Members of the Scottish Parliament, 2003-2007

Scotland

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Scotland

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The Scottish Parliament is composed of 129 members called Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) or, in Gaelic, Buill Pàrlamaid na h-Alba (BPnA). They are elected from eight electoral regions through the additional member system (AMS), a system of proportional representation. Seventy-three are elected from first past the post constituencies within each region. Fifty-six are additional members, seven from each region, who are added to ensure that the total elected (first past the post and additional) from each region is proportional.

General elections to the Scottish Parliament are held on a four year cycle. The second such election was held in May 2003, and the next will be in 2007. For changes to levels of party representation in the 2003 election see Scottish parliamentary election, 2003.

For lists of the parliament's constituencies and regions see Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions.

Changes since the 2003 election:

• Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) was elected as an SNP MSP, but he has been Independent since 2004.
• Andrew Arbuckle (Lib Dem) has taken the place of Keith Raffan who resigned from the Parliament in January, 2005, citing reasons of ill health, although it has been indicated that there were irregularities with his claims for expenses, the largest of any MSP. Mr Arbuckle was the next person on the Lib Dem "Additional Members" list for the Mid Scotland and Fife region at the 2003 election.
• Following his election to the UK Parliament in the general election of 2005, David Mundell (Conservative and Unionist) resigned his seat at Holyrood and was replaced by Derek Brownlee, who was the next name on the Conservative and Unionist list for the South of Scotland electoral region.
• Mike Watson (Labour) resigned his Glasgow Cathcart seat in September 2005 pending his conviction for fire-raising. Charlie Gordon won the subsequent by-election.
• In November 2005 the Conservative and Unionist whip was withdrawn from Brian Monteith for briefing against his party leader David McLetchie to the Scotland on Sunday newspaper (McLetchie eventually being forced to resign over his claim for taxi expenses), and Monteith now sits as an Independent.
• Margaret Ewing (SNP) died in March 2006. Richard Lochhead won the subsequent by-election. Maureen Watt took Lochhead's list seat.
• Mary Scanlon (Conservative) resigned to contest the Moray by-election after Margaret Ewing's death. Dave Petrie, who was the next name on the Conservative list for Highlands and Islands electoral region, replaced her.
• In September 2006, Tommy Sheridan and Rosemary Byrne, who were both elected as Scottish Socialist Party MSP's changed affiliation to the Solidarity party.

Members by name

Members elected or re-elected May 2003

Replacement MSPs

Members by constituency and region

Constituency members

Additional members by region

See also

• Scottish Parliamentary Election, 2003
• Scottish Parliament
• Members of the Scottish Parliament, 1999-2003
• Member of the Scottish Parliament

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