Second Sturgeon government
| Second Sturgeon government | |
|---|---|
| 8th devolved administration of Scotland | |
| 2016–2021 | |
 First Minister Sturgeon's original cabinet at Bute House, 2016 | |
| Date formed | 18 May 2016 |
| Date dissolved | 20 May 2021 |
| People and organisations | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| First Minister | Nicola Sturgeon |
| First Minister's history | 2014–present |
| Deputy First Minister | John Swinney |
| Total no. of members | 26 (including First Minister) |
| Member party | |
| Status in legislature | Minority 63 / 129 (49%) As of 2021: 61 / 129 (47%) |
| Opposition party |
|
| Opposition leader | Ruth Davidson (2016-18) Jackson Carlaw (2018-19) Ruth Davidson (2019) Jackson Carlaw (2019-20) Ruth Davidson (2020–21) |
| History | |
| Election(s) | 2016 general election |
| Outgoing election | 2021 general election |
| Legislature term(s) | 5th Scottish Parliament |
| Predecessor | First Sturgeon government |
| Successor | Third Sturgeon government |
Nicola Sturgeon formed the second Sturgeon government following her Scottish National Party's victory in the 2016 Scottish Parliament election. Sturgeon was nominated by a vote of the 5th Scottish Parliament for appointment to the post of first minister on 17 May 2016.[1] She was subsequently appointed by Queen Elizabeth II on 18 May, and announced formation of a new Scottish National Party minority government.[2]
The second Sturgeon government dissolved on 20 May 2021 following the 2021 election to the 6th Scottish Parliament, which saw Sturgeon re-elected to office and forming a third administration.
History[]
2016 to 2017[]
In the May 2016 Scottish Parliament election, the Scottish National Party (SNP) won 63 of the 129 seats contested. Incumbent First Minister Nicola Sturgeon soon afterwards announced her intention to form a minority government. She was nominated for the post of first minister by a vote of the Scottish Parliament on 17 May, defeating Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Willie Rennie by 63 votes to 5, with 59 abstentions.[1] Ahead of the formation of the new government, long-serving ministers Alex Neil and Richard Lochhead announced their resignations from the cabinet.[3] Sturgeon recommended the appointment of James Wolffe as Lord Advocate and Alison Di Rollo as Solicitor General on 31 May 2016. Their recommendation was confirmed by the Scottish Parliament on the same day.[4]
2018 to 2019[]
On the 26 June 2018, Sturgeon announced a cabinet reshuffle.[5] Long standing ministers such as Shona Robison and Angela Constance announced their resignation due to personal circumstances, with Keith Brown resigning to take his role as SNP Depute Leader. Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People was promoted to cabinet-level with more social security powers handed to the Scottish Parliament.
2020 to 2021[]
On the 6 February 2020, on the day of the Scottish Budget, Nicola Sturgeon accepted Derek MacKay's resignation following an article by the Sun newspaper of inappropriate messages sent to a 16-year-old boy.[6] Kate Forbes, then Minister for Public Finance, delivered the Scottish Budget, with Sturgeon later promoting Forbes to Finance Secretary.
Sturgeon accepted the resignation of Joe FitzPatrick, Minister of Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, following Scotland's record high drug deaths. Sturgeon appointed Mairi Gougeon to succeed FitzPatrick, with Angela Constance re-entering government to serve as Minister for Drug Policy.
In the latter half of Sturgeon's administration, she and her government led the Scottish Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cabinets[]
| ||
|---|---|---|
First Minister of Scotland
UK General elections   |
||
May 2016 to June 2018[]
Cabinet[7][8][] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Post | Minister | Portrait | Term |
| First Minister | The Right Hon.Nicola Sturgeon MSP | 
|
2016–2021 |
| Deputy First Minister | John Swinney MSP | 
|
2016–2021 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills | |||
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution | Derek Mackay MSP | 
|
2016–2020 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport | Shona Robison MSP | 
|
2016–2018 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform | Roseanna Cunningham MSP | 
|
2016–2021 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs | Fiona Hyslop MSP | 
|
2016–2021 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities | Angela Constance MSP | 
|
2016–2018 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Justice | Michael Matheson MSP | 
|
2016–2018 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work | Keith Brown MSP | 
|
2016–2018 |
| Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity | Fergus Ewing MSP | 
|
2016–2021 |
June 2018 to May 2021[]
Cabinet[9][] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Post | Minister | Portrait | Term |
| First Minister | The Right Hon.Nicola Sturgeon MSP |
|
2016–2021 |
| Deputy First Minister | John Swinney MSP |
|
2016–2021 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills | |||
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work | Derek Mackay MSP | 
|
2016–2020 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance | Kate Forbes MSP | 
|
2020–2021 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport | Jeane Freeman MSP | 
|
2018–2021 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform | Roseanna Cunningham MSP | 
|
2016–2021 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs | Fiona Hyslop MSP | 2016–2020 | |
| Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture | 2020–2021 | ||
| Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government | Aileen Campbell MSP | 
|
2018–2021 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Justice | Humza Yousaf MSP | 
|
2018–2021 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy | Fergus Ewing MSP |
|
|
| Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism | 2016–2021 | ||
| Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People | Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP | 
|
2018–2021 |
| Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs | Mike Russell MSP | 
|
2018–2021 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity | Michael Matheson MSP | 
|
2018–2021 |
Junior Ministers[]
Junior ministers[10][] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Post | Minister | Term |
| Minister for Childcare and Early Years | Maree Todd MSP | 2017–2021 |
| Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science | Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP | 2016–2018 |
| Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans | Joe FitzPatrick MSP | 2016–2018 |
| Graeme Dey MSP | 2018–2021 | |
| Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands | Humza Yousaf MSP | 2016–2018 |
| Paul Wheelhouse MSP | 2018–2021 | |
| Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills | 2016–2018 | |
| Jamie Hepburn MSP | 2018–2021 | |
| Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing | Aileen Campbell MSP | 2016–2018 |
| Joe FitzPatrick MSP | 2018–2020 | |
| Mairi Gougeon MSP | 2020-2021 | |
| Minister for Mental Health | Maureen Watt MSP | 2016–2018 |
| Clare Haughey MSP | 2018–2021 | |
| Minister for Community Safety | Annabelle Ewing MSP | 2016–2018 |
| Ash Denham MSP | 2018–2021 | |
| Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning | Kevin Stewart MSP | 2016–2021 |
| Minister for Social Security | Jeane Freeman OBE MSP | 2016–2018 |
| Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development | Alasdair Allan MSP | 2016–2018 |
| Ben Macpherson MSP | 2018–2020 | |
| Jenny Gilruth MSP | 2020–2021 | |
| Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe | Michael Russell MSP | 2016–2018 |
| Minister for Older People and Equalities | Christina McKelvie MSP | 2018–2021 |
| Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation | Ivan McKee MSP | 2018–2021 |
| Minister for Public Finance and Migration | Kate Forbes MSP | 2018–2020 |
| Ben Macpherson MSP | 2020–2021 | |
| Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment | ||
| Mairi Gougeon MSP | 2018-2020 | |
| Minister for Drug Policy | Angela Constance MSP | 2020–2021 |
Scottish Law Officers[]
Law officers[4][] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Post | Name | Portrait | Term |
| Lord Advocate | James Wolffe QC |  |
2016–2021 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | Alison Di Rollo QC |  |
2016–2021 |
References[]
- ^ a b "Nicola Sturgeon wins Scottish first minister vote". BBC News. BBC. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ "Scottish cabinet reshuffle: John Swinney becomes education secretary". BBC News. BBC. 18 May 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
- ^ "Alex Neil and Richard Lochhead step down from Holyrood cabinet". BBC News. BBC. 18 May 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
- ^ a b "Law Officer appointments". news.scotland.gov.uk. Scottish Government. 31 May 2016. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
- ^ Carrell, Severin (26 June 2018). "Nicola Sturgeon carries out major reshuffle of Scottish cabinet". The Guardian.
- ^ Carrell, Severin (6 February 2020). "Derek Mackay's resignation may derail SNP's policy agenda". The Guardian.
- ^ "New Scottish Cabinet unveiled". news.scotland.gov.uk. Scottish Government. 18 May 2016. Archived from the original on 19 May 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
- ^ "Ministers & Law Officers". parliament.scot. Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ^ "Cabinet reshuffle: who's in, who's out, who's up". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "First Minister completes ministerial team". news.scotland.gov.uk. Scottish Government. 18 May 2016. Archived from the original on 19 May 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
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- Scottish governments
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- Nicola Sturgeon
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