17 February 2024}}</ref> The Scottish Government governs through [[Scottish statutory instruments]], a type of [[subordinate legislation]], and is responsible for the [[Directorates of the Scottish Government]], the [[executive agencies of the Scottish Government]], and the other [[public bodies of the Scottish Government]]. The directorates include the [[Scottish Exchequer]], the [[Economy Directorates]], the [[Health and Social Care Directorates]], and the [[Education, Communities and Justice Directorates]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Directorates |url=https://www.gov.scot/about/how-government-is-run/directorates/ |website=www.gov.scot |publisher=Scottish Government |access-date=17 February 2024}}</ref> Elected in the [[2021 Scottish Parliament election]], the [[centre-left]] pro-independence [[Scottish National Party]] (SNP) is the party which forms the devolved government; it currently holds a plurality of seats in the parliament (63 out of 129). 

[[File:Donald Dewar First Minister.jpg|thumb|left|240px|[[Donald Dewar]], the inaugural [[First Minister of Scotland|first minister]] was first to lead a Scottish Government since the [[Treaty of Union]] in 1707]]

In August 2021, the SNP and the [[Scottish Greens]] agreed terms which would see the Scottish Greens enter into a [[Confidence and supply|power sharing agreement]] with the SNP, known as the [[Bute House Agreement]]. The agreement would see the Scottish Greens form part of the Scottish Government. The Agreement details the way in which the [[Scottish Government]] and the Green Group in Parliament will work together, the appointment of Green ministers, excluded policy areas from the Agreement, [[confidence and supply]] and dispute resolution.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cooperation Agreement between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party Parliamentary Group |url=http://www.gov.scot/publications/cooperation-agreement-between-scottish-government-scottish-green-party-parliamentary-group/pages/1/ |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=www.gov.scot |language=en}}</ref> The agreement is accompanied by a shared policy programme, which sets out in detail where the two have decided to collaborate.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party – Shared Policy Programme |url=http://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-government-scottish-green-party-shared-policy-programme/ |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=www.gov.scot |language=en}}</ref> On 31 August 2021, the SNP and [[Scottish Greens]] entered a power-sharing arrangement which resulted in the appointment of two Green MSPs as junior ministers in the government, delivery of a shared policy platform, and Green support for the government on [[votes of confidence]] and [[Confidence and supply|supply]].<ref name=SNPGreendeal>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-58272209|title=SNP and Greens agree new power-sharing deal|date=19 August 2021|work=BBC News|access-date=19 August 2021|language=en}}</ref><ref name=textofSNPGreendeal>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/agreement/2021/07/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-co-operation-agreement/documents/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-parliamentary-group-draft-cooperation-agreement/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-parliamentary-group-draft-cooperation-agreement/govscot%3Adocument/SG%2BSGP%2B-%2BDraft%2BCooperation%2BAgreement%2B-%2BFINAL%2B-%2BOFFSEN.pdf|title=DRAFT COOPERATION AGREEMENT between THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT and THE SCOTTISH GREEN PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP|work=gov.scot|date=20 August 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210822040512/https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/agreement/2021/07/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-co-operation-agreement/documents/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-parliamentary-group-draft-cooperation-agreement/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-parliamentary-group-draft-cooperation-agreement/govscot:document/SG%2BSGP%2B-%2BDraft%2BCooperation%2BAgreement%2B-%2BFINAL%2B-%2BOFFSEN.pdf|archive-date=22 August 2021}}</ref> There was no agreement on oil and gas exploration, but the government now argued that it had a stronger case for a national independence referendum.<ref>{{cite news|date=20 August 2021|title=SNP and Scottish Greens confirm power-sharing deal in historic moment for Greens|last=Brooks|first=Libby|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/aug/20/snp-and-scottish-greens-expected-to-confirm-power-sharing-deal|access-date=21 August 2021|work=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> First Minister Humza Yousaf formally ended the Bute House Agreement on 25 April 2024, effectively removing the Scottish Greens from government. He claimed that the Bute House Agreement "had served its purpose" and would lead a minority Scottish Government.<ref>{{cite web |title=SNP's power-sharing agreement has 'served its purpose', Humza Yousaf says, as he scraps deal with Scottish Greens |url=https://news.sky.com/story/snp-and-scottish-greens-power-sharing-deal-ends-following-climate-target-row-13122512 |website=Sky News |access-date=26 April 2024 |language=en}}</ref> As a consequence, Yousaf faced a vote of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brooks |first1=Libby |last2=correspondent |first2=Libby Brooks Scotland |title=Humza Yousaf fights to stay on as second no confidence motion tabled |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/apr/26/humza-yousaf-vows-to-stay-on-as-scottish-first-minister-snp |website=The Guardian |access-date=26 April 2024 |date=26 April 2024}}</ref> and resigned on 7 May 2024 amidst the [[2024 Scottish government crisis|resulting government crisis]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Humza Yousaf formally resigns as Scotland's first minister |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-68968015 |website=BBC News |access-date=26 January 2025 |date=7 May 2024}}</ref> 

The first minister is conventionally the leader of the political party with the most support in the Scottish Parliament, currently [[John Swinney]] who was appointed in May 2024. [[Nicola Sturgeon]], the previous first minister, led the government since November 2014. Before Sturgeon, [[Alex Salmond]] led the SNP to an overall majority victory in the [[2011 Scottish Parliament election|May 2011 general election]]. The inaugural First Minister was [[Donald Dewar]], the leader of Scottish Labour at the time, who was Secretary of State for Scotland at its time of establishment.

=== First Ministers ===
{{main|List of first ministers of Scotland}}

* [[Donald Dewar]] (17 May 1999 – 11 October 2000)
* [[Jim Wallace]] (''Acting'') (11 October 2000 – 27 October 2000)
* [[Henry McLeish]] (27 October 2000 – 8 November 2001)
* [[Jim Wallace]] (''Acting'') (8 November 2001 – 27 November 2001)
* [[Jack McConnell]] (27 November 2001 – 16 May 2007)
* [[Alex Salmond]] (17 May 2007 – 18 November 2014)
* [[Nicola Sturgeon]] (20 November 2014 – 28 March 2023)
* [[Humza Yousaf]] (29 March 2023 – 7 May 2024)
* [[John Swinney]] (8 May 2024 – present)

=== Deputy First Ministers ===

* [[Jim Wallace]] (19 May 1999 – 23 June 2005)
* [[Nicol Stephen]] (27 June 2005 – 17 May 2007)
* [[Nicola Sturgeon]] (17 May 2007 – 19 November 2014)
* [[John Swinney]] (21 November 2014 – 28 March 2023)
* [[Shona Robison]] (29 March 2023 – 8 May 2024)
* [[Kate Forbes]] (8 May 2024 – present)

===International relations===
{{main|International relations of Scotland}}
[[File:Bush&McConnell (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|First Minister [[Jack McConnell]] with [[President of the United States|U.S. President]], [[George W. Bush]], 2005]] 

[[International relations of Scotland|Scottish international relations and foreign affairs]] conducted by the [[Scottish Government]] seek to promote [[Scotland]] and Scottish interests overseas by promoting its [[Culture of Scotland|culture]], [[Education in Scotland|education and research]], [[Economy of Scotland|economy]] and promote Scotland as a place for trade and business. As of 2023, Scotland has a total of nine Scottish Government offices, with plans on opening a further office in [[Warsaw]] by the end of the [[6th Scottish Parliament|current parliamentary term]].<ref name="Scottish Government">{{cite web |title=The role of our international network |url=https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-global-affairs-framework/pages/8/ |website=The Scottish Government |publisher=Scottish Government |access-date=15 December 2023}}</ref>

Thirty international offices of the Scottish Government currently operate in twenty countries globally.<ref name="Scottish Government" /> Scottish offices in other countries act as a mechanism to promote collaboration and engagement between the Scottish Government and other international governments. The country has eight Scottish Government international offices, and over thirty Scottish Development International offices globally, with seven Scottish Government offices based in [[List of diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom|British embassies]] or British High Commission offices.<ref>{{cite web |title=SCOTLAND'S INTERNATIONAL NETWORK ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23 |url=https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/corporate-report/2023/12/scotlands-international-network-annual-report-2022-23/documents/scotlands-international-network-annual-report-2022-23/scotlands-international-network-annual-report-2022-23/govscot%3Adocument/scotlands-international-network-annual-report-2022-23.pdf |website=The Scottish Government |publisher=Scottish Government |access-date=11 December 2023}}</ref>

Scotland has a network of nine international offices across the world, these are located in:

* [[Beijing]] (Scottish Government Beijing Office) ([[British Embassy]])
* [[Berlin]] (Scottish Government Berlin Office)
* [[Brussels]] (Scotland House Brussels)
* [[Copenhagen]] (Scottish Government Copenhagen Office)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carmichael |first=Hannah |date=26 August 2022 |title=Nicola Sturgeon visits Copenhagen to officially open a Nordic Office |work=[[The Scotsman]] |location=Edinburgh |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/nicola-sturgeon-visits-copenhagen-to-officially-open-a-nordic-office-3820160 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130121331/https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/nicola-sturgeon-visits-copenhagen-to-officially-open-a-nordic-office-3820160 |archive-date=30 November 2022}}</ref>
* [[Dublin]] (Scottish Government Dublin Office) (British Embassy)
* [[London]] (Scotland House London)
* [[Ottawa]] (Scottish Government Ottawa Office) (British High Commission)
* [[Paris]] (Scottish Government Office) (British Embassy)
* [[Washington DC]] (Scottish Government Washington DC Office) (British Embassy)<ref>{{Cite web |title=International relations |url=https://www.gov.scot/policies/international-relations |website=Scot.Gov}}</ref>

==Scottish Parliament==
{{Main|Scottish Parliament}}
[[File:Edinburgh Scottish Parliament-20110902-RM-155721.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Scottish Parliament Building]] is situated in Scotland's capital city, [[Edinburgh]]]] 
[[File:Scottish Parliament Debating Chamber 2.jpg|thumb|right|The debating chamber of the [[Scottish Parliament]]]]

The Scottish Parliament is the national, unicameral legislature of Scotland. The election of a [[First Blair ministry|Labour government]] in the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]] was followed by the [[Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Act 1997]], which legislated for the [[1997 Scottish devolution referendum]], a [[Referendums in the United Kingdom|referendum]] on establishing a devolved [[Scottish Parliament]]. 74.3% of voters agreed with the establishment of the Parliament and 63.5% agreed it should have tax-varying powers, which meant that it could adjust [[income taxes]] by up to 3%.<ref name="NY Times 1997">{{cite news|date=25 July 1997|title=London Offers Scotland Its Own Parliament, With Wide Powers|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/07/25/world/london-offers-scotland-its-own-parliament-with-wide-powers.html|access-date=24 July 2011}}</ref><ref name="ScotlandReferendum">{{cite web|title=Past Referendums – Scotland 1997|url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/referendums/Scotland1997.cfm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207062754/http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/referendums/Scotland1997.cfm|archive-date=7 December 2006|access-date=2006-11-17|publisher=The Electoral Commission}}</ref> The Parliament was then established by the [[Scotland Act 1998]].

The Scottish Parliament sits in the [[Scottish Parliament Building]] at Holyrood in [[Edinburgh]], giving it the informal name "Holyrood". In the Scottish Parliament, the inhabitants of Scotland are represented by 129 [[members of the Scottish Parliament]] (MSPs), who are elected by the [[additional member system]], a form of [[proportional representation]], by the [[Scottish Parliament constituencies and electoral regions]]. Thus the Parliament is unlike the UK Parliament, which is elected solely by the [[first past the post]] method. Of the 129 MSPs, 73 are elected to represent first past the post constituencies, whilst the remaining 56 are elected by the additional member system from eight regional lists. In the present parliament, elected in the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections, all MSPs are members of a political party and no [[Independent politician|independents]].

It enacts [[primary legislation]] through [[Acts of the Scottish Parliament]], but cannot legislate on reserved matters, as set out by the Scotland Act 1998 and amended by the [[Scotland Act 2012]] and the [[Scotland Act 2016]]; these include defence, international relations, fiscal and economic policy, drugs law and broadcasting. Anything ''not'' mentioned as a specific reserved matter is automatically devolved to Scotland, including [[NHS Scotland|health]], [[Education in Scotland|education]], [[Scottish local government|local government]], [[Scots law]] and all other issues. This is one of the key differences between the successful Scotland Act 1998 and the failed [[Scotland Act 1978]].

The [[Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament]] is the [[Speaker (politics)|speaker]] of the parliament and the ''ex officio'' head of the [[Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Q&A: Holyrood presiding officer |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/6651101.stm |website=BBC News |access-date=7 November 2024 |date=14 May 2007}}</ref> The Presiding Officers of the Scottish Parliament have been: 

* [[David Steel]] (12 May 1999–7 May 2003)
* [[George Reid (Scottish politician)|George Reid]] (7 May 2003–14 May 2007)
* [[Alex Fergusson (politician)|Alex Fergusson]] (14 May 2007–11 May 2011)
* [[Tricia Marwick]] (11 May 2011–12 May 2016)
* [[Ken Macintosh]] (12 May 2016–13 May 2021)
* [[Alison Johnstone]] (13 May 2021–''present'')

== Scots Law and Judiciary ==
{{main|Scots Law}} 
{{see|Courts of Scotland|Supreme Courts of Scotland|List of courts in Scotland|Lord Advocate|Solicitor General for Scotland|Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service}}

The [[Courts of Scotland]] administer justice in Scots law, the legal system in Scotland. The [[Lord Advocate]] is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and [[the Crown]] in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters for which [[Scottish Parliament]] has devolved responsibilities. The Lord Advocate is the chief [[public prosecutor]] for Scotland and all [[prosecution]]s on indictment are conducted by the [[Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service]], nominally in the Lord Advocate's name. 

The Lord Advocate's deputy, the [[Solicitor General for Scotland]], advises the Scottish Government on legal matters. The [[Advocate General for Scotland]] advises the British Government, and leads the Office of the Advocate General for Scotland, a British government department. The [[High Court of Justiciary]] is the superior criminal court of Scotland. The [[Court of Session]] is the highest civil court and is both a [[court of first instance]] and a court of [[appeal]]. For judicial purposes, Scotland has been divided into six [[sheriffdoms]] with [[sheriff courts]] since the reform of the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973]]. Appeals from the Court of Session are made to the [[Supreme Court of the United Kingdom]], which is also the final authority for constitutional affairs.

<gallery class="center" widths="180">
File:Official Portrait of Dorothy Bain QC 2021 (cropped).jpg|[[Dorothy Bain]] <small>[[King's Counsel|KC]]</small> <br/> [[Lord Advocate]]
File:Official Portrait of Ruth Charteris QC.png|[[Ruth Charteris]] <small>KC</small> <br/> [[Solicitor General for Scotland]]
</gallery>

==Scotland in the United Kingdom==
{{main|Treaty of Union 1707|Union of the Crowns|Scotland Office|Secretary of State for Scotland}} 
{{see|Countries of the United Kingdom}} 
[[File:Official portrait of Douglas Alexander MP crop 2, 2024.jpg|thumb|right|190px|[[Douglas Alexander]], the incumbent [[Secretary of State for Scotland]] within the [[UK Government]]]] 
===Secretary of State for Scotland===

Scotland is one of the four [[Country of the United Kingdom|countries of the United Kingdom]]. Scottish reserved affairs (powers not controlled by the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government) are managed by the [[Secretary of State for Scotland]], a role which aims to "promote the best interests of Scotland within a stronger United Kingdom" and represent Scottish interests within the UK government.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-secretary-of-state-for-scotland|access-date=2021-06-12|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}</ref> However, the Secretary of State is normally appointed by the UK Government and is from the government parties, not necessarily from the major party in Scotland. The current Secretary of State for Scotland is [[Douglas Alexander]] who was appointed to the role in September 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/douglas-alexander |website=GOV.UK |access-date=11 September 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

[[Statutory instruments]] made by the UK Government – within which the Secretary of State for Scotland is a member of the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom]] – may also apply to the whole of [[Great Britain]]. The Secretary of State for Scotland is appointed by the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]]. The Secretary of State, who prior to devolution headed the system of government in Scotland, sits in the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom]] and is responsible for the limited number of powers the office retains since devolution, as well as relations with other [[Whitehall]] Ministers who have power over [[reserved and excepted matters|reserved matters]].

The [[Scotland Office]] is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for reserved Scottish affairs. The Scotland Office, created in 1999, liaises with other [[Whitehall]] departments about reserved matters. Before devolution and the Scotland Office, much of the role of the devolved Scottish Government was undertaken by the [[Scottish Office]], the previous British ministerial department led by Scottish Secretary.

===Parliament of the United Kingdom===
{{main|House of Commons of the United Kingdom}}

Scotland is represented by [[Scottish Westminster constituencies from 2024|57 MPs]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom]] elected from territory-based [[List of UK Parliamentary constituencies in Scotland|Scottish constituencies]], out of a total of 650 MPs in the House of Commons. Various members of the [[House of Lords]] represent Scottish political parties.

The co-existence of devolution for Scotland and its continued representation in the UK Parliament, which retains full powers over matters relating to England, raised a debate known as the [[West Lothian question]]. This questions whether Scottish (and other devolved nation) representatives should continue to have a vote on affairs that do not relate directly to Scotland. This issue was exemplified in the raise in tuition fees in England in 2004. If non-English MPs, who were mostly government MPs, had not been able to vote, then the tuition fee rise would not have been able to occur, due to a rebellion on the government benches.<ref>{{cite news |date=19 November 2007 |title=The West Lothian Question: Labour MPs want answers |url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/uk/The-West-Lothian-Question-Labour.3538800.jp |url-status=dead |access-date=9 July 2013 |work=[[The Scotsman]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018140235/http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/the-west-lothian-question-labour-mps-want-answers-1-700520 |archive-date=18 October 2012}}</ref> This led to the creation in 2015 of the [[English votes for English laws]] (EVEL) process, in which Scottish MPs were not included in parts of the lawmaking process for laws that did not apply in Scotland. EVEL was abolished 2021.

==== Scottish representation in the Commons ====
{{main|List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (2024–present)|List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (2019–2024)|Lists of MPs for constituencies in Scotland}}
{{see|List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (2001–2005)|List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (1997–2001)|List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (1992–1997)|List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (1987–1992)|List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (1983–1987)|List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (1979–1983)}}

{{mw-datatable}}
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-datatable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px;float:right;"
|+General election results in Scotland (1918–Present)<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Audickas|first1=Lukas|url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7529/CBP-7529.pdf|title=UK Election Statistics: 1918–2019: A Century of Elections|last2=Cracknell|first2=Richard|last3=Loft|first3=Philip|publisher=[[House of Commons Library]]|year=2020|pages=20–21}}</ref>
! colspan="2" rowspan="3" class="unsortable"|Year
! colspan="2"|[[Scottish Conservatives]]{{efn|1918: Includes [[Coalition Conservative]]<br>1931–1935: Includes [[National Government (United Kingdom)|National government parties]]<br>1945: Includes [[National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)|National Liberal Party]] and National Independents<br>1945–1970: Includes [[National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)|National Liberal and Conservative candidates]]}}
! colspan="2"|[[Scottish Labour]]
! colspan="2"|[[Scottish National Party|Scottish National]]
! colspan="2"|[[Scottish Liberal Democrats]]{{efn|1918–1979: [[Liberal Party UK|Liberal Party]]<br>1918: Includes [[Coalition Liberals]]<br>1922: Includes [[National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)|National Liberal Party]]<br>1931: Includes [[Independent Liberals (UK, 1931)|Independent Liberals]]<br>1983–1987: [[SDP–Liberal Alliance]]<br>1992–Present: Liberal Democrats}}
|-
! colspan="2" class="unsortable" style="background:{{party color|Scottish Conservatives}};"|
! colspan="2" class="unsortable" style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
! colspan="2" class="unsortable" style="background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}};"|
! colspan="2" class="unsortable" style="background:{{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}};" |
|-
! data-sort-type="number" style="width:50px;"|Seats
! data-sort-type="number" style="width:50px;"|Votes
! data-sort-type="number" style="width:50px;"|Seats
! data-sort-type="number" style="width:50px;"|Votes
! data-sort-type="number" style="width:50px;"|Seats
! data-sort-type="number" style="width:50px;"|Votes
! data-sort-type="number" style="width:50px;"|Seats
! data-sort-type="number" style="width:50px;"|Votes
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};" |
|[[2024 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|2024]]
|5
|12.7%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;" |'''37'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''35.3%'''
|9
|30.0%
|6
|9.7%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}};"|
|[[2019 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|2019]]
|6
|25.1%
|1
|18.6%
|style="background:#FEFACD;"|'''48'''
|style="background:#FEFACD;"|'''45.0%'''
|4
|9.5%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}};"|
|[[2017 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|2017]]
|13
|28.6%
|7
|27.1%
|style="background:#FEFACD;"|'''35'''
|style="background:#FEFACD;"|'''39.6%'''
|4
|6.8%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}};"|
|[[2015 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|2015]]
|1
|14.9%
|1
|24.3%
|style="background:#FEFACD;"|'''56'''
|style="background:#FEFACD;"|'''50.0%'''
|1
|7.5%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[2010 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|2010]]
|1
|16.7%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''41'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''42.0%'''
|6
|19.9%
|11
|18.9%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[2005 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|2005]]
|1
|15.8%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''41'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''39.5%'''
|6
|17.7%
|11
|22.6%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[2001 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|2001]]
|1
|15.6%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''56'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''43.9%'''
|5
|20.1%
|10
|16.4%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[1997 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|1997]]
|0
|17.5%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''56'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''41.0%'''
|6
|22.0%
|10
|13.0%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[1992 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|1992]]
|11
|25.7%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''49'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''34.4%'''
|3
|21.5%
|9
|13.1%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[1987 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|1987]]
|10
|24.0%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''50'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''38.7%'''
|3
|14.0%
|9
|19.3%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[1983 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|1983]]
|21
|28.4%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''40'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''33.2%'''
|2
|11.8%
|8
|24.5%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[1979 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|1979]]
|22
|31.4%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''44'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''38.6%'''
|2
|17.3%
|3
|9.0%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[October 1974 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|Oct 1974]]
|16
|24.7%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''41'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''33.1%'''
|11
|30.4%
|3
|8.3%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[February 1974 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|Feb 1974]]
|21
|32.9%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''40'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''34.6%'''
|7
|21.9%
|3
|7.9%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[1979 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|1970]]
|23
|38.0%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''44'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''44.5%'''
|1
|11.4%
|3
|5.5%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[1966 United Kingdom general election|1966]]
|20
|37.6%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''46'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''47.7%'''
|0
|5.0%
|5
|6.7%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[1964 United Kingdom general election|1964]]
|24
|37.3%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''43'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''46.9%'''
|0
|2.4%
|4
|7.6%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};"|
|[[1959 United Kingdom general election|1959]]
|31
|style="background:#CCEBFF;"|'''47.3%'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''38'''
|46.7%
|0
|0.8%
|1
|4.8%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Conservatives}};"|
|[[1955 United Kingdom general election|1955]]
|style="background:#CCEBFF;"|'''36'''
|style="background:#CCEBFF;"|'''50.1%'''
|34
|46.7%
|0
|0.5%
|1
|1.9%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Conservatives}};"|
|[[1951 United Kingdom general election|1951]]
|style="background:#CCEBFF;"|'''35'''
|style="background:#CCEBFF;"|'''48.6%'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''35'''
|48.0%
|0
|0.3%
|1
|2.8%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};|
|[[1945 United Kingdom general election|1945]]
|27
|40.3%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''37'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''47.9%'''
|0
|1.3%
|0
|5.6%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Conservatives}};"|
|[[1935 United Kingdom general election|1935]]
|style="background:#CCEBFF;"|'''43'''
|style="background:#CCEBFF;"|'''49.8%'''
|20
|36.8%
|0
|1.1%
|3
|6.7%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Conservatives}};"|
|[[1931 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|1931]]
|style="background:#CCEBFF;"|'''57'''
|style="background:#CCEBFF;"|'''55.4%'''
|7
|32.6%
|0
|1.0%
|7
|8.6%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};|
|[[1929 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|1929]]
|20
|35.9%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''36'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''42.3%'''
|0
|0.2%
|13
|18.1%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Conservatives}};|
|[[1922 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|1924]]
|style="background:#CCEBFF;"|'''36'''
|40.7%
|26
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''41.1%'''
|–
|–
|8
|16.6%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};|
|[[1923 United Kingdom general election|1923]]
|14
|31.6%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''34'''
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''35.9%'''
|–
|–
|22
|28.4%
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Scottish Labour}};|
|[[1922 United Kingdom general election in Scotland|1922]]
|13
|25.1%
|style="background:#FFCCDA;"|'''29'''
|32.2%
|–
|–
|27
|style="background:#FFF7CC;"|'''39.2%'''
|-
|style="background:{{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}};"|
|[[1918 United Kingdom general election|1918]]
|30
|32.8%
|6
|22.9%
|–
|–
|style="background:#FFF7CC;"|'''33'''
|style="background:#FFF7CC;"|'''34.1%'''
|}
[[File:Scotselectionreshuffle.svg|thumb|right|250px|The effect of the [[Boundary Commission for Scotland]]'s reform and the 2005 [[2005 United Kingdom general election|general election]] upon Scottish seats]]

For UK general elections, Scotland is divided into 59 [[United Kingdom Parliament constituencies|constituencies]] of broadly equal population by the [[Scottish Boundary Commission]]. Each constituency elects a single Member of Parliament (MP), who represents the constituency in the House of Commons alongside representatives from the other countries of the UK. There are 650 MPs in total. The leader of the party or coalition that makes a majority or plurality in the Commons is typically invited by the reigning monarch to become the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] and to form a government.

Since 1945, Scottish seats have altered the final result of a general election four times. Without Scottish seats: in [[1964 United Kingdom general election|1964]], the Conservatives would have been the largest party rather than Labour; in [[February 1974 United Kingdom general election|February 1974]], the Conservatives would have been the largest party but without a majority rather than Labour; in [[October 1974 United Kingdom general election|October 1974]], Labour would no longer have won its majority and in [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]], the Conservatives would have won an outright majority and would not have needed to form a [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|coalition]] with the Liberal Democrats.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cracknell|first=Richard|date=2014-01-30|title=General Elections without Scotland, Part 1: 1945–2010|url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/general-elections-without-scotland-part-1-1945-2010/|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Until the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], Scotland elected 72 [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MPs]] from 72 single-member constituencies to serve in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]]. As this over-represented Scotland in comparison to the other parts of the UK, Clause 81 of the [[Scotland Act 1998]] equalised the [[England|English]] and Scottish electoral quota. As a result, the [[Boundary Commission for Scotland]]'s recommendations were adopted, reducing Scottish representation in the House of Commons to 59 MPs with effect from the 2005 general election. The necessary amendment to the [[Scotland Act 1998]], was passed by the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] as the [[Scottish Parliament (Constituencies) Act 2004]].

As of the 2024, the current representation of Scottish seats in the Commons, according to party allegiance, is:

* [[Scottish Labour]]: 37
* [[Scottish National Party]]: 9
* [[Scottish Liberal Democrats]]: 6
* [[Scottish Conservatives]]: 5

===== Historic representation =====
* [[List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (1955–1959)]]
* [[List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (1959–1964)]]
* [[List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (1964–1966)]]
* [[List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (1966–1970)]]
* [[List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (1970–February 1974)]]
* [[List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (February 1974–October 1974)]]
* [[List of MPs for constituencies in Scotland (October 1974–1979)]]

====Scottish Lords====
{{main|House of Lords}} 
{{see|List of current members of the House of Lords}}

In 2015, twelve of the 92 hereditary peers with seats in the [[House of Lords]] to which they are elected (from among themselves) under the [[House of Lords Act 1999]] were registered as living in Scotland, as were 49 [[life peers]] appointed under the [[Life Peerages Act 1958]], including five former [[Lords Advocate]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Campsie|first=Alison|date=11 November 2015|title=The Scottish peers, who they are, why they are there – and what they do|url=https://www.scotsman.com/regions/scottish-peers-who-they-are-why-they-are-there-and-what-they-do-1490031|access-date=2020-11-18|website=The Scotsman|language=en}}</ref> [[James Thorne Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar and 16th Earl of Kellie]], retired in 2017 having lost his seat as a hereditary peer in 1999 but regained it in 2000 as a life peer; [[Charles Lyell, 3rd Baron Lyell]] (former [[Northern Ireland Office#Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland|Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland]]) died the same year. One of the former Lords Advocate, [[Kenneth Cameron, Baron Cameron of Lochbroom]], retired from the Lords in 2016, while another, [[Donald Mackay, Baron Mackay of Drumadoon]] died in 2018. Besides these 61 peers listed in 2015 are hereditary members of the Lords living outwith Scotland, but who have titles in the Peerage of Scotland, such as [[Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar]], or Scottish titles in the peerages [[Peerage of Great Britain|of Great Britain]] or [[Peerage of the United Kingdom|of the United Kingdom]].<ref name=":0" /> Apart from these, there are also Scottish life peers with titles associated with places outside Scotland, such as [[Michelle Mone, Baroness Mone of Mayfair]].<ref name=":0" />

Political appointees include:
{{Col-begin}}{{Col-break}}
* [[Keith Stewart, Baron Stewart of Dirleton]] ([[Advocate General for Scotland]])
* [[Jack McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale]] (former first minister)<ref name=":0" />
* [[Nicol Stephen, Baron Stephen]] (former deputy first minister)
* [[Jim Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness]] (former deputy first minister, and [[Advocate General for Scotland]])
* [[Alistair Darling, Baron Darling of Roulanish]] (former [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] and Secretary of State for Scotland)<ref name=":0" />
* [[John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan]] (former [[Home Secretary]] and Secretary of State for Scotland)
* [[Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean]] (chair of the [[Economic Affairs Committee (House of Lords)|Economic Affairs Committee]], former Secretary of State for Scotland)
* [[Helen Liddell, Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke]] (former Secretary of State for Scotland)
* [[Andrew Dunlop, Baron Dunlop]] (former [[Under-Secretary of State for Scotland]])
{{Col-break}}
* [[Lynda Clark, Baroness Clark of Calton]] (former Advocate General for Scotland and member of the House of Commons)
* [[Neil Davidson, Baron Davidson of Glen Clova]] (former Advocate General for Scotland)
* [[Keith Stewart, Baron Stewart of Dirleton]] (former Advocate General for Scotland)
* [[Menzies Campbell, Baron Campbell of Pittenweem]] (former [[leader of the Liberal Democrats]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Malcolm Bruce, Baron Bruce of Bennachie]] (former [[leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats]] and [[Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats]])
* [[Annabel Goldie, Baroness Goldie]] (former [[leader of the Scottish Conservatives]])
* [[Ian Duncan, Baron Duncan of Springbank]] (former [[member of the European Parliament]] for the constituency of [[Scotland (European Parliament constituency)|Scotland]])
* [[Nosheena Mobarik, Baroness Mobarik]] (former member of the European Parliament for the constituency of Scotland)
* [[Murray Elder, Baron Elder]] (former [[General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party]])
{{Col-end}}
Former Lords Advocate include:<ref name=":0" />

* [[James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern]] (former Lord Advocate and [[Lord Chancellor]])
* [[Colin Boyd, Baron Boyd of Duncansby]] (former Lord Advocate; currently disqualified)

Scottish hereditary peers include:

* [[Thomas Galbraith, 2nd Baron Strathclyde]] (former [[Leader of the House of Lords]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Charles Hay, 16th Earl of Kinnoull]] (chair of the [[European Union Committee]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Alexander Scrymgeour, 12th Earl of Dundee]] (former member of the House of Commons and former [[lord-in-waiting]])
* [[James Lindesay-Bethune, 16th Earl of Lindsay]] (former [[Under-Secretary of State for Scotland]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose]] (former shadow minister for the [[Scotland Office]])
* [[Patrick Boyle, 10th Earl of Glasgow]]
* [[John Sinclair, 3rd Viscount Thurso]]
* [[Richard Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch]]

Between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Peerage Act 1963, peers with titles in the [[Peerage of Scotland]] were entitled to elect sixteen [[Scottish representative peers|representative peer]]s to the [[House of Lords]]. Between the 1963 Act and the [[House of Lords Act 1999]] the entire hereditary Peerage of Scotland was entitled to sit in the House of Lords, alongside those with titles in the peerages [[Peerage of England|of England]], [[Peerage of Ireland|of Ireland]], of Great Britain, and of the UK.

==Local government==
{{main|Local government in Scotland |Subdivisions of Scotland}}
{{see|Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994}}

[[File:Glasgow City Chambers The Council Chamber.jpg|thumb|Debating hall of [[Glasgow City Chambers]], seat of Glasgow's [[Glasgow City Council|City Council]]]]

For the purposes of [[local government in Scotland]], the country has been divided into 32 [[Subdivisions of Scotland#Council areas|council areas]] since the [[Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994]]. Since the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973]], which also abolished the [[shires of Scotland]], the country has been subdivided into [[Community council#Scotland|community councils]]. Though retained for statistical purposes, the [[civil parishes in Scotland]] were abolished for administrative purposes in the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929]]. Local government in Scotland is organised into 32 [[unitary authorities]]. Each [[local authority]] is [[governance|governed]] by a ''council'' consisting of elected [[councillor]]s, who are elected every five years by registered voters in each of the [[Council Areas of Scotland|council areas]]. Scottish councils co-operate through, and are represented collectively by, the [[Convention of Scottish Local Authorities]] (COSLA).

There are currently 1,227 councillors in total, each paid a part-time salary for the undertaking of their duties. Each authority elects a [[Convener]] or [[Provost (civil)|Provost]] to chair meetings of the authority's council and act as a figurehead for the area. The four main cities of Scotland, [[Glasgow]], [[Edinburgh]], [[Aberdeen]] and [[Dundee]] have a [[Lord Provost]] who is also, ''[[ex officio]]'', [[Lord Lieutenant]] for that city. There are in total 32 councils, the largest being the [[Glasgow City Council]] with more than 600,000 inhabitants, the smallest, [[Orkney Islands Council]], with fewer than 20,000 people. See [[Subdivisions of Scotland]] for a list of the council areas.

The most recent local elections in Scotland were held in [[2022 Scottish local elections|2022]] and the next local elections are scheduled for 2027.

===Community councils===
{{Main|Community council}}
Community councils represent the interests of local people. Local authorities have a statutory duty to consult community councils on planning, development and other issues directly affecting that local community. However, the community council has no direct say in the delivery of services. In many areas they do not function at all, but some work very effectively at improving their local area.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stirling Council|title=Community Council Info|url=http://www.stirling.gov.uk/services/council-and-government/politicians-elections-and-democracy/community-councils-and-assemblies/community-councils-information|work=Stirling Council Homepage|publisher=Stirling Council|access-date=8 May 2013}}</ref>

==Political parties==
{{Main|List of political parties in Scotland}}

'''Scottish National Party (SNP):''' The current party forming the [[Scottish Government]] is the [[Scottish National Party]] (SNP), which won 64 of 129 seats available in the [[2016 Scottish Parliament election|2021 Scottish Parliament election]] and 44.2% of the vote, one more seat than in 2016.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Sturge|first=Georgina|date=2021-06-13|title=Scottish Parliament Elections: 2021|url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9230/|language=en-GB}}</ref> The SNP was formed in 1934 with the aim of restoring [[Scottish independence]].<ref>{{cite web |title=SNP Party |url=https://www.christiansinpolitics.org.uk/snp-party |website=Christians in Politics |access-date=2 April 2024}}</ref> They are broadly [[centre-left]] and are in the [[Europe]]an [[social-democratic]] mould. They are the largest party in the Scottish Parliament and have formed the Scottish Government since the [[2007 Scottish Parliament election]].

'''Scottish Conservatives and Unionist Party:''' The Unionist Party was allied with the UK Conservative Party until 1965, when the [[Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party]] was formed. The Conservatives then entered a long-term decline in Scotland, culminating in their failure to win any Scottish seats in the [[1997 UK election]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ascherson |first1=Neal |title=Scotland's a conservative country. But Scottish Tories are held back by London HQ |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/16/scotland-tory-party-will-thrive-is-boris-johnson-and-england-are-jettisoned |website=The Observer |access-date=2 April 2024 |date=16 January 2022}}</ref> At the four subsequent UK elections ([[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001]], [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005]], [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]] and [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]]) the Conservatives won only one Scottish seat.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mitchell |first1=James |title=The 2001 general election: The view from Scotland |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00344890108523186 |journal=Representation |access-date=2 April 2024 |pages=243–248 |language=en |doi=10.1080/00344890108523186 |date=December 2001|volume=38 |issue=3 |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Conservatives hail lone success |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/vote_2005/scotland/4519915.stm |website=BBC |access-date=2 April 2024 |date=6 May 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Election 2015: SNP wins 56 of 59 seats in Scots landslide |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-scotland-32635871 |website=BBC News |access-date=2 April 2024 |date=7 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Scottish Conservatives approve new constitution |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-14865454 |website=BBC News |access-date=2 April 2024 |date=10 September 2011}}</ref> The party enjoyed a revival of fortunes in the [[2016 Scottish Parliament election]], winning 31 seats and finishing in second place. In the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections, they got 22.8% of the vote, winning 31 seats again.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Sturge|first=Georgina|date=2021-06-13|title=Scottish Parliament Elections: 2021|url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9230/|language=en-GB}}</ref> The Conservatives are a [[centre-right]] party.

'''Scottish Labour Party:''' In the course of the twentieth century, [[Scottish Labour]] rose to prominence as Scotland's main political force.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hassan |first1=Gerry |last2=Shaw |first2=Eric |title=The Strange Death of Labour Scotland |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3366/j.ctt1r26zn |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |access-date=2 April 2024 |date=2012|jstor=10.3366/j.ctt1r26zn |isbn=978-0-7486-4001-0 }}</ref> The party was established to represent the interests of workers and trade unionists. From 1999 to 2007, they operated as the senior partners in a coalition Scottish Executive. They lost power in 2007 when the SNP won a plurality of seats and entered a period of dramatic decline,<ref>{{Cite book|title=The UK's Changing Democracy: The 2018 Democratic Audit|last=Harvey|first=Malcolm|publisher=LSE Press|year=2018|isbn=978-1-909890-44-2|chapter=Scotland: devolved government and national politics|doi=10.31389/book1.t|s2cid=158102633}}</ref> losing all but one of their seats in the [[2015 UK election]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Election 2015 - BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2015/results/scotland |website=www.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2 April 2024}}</ref> and falling to third place in the [[2016 Scottish election]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carrell |first1=Severin |last2=Brooks |first2=Libby |title=SNP win stops short of majority as Scottish Labour finishes third |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/06/scottish-labour-facing-third-place-after-collapse-in-vote |website=The Guardian |access-date=2 April 2024 |date=6 May 2016}}</ref> The [[2017 UK election]] produced a mixed result for the party as it gained six seat and increased its vote by 2.8% but the party came in third behind the [[Scottish National Party|SNP]] and [[Scottish Conservatives]]. In the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections, they got 19.8% of the vote, winning 22 seats.<ref name=":2" />

'''Liberal Democrats:''' The [[Scottish Liberal Democrats]] were the junior partners in the 1999 to 2007 coalition Scottish Executive. The party has lost much of its electoral presence in Scotland since the UK Liberal Democrats entered into a coalition government with the UK Conservative Party in 2010. In the [[2015 UK election]] they were reduced from 12 seats to one seat, and since the 2016 Scottish Parliament election they have had the fifth highest number of MSPs (five), unchanged on [[2011 Scottish Parliament election|2011]].In the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections, they got 6% of the vote, winning 4 seats.<ref name=":2" />

'''Scottish Green Party:''' The [[Scottish Greens]] have won [[Scottish Parliament regions|regional]] [[additional member system|additional member]] seats in every Scottish Parliament election, as a result of the [[proportional representation]] electoral system. They won one MSP in 1999, increased their total to seven at the 2003 election but saw this drop back to two at the 2007 election. They retained two seats at the 2011 election, then increased this total to six in the 2016 election. In the 2021 Scottish Parliament election they increased their representation by two seats to a total of eight members of the Scottish Parliament, however this was lowered to 7 a week later after Alison Johnson became Holyrood's Presiding Officer, a neutral role meaning she had to give up her position as a Green MSP).<ref name=":2" /> The Greens support [[Scottish independence]] and [[Scottish republicanism]], and in 2021, entered into a [[Confidence and supply|power sharing agreement]] with the Scottish National Party.<ref>{{cite web |title=Agreement with Scottish Green Party |url=https://www.gov.scot/news/agreement-with-scottish-green-party/ |website=www.gov.scot |access-date=2 April 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Known as the [[Bute House Agreement]], it was agreed in August 2021 to support the [[Third Sturgeon government]], and saw two Scottish Green politicians appointed to [[Minister (government)|junior ministerial]] posts within the Scottish Government. First was the first time any Green politician had served in government in Scotland and across the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |title=Scottish Greens back historic government deal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-58360337 |website=BBC News |access-date=2 April 2024 |date=27 August 2021}}</ref> The Scottish Greens left the Scottish Government on 25 April 2024, following First Minister Humza Yousaf's announcement of the ending of the Bute House Agreement "with immediate effect".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carrell |first1=Severin |last2=Brooks |first2=Libby |title=What was the SNP and Greens' deal and what happens now it has ended? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/apr/25/what-was-the-snp-and-greens-deal-and-what-happens-now-it-has-ended |website=The Guardian |access-date=26 April 2024 |date=25 April 2024}}</ref> The Scottish Green Party later confirmed it would "vote to oust" Yousaf as First Minister.<ref>{{cite web |title=Scottish Greens will vote to oust first minister |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-68901088 |website=BBC News |access-date=26 April 2024 |date=25 April 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Scotland|Politics}}
* [[Elections in Scotland]]
* [[Electoral systems in Scotland]]
* [[List of by-elections to the Scottish Parliament]]
* [[Politics of Aberdeen]]
* [[Politics of Dundee]]
* [[Politics of Edinburgh]]
* [[Politics of Glasgow]]
* [[Politics of the Highland council area]]
* [[Royal Commission on the Constitution (United Kingdom)]]
* [[Scottish media]]
* [[Scottish national identity]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{UK-LEG|path=ukpga/1998/46|title=Scotland Act 1998|type=ukpga}}
{{Scottish devolution}}{{Scotland topics}}
{{Politics of Europe}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Politics of Scotland}}
[[Category:Politics of Scotland| ]]
[[Category:Constitution of the United Kingdom]]