Wendy Alexander
Encyclopedia
Wendy Alexander is a Scottish
politician and the former Member of the Scottish Parliament
(MSP) for Paisley North
. She held various Scottish Government cabinet posts and was the leader of the Labour Party
group in the Scottish Parliament
from 2007-2008. In 2010-2011 she convened the Scotland Bill Committee on financial powers of the Scottish Parliament.
in Erskine
and won a scholarship to Lester B. Pearson College
in British Columbia
before studying at the University of Glasgow
, where she graduated with a First Class
MA (Hons)
in Economic and Modern History
. She later gained a postgraduate MA
in Industrial Relations from the University of Warwick
, and an MBA from INSEAD
.
She was awarded an honorary degree from Strathclyde University in 2007.
when he became Secretary of State for Scotland
. She was deeply involved in the preparation of the White Paper on devolution, the Scotland Act 1998
and preparations for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, all matters she had published on during the 1990s.
(MSP) since its creation in 1999 until 2011.
, and subsequently as Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning.
As Communities Minister she launched the free central heating installation programme for all pensioners without a system. She oversaw the creation of the first social justice report, A Scotland where everyone matters – our vision for Social Justice, setting ambitious new targets for delivering social justice and defeating child poverty in Scotland, and an Annual Scottish Social Justice Report to measure progress towards those targets. She set up the Homelessness Task Force which led to radical homelessness legislation and she championed the community ownership of housing by tenants including the removal of £1.6bn of Glasgow debt. The tenants subsequently voted in a referendum 2:1 in favour of transfer - the largest of its kind in the UK, involving 89,000 homes.
As Communities Minister, Alexander fought hard to bring about the repeal of Section 2A (the Scottish equivalent of Section 28) in order to contribute to social acceptance and greater equality for the LGBT community by removing a ban on the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities. in the face of a sustained campaign by Stagecoach millionaire and SNP donor Brian Souter to keep the legislation. In the end the repeal, contained in the Ethical Standards in Public Life (Scotland) Bill was passed by 99 votes to 17 During the final debate, Alexander said "[...] Repeal is not, and never has been, about the promotion of homosexuality in our schools. It is not about political correctness or, even less, about marriage. It is about building a tolerant Scotland. We know that teachers are confused about the meaning of section 2A, we know that bullying exists in our schools and elsewhere, and we know that children's organisations overwhelmingly back repeal."
Alexander oversaw the Scottish Executive’s response to the recommendations of the McIntosh Commission into the future of local government in Scotland, introducing a package of measures for local government including giving local authorities the lead role in developing Community Planning, creating a formal Power of Community Initiative (later known as a power of well being) and establishing the Renewing Local Democracy (Kerley) Working Party on electoral systems. Building on the work of the Best Value Taskforce, she also announced plans for a statutory duty to secure Best Value in local government services.
She also published the first Equality Statement to Parliament, established the Executive’s Equalities Unit, announced the first Scottish-wide fund to tackle violence against women - the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund - and the first national loan fund, administered by a new organisation - Social Investment Scotland - to invest in emerging social enterprises and “make it easier for the voluntary sector to emerge as an effective third force, alongside the traditional public and private sectors”.
As Enterprise Minister Alexander launched Smart, Successful Scotland, a widely-welcomed new economic strategy for Scotland supporting high-skill, high-value investment such as that by Rolls-Royce. She launched Scotland's first ever Science strategy and developed a better pipeline to get ideas out of labs and into businesses, including the Proof of Concept Fund and the Scottish Co-Investment Fund to stimulate private venture capital investment in emerging businesses. She also championed the first broadband strategy for Scotland and took action to tackle the 'digital divide'.
Alexander promoted a “learning, earning” nation including the doubling of the number of Modern Apprenticeships,
jointly leading the Clyde Shipyards Taskforce to help modernise shipbuilding on the Clyde through investment in skills, and in the face of the global downturn in electronics hitting companies such as Motorola launched what became the PACE (Partnership for Continuing Employment) initiative to help those made redundant find work quickly.
As Minister with responsibility for skills and lifelong learning she promoted higher education enterprise links and championed research, modernising management and widening access to universities by those previously excluded. She also extended Educational Maintenance Allowances to support pupils from low income families to complete their schooling.
Alexander launched a new international economic strategy for Scotland called Global Connections realigning Scotland’s international economic effort with the Smart Successful Scotland strategy, bringing together Scotland’s previously separate inward investment and export agencies into one organisation, Scotland Development International and created the Globalscot network to develop and expand Scotland's standing in the global business community.
Alexander resigned from ministerial office on 4 May 2002. After her resignation from Jack McConnell
's Cabinet she became a visiting professor at the Strathclyde Business School
and became a member, and subsequently Chair of the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee. She inspired and led the Allander Series of seminars which had the aim of encouraging fresh thinking on Scotland’s economic future. The seminars brought William Baumol, Ed Glaeser and Nobel laureates James Heckman and Paul Krugman from across the spectrum of political economy to Scotland to reflect on issues such as the returns to early intervention, supporting innovation and cities as future growth engines. She also authored Chasing the Tartan Tiger: Lessons from a Celtic Cousin? (2003), co-edited (with Diane Coyle and Brian Ashcroft) New Wealth for Old Nations: Scotland’s Economic Prospects (2005), edited an anthology of essays on the life of the late First Minister, Donald Dewar: Scotland’s first First Minister (2005) and wrote a non-political column for young mums in The Daily Record
.
. Following Jack McConnell
’s resignation in August 2007 she announced her candidacy for Leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament. Alexander laid out her vision to “Renew the party organisation, reform the policies, and reconnect Scottish Labour with its electorate”. Other contenders ruled themselves out and she was elected unopposed by Labour MSPs on 14 September 2007.
As Scottish Labour leader Alexander believed: "the people of Scotland told us loud and clear they wanted change. They didn't whisper - they shouted it. So change we must!" She argued Labour must offer radical change to regain the trust of voters, a vision spelt out in Scottish Labour New Directions: Change is what we do, a publication outlining her views on the future policy direction for Scottish Labour. Addressing Labour’s Scottish Conference as Leader she spoke of the need for Labour to be the progressive party of Scotland. Alexander argued: "'Scotland' is not a political philosophy. 'Scotland' can just as easily be Adam Smith
as it can be John Smith. The world over, politics comes down to a choice: right versus left, conservatives versus progressives, nationalists versus internationalists". Organisationally she called for a new approach to candidate selection including primary systems to give all Labour supporters a chance to be involved in choosing their local member. Policy initiatives included establishing a Literacy Commission with Rhona Brankin
to investigate child literacy standards in Scottish schools (subsequently embraced by all parties in the Parliament), supporting investment in the early years, including nursery places for all vulnerable 2-year-olds, more one-on-one tuition in schools, personalised care plans for those with chronic conditions and legislation providing for a modern apprenticeship for every qualified school leaver who sought one.
on St Andrew's Day 2007 in which she set out the case for a wide-ranging review of the devolution settlement
, with a view to identifying possible areas for reform. The speech laid out her proposals for “a more balanced home rule
package” including greater financial accountability
and new tax powers for the Scottish Parliament
(a cause that she had first championed when she led the Allander Series) in order that the “Union become a more comfortable home for all its members”. She said "Scotland wants to see a future that allows her to walk taller within the UK without walking out" and called for a new “expert-led and independent” Scottish constitutional commission. As Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, she set this in motion by working with the Conservative and LibDem leaders to set up the Commission on Scottish Devolution
(aka the Calman Commission) in a "bold cross-party, cross-border initiative". The review was established by a vote of the Scottish Parliament. The Calman Commission became a unique Scottish Parliament-UK Government joint venture which reported back to the Parliament in June 2009 proposing wide ranging changes in the financing of the Scottish Parliament. Alexander wrote then “history teaches that constitutional reform has never been gifted to Scotland. It has to be fought and argued for.. Calman will shape the next phase of Scotland’s journey…[with] a range of common sense measures to improve relationships”. On St. Andrew's Day 2010, three years to the day after Alexander's call for a Commission, the UK Government introduced a new Scotland Bill. The proposals in the bill closely followed the Commission's recommendations and proposed major new financial powers worth £12 billion,giving Holyrood control of a third of its budget. Under the legislation, Holyrood will set a Scottish income tax rate each year from 2015, applying equally to the basic, high and additional rates. The UK Government called it the "biggest transfer of fiscal powers to Scotland since the creation of the Union." In December 2010 Alexander was appointed convener of the Scottish Parliament's Committee to report on the bill.
on Scottish Independence
saying "Bring it on!". It was a bold move, but led to suggestions of a rift between her and the prime minister, who did not overtly back her. . On the 7th of May, at Prime Minister's Questions
, Prime Minister
Gordon Brown
stated that she was not, in fact, offering Labour's support for an immediate referendum.
During First Minister's Questions
in the Scottish Parliament, on the 8th of May, Alexander asked Alex Salmond to bring forward a referendum bill at the first opportunity. Alex Salmond
declined the offer of Labour support for a referendum, preferring to delay by at least a further year, saying "We will stick to what was laid out in pages 8 and 15 of the SNP manifesto".
Wendy Alexander (born 27 June 1963, Glasgow
) is a Scottish
politician and the former Member of the Scottish Parliament
(MSP) for Paisley North
. She held various Scottish Government cabinet posts and was the leader of the Labour Party
group in the Scottish Parliament
from 2007-2008. In 2010-2011 she convened the Scotland Bill Committee on financial powers of the Scottish Parliament.
in Erskine
and won a scholarship to Lester B. Pearson College
in British Columbia
before studying at the University of Glasgow
, where she graduated with a First Class
MA (Hons)
in Economic and Modern History
. She later gained a postgraduate MA
in Industrial Relations from the University of Warwick
, and an MBA from INSEAD
.
She was awarded an honorary degree from Strathclyde University in 2007.
when he became Secretary of State for Scotland
. She was deeply involved in the preparation of the White Paper on devolution, the Scotland Act 1998
and preparations for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, all matters she had published on during the 1990s.
(MSP) since its creation in 1999 until 2011.
, and subsequently as Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning.
As Communities Minister she launched the free central heating installation programme for all pensioners without a system.Fuel poverty pledge to elderly BBC
, 18 September 2000 She oversaw the creation of the first social justice report, A Scotland where everyone matters – our vision for Social Justice, setting ambitious new targets for delivering social justice and defeating child poverty in Scotland, and an Annual Scottish Social Justice Report to measure progress towards those targets.Executive poverty pledges BBC
, 22 November 1999A Scotland where everyone matters - our vision for social justice Scottish Executive, 22 November 1999 She set up the Homelessness Task Force which led to radical homelessness legislationHomeless review launched BBC
, 17 June 1999Task force homes in on homelessness BBC
, 25 August 1999 and she championed the community ownership of housing by tenants including the removal of £1.6bn of Glasgow debt.Minister wants tenants in charge BBC
, 16 September 2000Housing transfer moves forward BBC
10 April 2000 The tenants subsequently voted in a referendum 2:1 in favour of transfer - the largest of its kind in the UK, involving 89,000 homes.
As Communities Minister, Alexander fought hard to bring about the repeal of Section 2A (the Scottish equivalent of Section 28) in order to contribute to social acceptance and greater equality for the LGBT community by removing a ban on the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities.Scottish Parliament repeals Section 28Independent (newspaper) 22 June 2000 in the face of a sustained campaign by Stagecoach millionaire and SNP donor Brian Souter to keep the legislation. In the end the repeal, contained in the Ethical Standards in Public Life (Scotland) Bill was passed by 99 votes to 17Official Report, 21 June 2000 Scottish Parliament
During the final debate, Alexander said "[...] Repeal is not, and never has been, about the promotion of homosexuality in our schools. It is not about political correctness or, even less, about marriage. It is about building a tolerant Scotland. We know that teachers are confused about the meaning of section 2A, we know that bullying exists in our schools and elsewhere, and we know that children's organisations overwhelmingly back repeal."Official Report, 21 June 2000 Scottish Parliament
Alexander oversaw the Scottish Executive’s response to the recommendations of the McIntosh Commission into the future of local government in Scotland,PR for Scottish council electionsBBC
, 22 June 1999 introducing a package of measures for local government Report of the Commission on Local Government and the Scottish Parliament-The Scottish Executive's Response Scottish Executive
Official Report, 2 July 1999 Scottish Parliament
including giving local authorities the lead role in developing Community Planning, creating a formal Power of Community Initiative (later known as a power of well being) and establishing the Renewing Local Democracy (Kerley) Working Party on electoral systems. Building on the work of the Best Value Taskforce, she also announced plans for a statutory duty to secure Best Value in local government services.Helping councils lead their communities Scottish Executive
, 8 June 2000
She also published the first Equality Statement to Parliament, established the Executive’s Equalities Unit,Equality Strategy: Working together for Equality Scottish Executive
Pledge to put equality of opportunity at heart of policy makingScottish Executive
, 28 September 1999 announced the first Scottish-wide fund to tackle violence against women - the Domestic Abuse Service Development FundOfficial Report, 27 October 1999Scottish Parliament
- and the first national loan fund,£10 million fund to boost community projects Scottish Executive
, 3 November 1999 administered by a new organisation - Social Investment Scotland - to invest in emerging social enterprises and “make it easier for the voluntary sector to emerge as an effective third force, alongside the traditional public and private sectors”.£13 million to help communities help themselves Scottish Executive
, 13 March 2000Wendy Alexander Announces Extra £1.2 Million For Voluntary Network Across Scotland Scottish Executive
, 4 October 2000
As Enterprise Minister Alexander launched Smart, Successful Scotland, a widely-welcomed new economic strategy for ScotlandFirms told to go upmarket BBC
, 24 February 2002 supporting high-skill, high-value investment such as that by Rolls-Royce.Rolls-Royce plans £85m factory BBC
, 22 April 2002 She launched Scotland's first ever Science strategyExecutive makes science centre-stage BBC
, 27 August 2001 and developed a better pipeline to get ideas out of labs and into businesses, including the Proof of Concept FundMore cash for innovators BBC
, 10 September 2001 and the Scottish Co-Investment Fund to stimulate private venture capital investment in emerging businesses.Scottish Co-investment FundScottish Executive
, 30 March 2003 She also championed the first broadband strategy for Scotland and took action to tackle the 'digital divide'.Minister's net push help plea BBC
, 7 February 2001Poor lag behind IT revolution BBC
, 4 February 2000Libraries book a place on the internet BBC
, 7 February 2001
Alexander promoted a “learning, earning” nation including the doubling of the number of Modern Apprenticeships,Wendy Alexander announces action plan to get every Scot job ready Scottish Executive
, 30 November 2000
jointly leading the Clyde Shipyards Taskforce to help modernise shipbuilding on the Clyde through investment in skills,Tide turning for Clyde shipbuilding BBC
, 4 February 2002 and in the face of the global downturn in electronics hitting companies such as Motorola launched what became the PACE (Partnership for Continuing Employment) initiative to help those made redundant find work quickly.
As Minister with responsibility for skills and lifelong learning she promoted higher education enterprise links and championed research, modernising managementPolishing the Scottish jewel Times Higher Education, 19 October 2001 and widening access to universities by those previously excluded.Minister targets university elitism BBC
, 19 November 2000 She also extended Educational Maintenance Allowances to support pupils from low income families to complete their schooling.Cash for learning scheme widened BBC
, 26 March 2001
Alexander launched a new international economic strategy for Scotland called Global Connections realigning Scotland’s international economic effort with the Smart Successful Scotland strategy,Plan to 'globalise' Scotland's economyBBC
, 4 October 2001 bringing together Scotland’s previously separate inward investment and export agencies into one organisation, Scotland Development InternationalWendy Alexander: Putting the enterprise into higher education Scotsman, 15 February 2002 and created the Globalscot network to develop and expand Scotland's standing in the global business community.
Alexander resigned from ministerial office on 4 May 2002. After her resignation from Jack McConnell
's Cabinet she became a visiting professor at the Strathclyde Business School
and became a member, and subsequently Chair of the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee. She inspired and led the Allander Series of seminars which had the aim of encouraging fresh thinking on Scotland’s economic future.threat to economy BBC
2 October 2003Single city call for central belt BBC
10 February 2004 The seminars brought William Baumol, Ed Glaeser and Nobel laureates James Heckman and Paul Krugman from across the spectrum of political economy to Scotland to reflect on issues such as the returns to early intervention, supporting innovation and cities as future growth engines.Seeds of Allander have fallen on fertile ground Herald, 29 June 2004Positive ideas for Scotland Scotsman, 29 June 2004 She also authored Chasing the Tartan Tiger: Lessons from a Celtic Cousin? (2003), co-edited (with Diane Coyle and Brian Ashcroft) New Wealth for Old Nations: Scotland’s Economic Prospects (2005),Strength in numbers Scotland on Sunday, 22 May 2005 edited an anthology of essays on the life of the late First Minister, Donald Dewar: Scotland’s first First Minister (2005) and wrote a non-political column for young mums in The Daily Record
.
. Following Jack McConnell
’s resignation in August 2007 she announced her candidacy for Leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament. Alexander laid out her vision to “Renew the party organisation, reform the policies, and reconnect Scottish Labour with its electorate”.Candidate Launch Speech wendyalexander.co.uk Other contenders ruled themselves out and she was elected unopposed by Labour MSPs on 14 September 2007.Alexander leads Scottish labour, BBC News Online
, 14 September 2007
As Scottish Labour leader Alexander believed: "the people of Scotland told us loud and clear they wanted change. They didn't whisper - they shouted it. So change we must!" A look at former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander She argued Labour must offer radical change to regain the trust of voters, a vision spelt out in Scottish Labour New Directions: Change is what we do,http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/21_03_08_wendy.pdf a publication outlining her views on the future policy direction for Scottish Labour.Labour must show radical change BBC
, 23 March 2008 Addressing Labour’s Scottish Conference as Leader she spoke of the need for Labour to be the progressive party of Scotland. Alexander argued: "'Scotland' is not a political philosophy. 'Scotland' can just as easily be Adam Smith
as it can be John Smith. The world over, politics comes down to a choice: right versus left, conservatives versus progressives, nationalists versus internationalists".Alexander says fightback begins BBC
, 29 March 2008Speech to Scottish Conference by Wendy Alexander BBC
, 29 March 2008 Organisationally she called for a new approach to candidate selection including primary systems to give all Labour supporters a chance to be involved in choosing their local member. Policy initiatives included establishing a Literacy Commission with Rhona Brankin
to investigate child literacy standards in Scottish schoolsRebus creator turns government inspector Guardian, 24 June 2008 (subsequently embraced by all parties in the Parliament),Fifth of Scots have poor literacy BBC
, 4 December 2009 supporting investment in the early years, including nursery places for all vulnerable 2-year-olds, more one-on-one tuition in schools, personalised care plans for those with chronic conditions and legislation providing for a modern apprenticeship for every qualified school leaver who sought one.
on St Andrew's Day 2007 in which she set out the case for a wide-ranging review of the devolution settlement
, with a view to identifying possible areas for reform.Wendy Alexander presents A New Agenda for ScotlandInstitute of Governance The speech laid out her proposals for “a more balanced home rule
package” including greater financial accountability
and new tax powers for the Scottish Parliament
(a cause that she had first championed when she led the Allander Series) in order that the “Union become a more comfortable home for all its members”.Alexander calls for tax powers to replace the Barnett formula Herald, 1 December 2007 She said "Scotland wants to see a future that allows her to walk taller within the UK without walking out" and called for a new “expert-led and independent” Scottish constitutional commission. As Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, she set this in motion by working with the Conservative and LibDem leaders to set up the Commission on Scottish Devolution
(aka the Calman Commission) in a "bold cross-party, cross-border initiative".Parties join forces to bulldoze SNP Scotsman, 7 December 2007Its all part of the process Herald, 7 December 2007Devolution body to take evidence BBC
The review was established by a vote of the Scottish Parliament. MSPs back devolution review body The Calman Commission became a unique Scottish Parliament-UK Government joint venture which reported back to the Parliament in June 2009 proposing wide ranging changes in the financing of the Scottish Parliament.Serving Scotland BetterCommission on Scottish Devolution
, June 2009Serving Scotland Better Executive SummaryCommission on Scottish Devolution
, June 2009Digesting the Calman report calls BBC
Alexander wrote then “history teaches that constitutional reform has never been gifted to Scotland. It has to be fought and argued for.. Calman will shape the next phase of Scotland’s journey…[with] a range of common sense measures to improve relationships”.Wendy Alexander: Blueprint for the future of Scotland Scotland on Sunday, 14 June 2009 On St. Andrew's Day 2010, three years to the day after Alexander's call for a Commission, the UK Government introduced a new Scotland Bill. The proposals in the bill closely followed the Commission's recommendations and proposed major new financial powers worth £12 billion,giving Holyrood control of a third of its budget. Under the legislation, Holyrood will set a Scottish income tax rate each year from 2015, applying equally to the basic, high and additional rates. The UK Government called it the "biggest transfer of fiscal powers to Scotland since the creation of the Union." Holyrood to get new budget powers under Scotland Bill In December 2010 Alexander was appointed convener of the Scottish Parliament's Committee to report on the bill.
on Scottish Independence
saying "Bring it on!". It was a bold move, but led to suggestions of a rift between her and the prime minister, who did not overtly back her. A look a former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander . On the 7th of May, at Prime Minister's Questions
, Prime Minister
Gordon Brown
stated that she was not, in fact, offering Labour's support for an immediate referendum.Labour implodes over independence voteThe Scotsman
, 8 May 2008
During First Minister's Questions
in the Scottish Parliament, on the 8th of May, Alexander asked Alex Salmond to bring forward a referendum bill at the first opportunity. Alex Salmond
declined the offer of Labour support for a referendum, preferring to delay by at least a further year, saying "We will stick to what was laid out in pages 8 and 15 of the SNP manifesto".
Wendy Alexander (born 27 June 1963, Glasgow
) is a Scottish
politician and the former Member of the Scottish Parliament
(MSP) for Paisley North
. She held various Scottish Government cabinet posts and was the leader of the Labour Party
group in the Scottish Parliament
from 2007-2008. In 2010-2011 she convened the Scotland Bill Committee on financial powers of the Scottish Parliament.
in Erskine
and won a scholarship to Lester B. Pearson College
in British Columbia
before studying at the University of Glasgow
, where she graduated with a First Class
MA (Hons)
in Economic and Modern History
. She later gained a postgraduate MA
in Industrial Relations from the University of Warwick
, and an MBA from INSEAD
.
She was awarded an honorary degree from Strathclyde University in 2007.
when he became Secretary of State for Scotland
. She was deeply involved in the preparation of the White Paper on devolution, the Scotland Act 1998
and preparations for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, all matters she had published on during the 1990s.
(MSP) since its creation in 1999 until 2011.
, and subsequently as Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning.
As Communities Minister she launched the free central heating installation programme for all pensioners without a system.Fuel poverty pledge to elderly BBC
, 18 September 2000 She oversaw the creation of the first social justice report, A Scotland where everyone matters – our vision for Social Justice, setting ambitious new targets for delivering social justice and defeating child poverty in Scotland, and an Annual Scottish Social Justice Report to measure progress towards those targets.Executive poverty pledges BBC
, 22 November 1999A Scotland where everyone matters - our vision for social justice Scottish Executive, 22 November 1999 She set up the Homelessness Task Force which led to radical homelessness legislationHomeless review launched BBC
, 17 June 1999Task force homes in on homelessness BBC
, 25 August 1999 and she championed the community ownership of housing by tenants including the removal of £1.6bn of Glasgow debt.Minister wants tenants in charge BBC
, 16 September 2000Housing transfer moves forward BBC
10 April 2000 The tenants subsequently voted in a referendum 2:1 in favour of transfer - the largest of its kind in the UK, involving 89,000 homes.
As Communities Minister, Alexander fought hard to bring about the repeal of Section 2A (the Scottish equivalent of Section 28) in order to contribute to social acceptance and greater equality for the LGBT community by removing a ban on the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities.Scottish Parliament repeals Section 28Independent (newspaper) 22 June 2000 in the face of a sustained campaign by Stagecoach millionaire and SNP donor Brian Souter to keep the legislation. In the end the repeal, contained in the Ethical Standards in Public Life (Scotland) Bill was passed by 99 votes to 17Official Report, 21 June 2000 Scottish Parliament
During the final debate, Alexander said "[...] Repeal is not, and never has been, about the promotion of homosexuality in our schools. It is not about political correctness or, even less, about marriage. It is about building a tolerant Scotland. We know that teachers are confused about the meaning of section 2A, we know that bullying exists in our schools and elsewhere, and we know that children's organisations overwhelmingly back repeal."Official Report, 21 June 2000 Scottish Parliament
Alexander oversaw the Scottish Executive’s response to the recommendations of the McIntosh Commission into the future of local government in Scotland,PR for Scottish council electionsBBC
, 22 June 1999 introducing a package of measures for local government Report of the Commission on Local Government and the Scottish Parliament-The Scottish Executive's Response Scottish Executive
Official Report, 2 July 1999 Scottish Parliament
including giving local authorities the lead role in developing Community Planning, creating a formal Power of Community Initiative (later known as a power of well being) and establishing the Renewing Local Democracy (Kerley) Working Party on electoral systems. Building on the work of the Best Value Taskforce, she also announced plans for a statutory duty to secure Best Value in local government services.Helping councils lead their communities Scottish Executive
, 8 June 2000
She also published the first Equality Statement to Parliament, established the Executive’s Equalities Unit,Equality Strategy: Working together for Equality Scottish Executive
Pledge to put equality of opportunity at heart of policy makingScottish Executive
, 28 September 1999 announced the first Scottish-wide fund to tackle violence against women - the Domestic Abuse Service Development FundOfficial Report, 27 October 1999Scottish Parliament
- and the first national loan fund,£10 million fund to boost community projects Scottish Executive
, 3 November 1999 administered by a new organisation - Social Investment Scotland - to invest in emerging social enterprises and “make it easier for the voluntary sector to emerge as an effective third force, alongside the traditional public and private sectors”.£13 million to help communities help themselves Scottish Executive
, 13 March 2000Wendy Alexander Announces Extra £1.2 Million For Voluntary Network Across Scotland Scottish Executive
, 4 October 2000
As Enterprise Minister Alexander launched Smart, Successful Scotland, a widely-welcomed new economic strategy for ScotlandFirms told to go upmarket BBC
, 24 February 2002 supporting high-skill, high-value investment such as that by Rolls-Royce.Rolls-Royce plans £85m factory BBC
, 22 April 2002 She launched Scotland's first ever Science strategyExecutive makes science centre-stage BBC
, 27 August 2001 and developed a better pipeline to get ideas out of labs and into businesses, including the Proof of Concept FundMore cash for innovators BBC
, 10 September 2001 and the Scottish Co-Investment Fund to stimulate private venture capital investment in emerging businesses.Scottish Co-investment FundScottish Executive
, 30 March 2003 She also championed the first broadband strategy for Scotland and took action to tackle the 'digital divide'.Minister's net push help plea BBC
, 7 February 2001Poor lag behind IT revolution BBC
, 4 February 2000Libraries book a place on the internet BBC
, 7 February 2001
Alexander promoted a “learning, earning” nation including the doubling of the number of Modern Apprenticeships,Wendy Alexander announces action plan to get every Scot job ready Scottish Executive
, 30 November 2000
jointly leading the Clyde Shipyards Taskforce to help modernise shipbuilding on the Clyde through investment in skills,Tide turning for Clyde shipbuilding BBC
, 4 February 2002 and in the face of the global downturn in electronics hitting companies such as Motorola launched what became the PACE (Partnership for Continuing Employment) initiative to help those made redundant find work quickly.
As Minister with responsibility for skills and lifelong learning she promoted higher education enterprise links and championed research, modernising managementPolishing the Scottish jewel Times Higher Education, 19 October 2001 and widening access to universities by those previously excluded.Minister targets university elitism BBC
, 19 November 2000 She also extended Educational Maintenance Allowances to support pupils from low income families to complete their schooling.Cash for learning scheme widened BBC
, 26 March 2001
Alexander launched a new international economic strategy for Scotland called Global Connections realigning Scotland’s international economic effort with the Smart Successful Scotland strategy,Plan to 'globalise' Scotland's economyBBC
, 4 October 2001 bringing together Scotland’s previously separate inward investment and export agencies into one organisation, Scotland Development InternationalWendy Alexander: Putting the enterprise into higher education Scotsman, 15 February 2002 and created the Globalscot network to develop and expand Scotland's standing in the global business community.
Alexander resigned from ministerial office on 4 May 2002. After her resignation from Jack McConnell
's Cabinet she became a visiting professor at the Strathclyde Business School
and became a member, and subsequently Chair of the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee. She inspired and led the Allander Series of seminars which had the aim of encouraging fresh thinking on Scotland’s economic future.threat to economy BBC
2 October 2003Single city call for central belt BBC
10 February 2004 The seminars brought William Baumol, Ed Glaeser and Nobel laureates James Heckman and Paul Krugman from across the spectrum of political economy to Scotland to reflect on issues such as the returns to early intervention, supporting innovation and cities as future growth engines.Seeds of Allander have fallen on fertile ground Herald, 29 June 2004Positive ideas for Scotland Scotsman, 29 June 2004 She also authored Chasing the Tartan Tiger: Lessons from a Celtic Cousin? (2003), co-edited (with Diane Coyle and Brian Ashcroft) New Wealth for Old Nations: Scotland’s Economic Prospects (2005),Strength in numbers Scotland on Sunday, 22 May 2005 edited an anthology of essays on the life of the late First Minister, Donald Dewar: Scotland’s first First Minister (2005) and wrote a non-political column for young mums in The Daily Record
.
. Following Jack McConnell
’s resignation in August 2007 she announced her candidacy for Leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament. Alexander laid out her vision to “Renew the party organisation, reform the policies, and reconnect Scottish Labour with its electorate”.Candidate Launch Speech wendyalexander.co.uk Other contenders ruled themselves out and she was elected unopposed by Labour MSPs on 14 September 2007.Alexander leads Scottish labour, BBC News Online
, 14 September 2007
As Scottish Labour leader Alexander believed: "the people of Scotland told us loud and clear they wanted change. They didn't whisper - they shouted it. So change we must!" A look at former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander She argued Labour must offer radical change to regain the trust of voters, a vision spelt out in Scottish Labour New Directions: Change is what we do,http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/21_03_08_wendy.pdf a publication outlining her views on the future policy direction for Scottish Labour.Labour must show radical change BBC
, 23 March 2008 Addressing Labour’s Scottish Conference as Leader she spoke of the need for Labour to be the progressive party of Scotland. Alexander argued: "'Scotland' is not a political philosophy. 'Scotland' can just as easily be Adam Smith
as it can be John Smith. The world over, politics comes down to a choice: right versus left, conservatives versus progressives, nationalists versus internationalists".Alexander says fightback begins BBC
, 29 March 2008Speech to Scottish Conference by Wendy Alexander BBC
, 29 March 2008 Organisationally she called for a new approach to candidate selection including primary systems to give all Labour supporters a chance to be involved in choosing their local member. Policy initiatives included establishing a Literacy Commission with Rhona Brankin
to investigate child literacy standards in Scottish schoolsRebus creator turns government inspector Guardian, 24 June 2008 (subsequently embraced by all parties in the Parliament),Fifth of Scots have poor literacy BBC
, 4 December 2009 supporting investment in the early years, including nursery places for all vulnerable 2-year-olds, more one-on-one tuition in schools, personalised care plans for those with chronic conditions and legislation providing for a modern apprenticeship for every qualified school leaver who sought one.
on St Andrew's Day 2007 in which she set out the case for a wide-ranging review of the devolution settlement
, with a view to identifying possible areas for reform.Wendy Alexander presents A New Agenda for ScotlandInstitute of Governance The speech laid out her proposals for “a more balanced home rule
package” including greater financial accountability
and new tax powers for the Scottish Parliament
(a cause that she had first championed when she led the Allander Series) in order that the “Union become a more comfortable home for all its members”.Alexander calls for tax powers to replace the Barnett formula Herald, 1 December 2007 She said "Scotland wants to see a future that allows her to walk taller within the UK without walking out" and called for a new “expert-led and independent” Scottish constitutional commission. As Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, she set this in motion by working with the Conservative and LibDem leaders to set up the Commission on Scottish Devolution
(aka the Calman Commission) in a "bold cross-party, cross-border initiative".Parties join forces to bulldoze SNP Scotsman, 7 December 2007Its all part of the process Herald, 7 December 2007Devolution body to take evidence BBC
The review was established by a vote of the Scottish Parliament. MSPs back devolution review body The Calman Commission became a unique Scottish Parliament-UK Government joint venture which reported back to the Parliament in June 2009 proposing wide ranging changes in the financing of the Scottish Parliament.Serving Scotland BetterCommission on Scottish Devolution
, June 2009Serving Scotland Better Executive SummaryCommission on Scottish Devolution
, June 2009Digesting the Calman report calls BBC
Alexander wrote then “history teaches that constitutional reform has never been gifted to Scotland. It has to be fought and argued for.. Calman will shape the next phase of Scotland’s journey…[with] a range of common sense measures to improve relationships”.Wendy Alexander: Blueprint for the future of Scotland Scotland on Sunday, 14 June 2009 On St. Andrew's Day 2010, three years to the day after Alexander's call for a Commission, the UK Government introduced a new Scotland Bill. The proposals in the bill closely followed the Commission's recommendations and proposed major new financial powers worth £12 billion,giving Holyrood control of a third of its budget. Under the legislation, Holyrood will set a Scottish income tax rate each year from 2015, applying equally to the basic, high and additional rates. The UK Government called it the "biggest transfer of fiscal powers to Scotland since the creation of the Union." Holyrood to get new budget powers under Scotland Bill In December 2010 Alexander was appointed convener of the Scottish Parliament's Committee to report on the bill.
on Scottish Independence
saying "Bring it on!". It was a bold move, but led to suggestions of a rift between her and the prime minister, who did not overtly back her. A look a former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander . On the 7th of May, at Prime Minister's Questions
, Prime Minister
Gordon Brown
stated that she was not, in fact, offering Labour's support for an immediate referendum.Labour implodes over independence voteThe Scotsman
, 8 May 2008
During First Minister's Questions
in the Scottish Parliament, on the 8th of May, Alexander asked Alex Salmond to bring forward a referendum bill at the first opportunity. Alex Salmond
declined the offer of Labour support for a referendum, preferring to delay by at least a further year, saying "We will stick to what was laid out in pages 8 and 15 of the SNP manifesto".Official Report, 8th May 2008Scottish Parliament
, 1 December 2007 a matter that was investigated by the Electoral Commission
and Strathclyde Police
.Alexander wrote to illegal donor, BBC News Online
, 30 November 2007 When it emerged that the donation of £950 had come from a personal account, and not a business account, the money was immediately forfeited. Further newspaper reports on 30 November indicated Alexander was aware of the identity of the donor, after having sent a personal letter of gratitude to Mr Green (at his home in Jersey
) concerning the donation.Bombshell for Labour on illegal donations, The Scotsman
, 1 December 2007 As Mr Green was not registered as an elector in the United Kingdom this barred him from donating to a UK-based party. However, the Electoral Commission concluded in February 2008 that Alexander had taken 'significant steps' to comply with funding regulations and decided there was no basis for further action.Alexander in clear over donations, BBC News Online
, 7 February 2008 As part of the Electoral Commission ruling, they also stated that Alexander "did not take all reasonable steps" and that "there is not sufficient evidence to establish that an offence has been committed".Statement by the Electoral Commission, Electoral Commission
, 7 February 2008
These mixed messages have resulted in a number of people questioning the decision, including Alex Salmond
the head of the Scottish Government who likened the result to a not proven
verdict.Alexander in clear over donation, BBC News Online
, 7 February 2008
In a separate development, a few days earlier in February 2008, the Scottish Parliament standards watchdog reported Alexander to the procurator fiscal
for failing to declare as gifts the donations that were made to the fund for her campaign for the Scottish Labour Party leadership.Alexander reported over donations, BBC News Online
, 3 February 2008 Alexander had been told by the parliamentary authorities that there was no need to declare these donations as gifts. In previous leadership campaigns, campaign donations were not treated as gifts. Again the subsequent investigation led to a decision by the Crown Office
to take no further action.Alexander will not be prosecuted
Despite this ruling, on 26 June 2008, on the eve of the Parliamentary summer recess, the SNP-led Standards Committee of the Parliament voted 4 to 3 to propose a one-day ban from the Scottish Parliament as a sanction for not declaring leadership campaign donations as gifts on the Parliament's register of interests. Alexander had followed the advice of parliamentary authorities which stated that there was no need to declare the donations as gifts , The proposed ban was overwhelmingly rejected by the Parliament in a subsequent vote in September 2008.Official Report, Decision Time, 4th Sep 2008 Scottish Parliament
MSPs vote against Alexander ban However, with Holyrood going into summer recess at the time, Ms Alexander would have had to wait until September for all MSPs to vote on the recommendation. So, rather than having the issue hanging over her - and her party - Ms Alexander announced her resignation as leader on 28 June 2008. A look at former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander She subsequently stated it had been a mistake for her to take on the leadership of Scottish Labour while her children were so young. Wendy Alexander to quit Scots parliament at election
. She was also convenor of the Scotland Bill
Committee, which produced the report for the Scottish Parliament and UK Government in March 2011 proposing new powers
for the Scottish Parliament
.MSPs call for more Holyrood power under Scotland Bill Many of these proposals recommend greater fiscal autonomy for Scotland
The Wendy Alexander plan aims to bridge gap in nation's finances , including improved borrowing powers, the ability to issue bonds and further tax devolution. Q&A: Scotland Bill Despite the Scottish Government's initial opposition to the bill they supported the Scotland Bill Committee's recommendations, with parliament voting 121:3 in favour. In her valedictory speech on the Scotland Bill, Alexander said: "This initiative has from beginning to end been cross-party, consensual and co-operative among the participating parties. [...] The bill will deliver the most far-reaching transfer of financial powers from London since the creation of the union. [...] In the future, all Scottish political parties will have to make decisions about raising money as well as about spending it. [...] The bill serves Scotland better [...] It is, quite simply, in the national interest." Official Report - Meeting of the Parliament 10 March 2011
She stood down from Parliament in May 2011 to seek a new life outside active politics. Wendy Alexander to quit Scots parliament at election A Look at former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander
Alexander also serves as a member of the Social Market Foundation
’s Advisory Board and Reform Scotland
’s Political Advisory Board.
Alexander's brother Douglas
, is the Labour
Member of Parliament
for Paisley and Renfrewshire South
, and was previously Secretary of State for International Development
and Secretary of State for Scotland
. He now serves as Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband
.
|-
|-
|-
|-
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
politician and the former Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(MSP) for Paisley North
Paisley North (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Paisley North is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
. She held various Scottish Government cabinet posts and was the leader of the Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
group in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
from 2007-2008. In 2010-2011 she convened the Scotland Bill Committee on financial powers of the Scottish Parliament.
Education
Alexander attended Park Mains High SchoolPark Mains High School
Park Mains High School is Renfrewshire's largest secondary school situated in the Park Mains area of Erskine, taking in students from the town as well as Bishopton, Inchinnan and Langbank....
in Erskine
Erskine
Erskine is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire, and historic county of the same name, in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.It lies on the southern bank of the River Clyde, providing the lowest crossing to the north bank of the river at Erskine Bridge connecting the town to Old Kilpatrick...
and won a scholarship to Lester B. Pearson College
Lester B. Pearson College
Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific is one of thirteen United World Colleges around the world. It is named after the late Canadian Prime Minister Lester Bowles Pearson, winner of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize and originator of the United Nations Peace Keeping program...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
before studying at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, where she graduated with a First Class
British undergraduate degree classification
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom...
MA (Hons)
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
in Economic and Modern History
Economic history
Economic history is the study of economies or economic phenomena in the past. Analysis in economic history is undertaken using a combination of historical methods, statistical methods and by applying economic theory to historical situations and institutions...
. She later gained a postgraduate MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Industrial Relations from the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
, and an MBA from INSEAD
INSEAD
INSEAD is an international graduate business school and research institution. It has campuses in Europe , Asia , and the Middle East , as well as a research center in Israel...
.
She was awarded an honorary degree from Strathclyde University in 2007.
Early career
After her MBA Alexander worked for Booz & Co., an international management consultancy, undertaking assignments in Europe, Asia, North America and Australasia.Adviser to Donald Dewar
Following Tony Blair's election in May 1997, she was appointed Special Adviser to Donald DewarDonald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar was a British politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in Scotland from 1966-1970, and then again from 1978 until his death in 2000. He served in Tony Blair's cabinet as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1997-1999 and was instrumental in the creation...
when he became Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
. She was deeply involved in the preparation of the White Paper on devolution, the Scotland Act 1998
Scotland Act 1998
The Scotland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is the Act which established the devolved Scottish Parliament.The Act will be amended by the Scotland Bill 2011, if and when it receives royal assent.-History:...
and preparations for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, all matters she had published on during the 1990s.
Member of Scottish Parliament
Wendy Alexander served as a Member of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(MSP) since its creation in 1999 until 2011.
Ministerial career
From 1999 to 2002 Wendy Alexander was a Scottish Government minister, first serving as Minister for Communities, then as Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong LearningMinister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
The Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning was a cabinet position in the Scottish Executive. The position was first created in the 1999 as part of the Dewar government and continued into the McLeish cabinet. Following the election of Jack McConnell as First Minister in 2001 transportation...
, and subsequently as Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning.
As Communities Minister she launched the free central heating installation programme for all pensioners without a system. She oversaw the creation of the first social justice report, A Scotland where everyone matters – our vision for Social Justice, setting ambitious new targets for delivering social justice and defeating child poverty in Scotland, and an Annual Scottish Social Justice Report to measure progress towards those targets. She set up the Homelessness Task Force which led to radical homelessness legislation and she championed the community ownership of housing by tenants including the removal of £1.6bn of Glasgow debt. The tenants subsequently voted in a referendum 2:1 in favour of transfer - the largest of its kind in the UK, involving 89,000 homes.
As Communities Minister, Alexander fought hard to bring about the repeal of Section 2A (the Scottish equivalent of Section 28) in order to contribute to social acceptance and greater equality for the LGBT community by removing a ban on the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities. in the face of a sustained campaign by Stagecoach millionaire and SNP donor Brian Souter to keep the legislation. In the end the repeal, contained in the Ethical Standards in Public Life (Scotland) Bill was passed by 99 votes to 17 During the final debate, Alexander said "[...] Repeal is not, and never has been, about the promotion of homosexuality in our schools. It is not about political correctness or, even less, about marriage. It is about building a tolerant Scotland. We know that teachers are confused about the meaning of section 2A, we know that bullying exists in our schools and elsewhere, and we know that children's organisations overwhelmingly back repeal."
Alexander oversaw the Scottish Executive’s response to the recommendations of the McIntosh Commission into the future of local government in Scotland, introducing a package of measures for local government including giving local authorities the lead role in developing Community Planning, creating a formal Power of Community Initiative (later known as a power of well being) and establishing the Renewing Local Democracy (Kerley) Working Party on electoral systems. Building on the work of the Best Value Taskforce, she also announced plans for a statutory duty to secure Best Value in local government services.
She also published the first Equality Statement to Parliament, established the Executive’s Equalities Unit, announced the first Scottish-wide fund to tackle violence against women - the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund - and the first national loan fund, administered by a new organisation - Social Investment Scotland - to invest in emerging social enterprises and “make it easier for the voluntary sector to emerge as an effective third force, alongside the traditional public and private sectors”.
As Enterprise Minister Alexander launched Smart, Successful Scotland, a widely-welcomed new economic strategy for Scotland supporting high-skill, high-value investment such as that by Rolls-Royce. She launched Scotland's first ever Science strategy and developed a better pipeline to get ideas out of labs and into businesses, including the Proof of Concept Fund and the Scottish Co-Investment Fund to stimulate private venture capital investment in emerging businesses. She also championed the first broadband strategy for Scotland and took action to tackle the 'digital divide'.
Alexander promoted a “learning, earning” nation including the doubling of the number of Modern Apprenticeships,
jointly leading the Clyde Shipyards Taskforce to help modernise shipbuilding on the Clyde through investment in skills, and in the face of the global downturn in electronics hitting companies such as Motorola launched what became the PACE (Partnership for Continuing Employment) initiative to help those made redundant find work quickly.
As Minister with responsibility for skills and lifelong learning she promoted higher education enterprise links and championed research, modernising management and widening access to universities by those previously excluded. She also extended Educational Maintenance Allowances to support pupils from low income families to complete their schooling.
Alexander launched a new international economic strategy for Scotland called Global Connections realigning Scotland’s international economic effort with the Smart Successful Scotland strategy, bringing together Scotland’s previously separate inward investment and export agencies into one organisation, Scotland Development International and created the Globalscot network to develop and expand Scotland's standing in the global business community.
Alexander resigned from ministerial office on 4 May 2002. After her resignation from Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
's Cabinet she became a visiting professor at the Strathclyde Business School
Strathclyde Business School
The Strathclyde Business School is one of the five schools which constitute the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. It includes a number of departments which offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and the Department of Management which specialises in postgraduate business...
and became a member, and subsequently Chair of the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee. She inspired and led the Allander Series of seminars which had the aim of encouraging fresh thinking on Scotland’s economic future. The seminars brought William Baumol, Ed Glaeser and Nobel laureates James Heckman and Paul Krugman from across the spectrum of political economy to Scotland to reflect on issues such as the returns to early intervention, supporting innovation and cities as future growth engines. She also authored Chasing the Tartan Tiger: Lessons from a Celtic Cousin? (2003), co-edited (with Diane Coyle and Brian Ashcroft) New Wealth for Old Nations: Scotland’s Economic Prospects (2005), edited an anthology of essays on the life of the late First Minister, Donald Dewar: Scotland’s first First Minister (2005) and wrote a non-political column for young mums in The Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
.
Election
Following the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2007, Alexander became Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable GrowthCabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, commonly referred to as the Finance Secretary, is a member of the Cabinet in the Scottish Government...
. Following Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
’s resignation in August 2007 she announced her candidacy for Leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament. Alexander laid out her vision to “Renew the party organisation, reform the policies, and reconnect Scottish Labour with its electorate”. Other contenders ruled themselves out and she was elected unopposed by Labour MSPs on 14 September 2007.
As Scottish Labour leader Alexander believed: "the people of Scotland told us loud and clear they wanted change. They didn't whisper - they shouted it. So change we must!" She argued Labour must offer radical change to regain the trust of voters, a vision spelt out in Scottish Labour New Directions: Change is what we do, a publication outlining her views on the future policy direction for Scottish Labour. Addressing Labour’s Scottish Conference as Leader she spoke of the need for Labour to be the progressive party of Scotland. Alexander argued: "'Scotland' is not a political philosophy. 'Scotland' can just as easily be Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
as it can be John Smith. The world over, politics comes down to a choice: right versus left, conservatives versus progressives, nationalists versus internationalists". Organisationally she called for a new approach to candidate selection including primary systems to give all Labour supporters a chance to be involved in choosing their local member. Policy initiatives included establishing a Literacy Commission with Rhona Brankin
Rhona Brankin
Rhona Brankin is a former Labour Co-operative Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Midlothian constituency. She was first elected in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003 and 2007...
to investigate child literacy standards in Scottish schools (subsequently embraced by all parties in the Parliament), supporting investment in the early years, including nursery places for all vulnerable 2-year-olds, more one-on-one tuition in schools, personalised care plans for those with chronic conditions and legislation providing for a modern apprenticeship for every qualified school leaver who sought one.
Calman Commission
Alexander made a speech at the University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
on St Andrew's Day 2007 in which she set out the case for a wide-ranging review of the devolution settlement
Devolution in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, devolution refers to the statutory granting of powers from the Parliament of the United Kingdom to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly and to their associated executive bodies the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government...
, with a view to identifying possible areas for reform. The speech laid out her proposals for “a more balanced home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
package” including greater financial accountability
Accountability
Accountability is a concept in ethics and governance with several meanings. It is often used synonymously with such concepts as responsibility, answerability, blameworthiness, liability, and other terms associated with the expectation of account-giving...
and new tax powers for the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
(a cause that she had first championed when she led the Allander Series) in order that the “Union become a more comfortable home for all its members”. She said "Scotland wants to see a future that allows her to walk taller within the UK without walking out" and called for a new “expert-led and independent” Scottish constitutional commission. As Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, she set this in motion by working with the Conservative and LibDem leaders to set up the Commission on Scottish Devolution
Commission on Scottish Devolution
The Commission on Scottish Devolution, also referred to as the Calman Commission, Scottish Parliament Commission or Review was established by an opposition Labour Party motion passed by the Scottish Parliament on 6 December 2007, with the support of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats...
(aka the Calman Commission) in a "bold cross-party, cross-border initiative". The review was established by a vote of the Scottish Parliament. The Calman Commission became a unique Scottish Parliament-UK Government joint venture which reported back to the Parliament in June 2009 proposing wide ranging changes in the financing of the Scottish Parliament. Alexander wrote then “history teaches that constitutional reform has never been gifted to Scotland. It has to be fought and argued for.. Calman will shape the next phase of Scotland’s journey…[with] a range of common sense measures to improve relationships”. On St. Andrew's Day 2010, three years to the day after Alexander's call for a Commission, the UK Government introduced a new Scotland Bill. The proposals in the bill closely followed the Commission's recommendations and proposed major new financial powers worth £12 billion,giving Holyrood control of a third of its budget. Under the legislation, Holyrood will set a Scottish income tax rate each year from 2015, applying equally to the basic, high and additional rates. The UK Government called it the "biggest transfer of fiscal powers to Scotland since the creation of the Union." In December 2010 Alexander was appointed convener of the Scottish Parliament's Committee to report on the bill.
Scottish independence referendum
During a TV interview on the 4th of May 2008, Wendy Alexander suggested that she would be willing to support a referendumReferendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on Scottish Independence
Scottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
saying "Bring it on!". It was a bold move, but led to suggestions of a rift between her and the prime minister, who did not overtly back her. . On the 7th of May, at Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime minister's questions is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom that takes place every Wednesday during which the prime minister spends half an hour answering questions from members of parliament...
, Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
stated that she was not, in fact, offering Labour's support for an immediate referendum.
During First Minister's Questions
First Minister's Questions
First Minister's Questions is the name given to the weekly questioning of the leaders of devolved administrations in the United Kingdom. First Minister's Questions works in a similar way to Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons....
in the Scottish Parliament, on the 8th of May, Alexander asked Alex Salmond to bring forward a referendum bill at the first opportunity. Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
declined the offer of Labour support for a referendum, preferring to delay by at least a further year, saying "We will stick to what was laid out in pages 8 and 15 of the SNP manifesto".
Wendy Alexander (born 27 June 1963, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
) is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
politician and the former Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(MSP) for Paisley North
Paisley North (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Paisley North is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
. She held various Scottish Government cabinet posts and was the leader of the Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
group in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
from 2007-2008. In 2010-2011 she convened the Scotland Bill Committee on financial powers of the Scottish Parliament.
Education
Alexander attended Park Mains High SchoolPark Mains High School
Park Mains High School is Renfrewshire's largest secondary school situated in the Park Mains area of Erskine, taking in students from the town as well as Bishopton, Inchinnan and Langbank....
in Erskine
Erskine
Erskine is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire, and historic county of the same name, in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.It lies on the southern bank of the River Clyde, providing the lowest crossing to the north bank of the river at Erskine Bridge connecting the town to Old Kilpatrick...
and won a scholarship to Lester B. Pearson College
Lester B. Pearson College
Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific is one of thirteen United World Colleges around the world. It is named after the late Canadian Prime Minister Lester Bowles Pearson, winner of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize and originator of the United Nations Peace Keeping program...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
before studying at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, where she graduated with a First Class
British undergraduate degree classification
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom...
MA (Hons)
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
in Economic and Modern History
Economic history
Economic history is the study of economies or economic phenomena in the past. Analysis in economic history is undertaken using a combination of historical methods, statistical methods and by applying economic theory to historical situations and institutions...
. She later gained a postgraduate MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Industrial Relations from the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
, and an MBA from INSEAD
INSEAD
INSEAD is an international graduate business school and research institution. It has campuses in Europe , Asia , and the Middle East , as well as a research center in Israel...
.
She was awarded an honorary degree from Strathclyde University in 2007.
Early career
After her MBA Alexander worked for Booz & Co., an international management consultancy, undertaking assignments in Europe, Asia, North America and Australasia.Adviser to Donald Dewar
Following Tony Blair's election in May 1997, she was appointed Special Adviser to Donald DewarDonald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar was a British politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in Scotland from 1966-1970, and then again from 1978 until his death in 2000. He served in Tony Blair's cabinet as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1997-1999 and was instrumental in the creation...
when he became Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
. She was deeply involved in the preparation of the White Paper on devolution, the Scotland Act 1998
Scotland Act 1998
The Scotland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is the Act which established the devolved Scottish Parliament.The Act will be amended by the Scotland Bill 2011, if and when it receives royal assent.-History:...
and preparations for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, all matters she had published on during the 1990s.
Member of Scottish Parliament
Wendy Alexander served as a Member of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(MSP) since its creation in 1999 until 2011.
Ministerial career
From 1999 to 2002 Wendy Alexander was a Scottish Government minister, first serving as Minister for Communities, then as Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong LearningMinister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
The Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning was a cabinet position in the Scottish Executive. The position was first created in the 1999 as part of the Dewar government and continued into the McLeish cabinet. Following the election of Jack McConnell as First Minister in 2001 transportation...
, and subsequently as Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning.
As Communities Minister she launched the free central heating installation programme for all pensioners without a system.Fuel poverty pledge to elderly BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 18 September 2000 She oversaw the creation of the first social justice report, A Scotland where everyone matters – our vision for Social Justice, setting ambitious new targets for delivering social justice and defeating child poverty in Scotland, and an Annual Scottish Social Justice Report to measure progress towards those targets.Executive poverty pledges BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 22 November 1999A Scotland where everyone matters - our vision for social justice Scottish Executive, 22 November 1999 She set up the Homelessness Task Force which led to radical homelessness legislationHomeless review launched BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 17 June 1999Task force homes in on homelessness BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 25 August 1999 and she championed the community ownership of housing by tenants including the removal of £1.6bn of Glasgow debt.Minister wants tenants in charge BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 16 September 2000Housing transfer moves forward BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
10 April 2000 The tenants subsequently voted in a referendum 2:1 in favour of transfer - the largest of its kind in the UK, involving 89,000 homes.
As Communities Minister, Alexander fought hard to bring about the repeal of Section 2A (the Scottish equivalent of Section 28) in order to contribute to social acceptance and greater equality for the LGBT community by removing a ban on the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities.Scottish Parliament repeals Section 28Independent (newspaper) 22 June 2000 in the face of a sustained campaign by Stagecoach millionaire and SNP donor Brian Souter to keep the legislation. In the end the repeal, contained in the Ethical Standards in Public Life (Scotland) Bill was passed by 99 votes to 17Official Report, 21 June 2000 Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
During the final debate, Alexander said "[...] Repeal is not, and never has been, about the promotion of homosexuality in our schools. It is not about political correctness or, even less, about marriage. It is about building a tolerant Scotland. We know that teachers are confused about the meaning of section 2A, we know that bullying exists in our schools and elsewhere, and we know that children's organisations overwhelmingly back repeal."Official Report, 21 June 2000 Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
Alexander oversaw the Scottish Executive’s response to the recommendations of the McIntosh Commission into the future of local government in Scotland,PR for Scottish council electionsBBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 22 June 1999 introducing a package of measures for local government Report of the Commission on Local Government and the Scottish Parliament-The Scottish Executive's Response Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
Official Report, 2 July 1999 Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
including giving local authorities the lead role in developing Community Planning, creating a formal Power of Community Initiative (later known as a power of well being) and establishing the Renewing Local Democracy (Kerley) Working Party on electoral systems. Building on the work of the Best Value Taskforce, she also announced plans for a statutory duty to secure Best Value in local government services.Helping councils lead their communities Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 8 June 2000
She also published the first Equality Statement to Parliament, established the Executive’s Equalities Unit,Equality Strategy: Working together for Equality Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
Pledge to put equality of opportunity at heart of policy makingScottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 28 September 1999 announced the first Scottish-wide fund to tackle violence against women - the Domestic Abuse Service Development FundOfficial Report, 27 October 1999Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
- and the first national loan fund,£10 million fund to boost community projects Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 3 November 1999 administered by a new organisation - Social Investment Scotland - to invest in emerging social enterprises and “make it easier for the voluntary sector to emerge as an effective third force, alongside the traditional public and private sectors”.£13 million to help communities help themselves Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 13 March 2000Wendy Alexander Announces Extra £1.2 Million For Voluntary Network Across Scotland Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 4 October 2000
As Enterprise Minister Alexander launched Smart, Successful Scotland, a widely-welcomed new economic strategy for ScotlandFirms told to go upmarket BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 24 February 2002 supporting high-skill, high-value investment such as that by Rolls-Royce.Rolls-Royce plans £85m factory BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 22 April 2002 She launched Scotland's first ever Science strategyExecutive makes science centre-stage BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 27 August 2001 and developed a better pipeline to get ideas out of labs and into businesses, including the Proof of Concept FundMore cash for innovators BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 10 September 2001 and the Scottish Co-Investment Fund to stimulate private venture capital investment in emerging businesses.Scottish Co-investment FundScottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 30 March 2003 She also championed the first broadband strategy for Scotland and took action to tackle the 'digital divide'.Minister's net push help plea BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 7 February 2001Poor lag behind IT revolution BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 4 February 2000Libraries book a place on the internet BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 7 February 2001
Alexander promoted a “learning, earning” nation including the doubling of the number of Modern Apprenticeships,Wendy Alexander announces action plan to get every Scot job ready Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 30 November 2000
jointly leading the Clyde Shipyards Taskforce to help modernise shipbuilding on the Clyde through investment in skills,Tide turning for Clyde shipbuilding BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 4 February 2002 and in the face of the global downturn in electronics hitting companies such as Motorola launched what became the PACE (Partnership for Continuing Employment) initiative to help those made redundant find work quickly.
As Minister with responsibility for skills and lifelong learning she promoted higher education enterprise links and championed research, modernising managementPolishing the Scottish jewel Times Higher Education, 19 October 2001 and widening access to universities by those previously excluded.Minister targets university elitism BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 19 November 2000 She also extended Educational Maintenance Allowances to support pupils from low income families to complete their schooling.Cash for learning scheme widened BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 26 March 2001
Alexander launched a new international economic strategy for Scotland called Global Connections realigning Scotland’s international economic effort with the Smart Successful Scotland strategy,Plan to 'globalise' Scotland's economyBBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 4 October 2001 bringing together Scotland’s previously separate inward investment and export agencies into one organisation, Scotland Development InternationalWendy Alexander: Putting the enterprise into higher education Scotsman, 15 February 2002 and created the Globalscot network to develop and expand Scotland's standing in the global business community.
Alexander resigned from ministerial office on 4 May 2002. After her resignation from Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
's Cabinet she became a visiting professor at the Strathclyde Business School
Strathclyde Business School
The Strathclyde Business School is one of the five schools which constitute the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. It includes a number of departments which offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and the Department of Management which specialises in postgraduate business...
and became a member, and subsequently Chair of the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee. She inspired and led the Allander Series of seminars which had the aim of encouraging fresh thinking on Scotland’s economic future.threat to economy BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
2 October 2003Single city call for central belt BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
10 February 2004 The seminars brought William Baumol, Ed Glaeser and Nobel laureates James Heckman and Paul Krugman from across the spectrum of political economy to Scotland to reflect on issues such as the returns to early intervention, supporting innovation and cities as future growth engines.Seeds of Allander have fallen on fertile ground Herald, 29 June 2004Positive ideas for Scotland Scotsman, 29 June 2004 She also authored Chasing the Tartan Tiger: Lessons from a Celtic Cousin? (2003), co-edited (with Diane Coyle and Brian Ashcroft) New Wealth for Old Nations: Scotland’s Economic Prospects (2005),Strength in numbers Scotland on Sunday, 22 May 2005 edited an anthology of essays on the life of the late First Minister, Donald Dewar: Scotland’s first First Minister (2005) and wrote a non-political column for young mums in The Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
.
Election
Following the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2007, Alexander became Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable GrowthCabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, commonly referred to as the Finance Secretary, is a member of the Cabinet in the Scottish Government...
. Following Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
’s resignation in August 2007 she announced her candidacy for Leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament. Alexander laid out her vision to “Renew the party organisation, reform the policies, and reconnect Scottish Labour with its electorate”.Candidate Launch Speech wendyalexander.co.uk Other contenders ruled themselves out and she was elected unopposed by Labour MSPs on 14 September 2007.Alexander leads Scottish labour, BBC News Online
BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
, 14 September 2007
As Scottish Labour leader Alexander believed: "the people of Scotland told us loud and clear they wanted change. They didn't whisper - they shouted it. So change we must!" A look at former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander She argued Labour must offer radical change to regain the trust of voters, a vision spelt out in Scottish Labour New Directions: Change is what we do,http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/21_03_08_wendy.pdf a publication outlining her views on the future policy direction for Scottish Labour.Labour must show radical change BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 23 March 2008 Addressing Labour’s Scottish Conference as Leader she spoke of the need for Labour to be the progressive party of Scotland. Alexander argued: "'Scotland' is not a political philosophy. 'Scotland' can just as easily be Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
as it can be John Smith. The world over, politics comes down to a choice: right versus left, conservatives versus progressives, nationalists versus internationalists".Alexander says fightback begins BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 29 March 2008Speech to Scottish Conference by Wendy Alexander BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 29 March 2008 Organisationally she called for a new approach to candidate selection including primary systems to give all Labour supporters a chance to be involved in choosing their local member. Policy initiatives included establishing a Literacy Commission with Rhona Brankin
Rhona Brankin
Rhona Brankin is a former Labour Co-operative Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Midlothian constituency. She was first elected in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003 and 2007...
to investigate child literacy standards in Scottish schoolsRebus creator turns government inspector Guardian, 24 June 2008 (subsequently embraced by all parties in the Parliament),Fifth of Scots have poor literacy BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 4 December 2009 supporting investment in the early years, including nursery places for all vulnerable 2-year-olds, more one-on-one tuition in schools, personalised care plans for those with chronic conditions and legislation providing for a modern apprenticeship for every qualified school leaver who sought one.
Calman Commission
Alexander made a speech at the University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
on St Andrew's Day 2007 in which she set out the case for a wide-ranging review of the devolution settlement
Devolution in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, devolution refers to the statutory granting of powers from the Parliament of the United Kingdom to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly and to their associated executive bodies the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government...
, with a view to identifying possible areas for reform.Wendy Alexander presents A New Agenda for ScotlandInstitute of Governance The speech laid out her proposals for “a more balanced home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
package” including greater financial accountability
Accountability
Accountability is a concept in ethics and governance with several meanings. It is often used synonymously with such concepts as responsibility, answerability, blameworthiness, liability, and other terms associated with the expectation of account-giving...
and new tax powers for the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
(a cause that she had first championed when she led the Allander Series) in order that the “Union become a more comfortable home for all its members”.Alexander calls for tax powers to replace the Barnett formula Herald, 1 December 2007 She said "Scotland wants to see a future that allows her to walk taller within the UK without walking out" and called for a new “expert-led and independent” Scottish constitutional commission. As Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, she set this in motion by working with the Conservative and LibDem leaders to set up the Commission on Scottish Devolution
Commission on Scottish Devolution
The Commission on Scottish Devolution, also referred to as the Calman Commission, Scottish Parliament Commission or Review was established by an opposition Labour Party motion passed by the Scottish Parliament on 6 December 2007, with the support of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats...
(aka the Calman Commission) in a "bold cross-party, cross-border initiative".Parties join forces to bulldoze SNP Scotsman, 7 December 2007Its all part of the process Herald, 7 December 2007Devolution body to take evidence BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
The review was established by a vote of the Scottish Parliament. MSPs back devolution review body The Calman Commission became a unique Scottish Parliament-UK Government joint venture which reported back to the Parliament in June 2009 proposing wide ranging changes in the financing of the Scottish Parliament.Serving Scotland BetterCommission on Scottish Devolution
Commission on Scottish Devolution
The Commission on Scottish Devolution, also referred to as the Calman Commission, Scottish Parliament Commission or Review was established by an opposition Labour Party motion passed by the Scottish Parliament on 6 December 2007, with the support of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats...
, June 2009Serving Scotland Better Executive SummaryCommission on Scottish Devolution
Commission on Scottish Devolution
The Commission on Scottish Devolution, also referred to as the Calman Commission, Scottish Parliament Commission or Review was established by an opposition Labour Party motion passed by the Scottish Parliament on 6 December 2007, with the support of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats...
, June 2009Digesting the Calman report calls BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Alexander wrote then “history teaches that constitutional reform has never been gifted to Scotland. It has to be fought and argued for.. Calman will shape the next phase of Scotland’s journey…[with] a range of common sense measures to improve relationships”.Wendy Alexander: Blueprint for the future of Scotland Scotland on Sunday, 14 June 2009 On St. Andrew's Day 2010, three years to the day after Alexander's call for a Commission, the UK Government introduced a new Scotland Bill. The proposals in the bill closely followed the Commission's recommendations and proposed major new financial powers worth £12 billion,giving Holyrood control of a third of its budget. Under the legislation, Holyrood will set a Scottish income tax rate each year from 2015, applying equally to the basic, high and additional rates. The UK Government called it the "biggest transfer of fiscal powers to Scotland since the creation of the Union." Holyrood to get new budget powers under Scotland Bill In December 2010 Alexander was appointed convener of the Scottish Parliament's Committee to report on the bill.
Scottish independence referendum
During a TV interview on the 4th of May 2008, Wendy Alexander suggested that she would be willing to support a referendumReferendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on Scottish Independence
Scottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
saying "Bring it on!". It was a bold move, but led to suggestions of a rift between her and the prime minister, who did not overtly back her. A look a former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander . On the 7th of May, at Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime minister's questions is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom that takes place every Wednesday during which the prime minister spends half an hour answering questions from members of parliament...
, Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
stated that she was not, in fact, offering Labour's support for an immediate referendum.Labour implodes over independence voteThe Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
, 8 May 2008
During First Minister's Questions
First Minister's Questions
First Minister's Questions is the name given to the weekly questioning of the leaders of devolved administrations in the United Kingdom. First Minister's Questions works in a similar way to Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons....
in the Scottish Parliament, on the 8th of May, Alexander asked Alex Salmond to bring forward a referendum bill at the first opportunity. Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
declined the offer of Labour support for a referendum, preferring to delay by at least a further year, saying "We will stick to what was laid out in pages 8 and 15 of the SNP manifesto".
Wendy Alexander (born 27 June 1963, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
) is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
politician and the former Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(MSP) for Paisley North
Paisley North (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Paisley North is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
. She held various Scottish Government cabinet posts and was the leader of the Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
group in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
from 2007-2008. In 2010-2011 she convened the Scotland Bill Committee on financial powers of the Scottish Parliament.
Education
Alexander attended Park Mains High SchoolPark Mains High School
Park Mains High School is Renfrewshire's largest secondary school situated in the Park Mains area of Erskine, taking in students from the town as well as Bishopton, Inchinnan and Langbank....
in Erskine
Erskine
Erskine is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire, and historic county of the same name, in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.It lies on the southern bank of the River Clyde, providing the lowest crossing to the north bank of the river at Erskine Bridge connecting the town to Old Kilpatrick...
and won a scholarship to Lester B. Pearson College
Lester B. Pearson College
Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific is one of thirteen United World Colleges around the world. It is named after the late Canadian Prime Minister Lester Bowles Pearson, winner of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize and originator of the United Nations Peace Keeping program...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
before studying at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, where she graduated with a First Class
British undergraduate degree classification
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom...
MA (Hons)
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
in Economic and Modern History
Economic history
Economic history is the study of economies or economic phenomena in the past. Analysis in economic history is undertaken using a combination of historical methods, statistical methods and by applying economic theory to historical situations and institutions...
. She later gained a postgraduate MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Industrial Relations from the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
, and an MBA from INSEAD
INSEAD
INSEAD is an international graduate business school and research institution. It has campuses in Europe , Asia , and the Middle East , as well as a research center in Israel...
.
She was awarded an honorary degree from Strathclyde University in 2007.
Early career
After her MBA Alexander worked for Booz & Co., an international management consultancy, undertaking assignments in Europe, Asia, North America and Australasia.Adviser to Donald Dewar
Following Tony Blair's election in May 1997, she was appointed Special Adviser to Donald DewarDonald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar was a British politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in Scotland from 1966-1970, and then again from 1978 until his death in 2000. He served in Tony Blair's cabinet as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1997-1999 and was instrumental in the creation...
when he became Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
. She was deeply involved in the preparation of the White Paper on devolution, the Scotland Act 1998
Scotland Act 1998
The Scotland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is the Act which established the devolved Scottish Parliament.The Act will be amended by the Scotland Bill 2011, if and when it receives royal assent.-History:...
and preparations for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, all matters she had published on during the 1990s.
Member of Scottish Parliament
Wendy Alexander served as a Member of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(MSP) since its creation in 1999 until 2011.
Ministerial career
From 1999 to 2002 Wendy Alexander was a Scottish Government minister, first serving as Minister for Communities, then as Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong LearningMinister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
The Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning was a cabinet position in the Scottish Executive. The position was first created in the 1999 as part of the Dewar government and continued into the McLeish cabinet. Following the election of Jack McConnell as First Minister in 2001 transportation...
, and subsequently as Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning.
As Communities Minister she launched the free central heating installation programme for all pensioners without a system.Fuel poverty pledge to elderly BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 18 September 2000 She oversaw the creation of the first social justice report, A Scotland where everyone matters – our vision for Social Justice, setting ambitious new targets for delivering social justice and defeating child poverty in Scotland, and an Annual Scottish Social Justice Report to measure progress towards those targets.Executive poverty pledges BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 22 November 1999A Scotland where everyone matters - our vision for social justice Scottish Executive, 22 November 1999 She set up the Homelessness Task Force which led to radical homelessness legislationHomeless review launched BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 17 June 1999Task force homes in on homelessness BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 25 August 1999 and she championed the community ownership of housing by tenants including the removal of £1.6bn of Glasgow debt.Minister wants tenants in charge BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 16 September 2000Housing transfer moves forward BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
10 April 2000 The tenants subsequently voted in a referendum 2:1 in favour of transfer - the largest of its kind in the UK, involving 89,000 homes.
As Communities Minister, Alexander fought hard to bring about the repeal of Section 2A (the Scottish equivalent of Section 28) in order to contribute to social acceptance and greater equality for the LGBT community by removing a ban on the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities.Scottish Parliament repeals Section 28Independent (newspaper) 22 June 2000 in the face of a sustained campaign by Stagecoach millionaire and SNP donor Brian Souter to keep the legislation. In the end the repeal, contained in the Ethical Standards in Public Life (Scotland) Bill was passed by 99 votes to 17Official Report, 21 June 2000 Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
During the final debate, Alexander said "[...] Repeal is not, and never has been, about the promotion of homosexuality in our schools. It is not about political correctness or, even less, about marriage. It is about building a tolerant Scotland. We know that teachers are confused about the meaning of section 2A, we know that bullying exists in our schools and elsewhere, and we know that children's organisations overwhelmingly back repeal."Official Report, 21 June 2000 Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
Alexander oversaw the Scottish Executive’s response to the recommendations of the McIntosh Commission into the future of local government in Scotland,PR for Scottish council electionsBBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 22 June 1999 introducing a package of measures for local government Report of the Commission on Local Government and the Scottish Parliament-The Scottish Executive's Response Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
Official Report, 2 July 1999 Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
including giving local authorities the lead role in developing Community Planning, creating a formal Power of Community Initiative (later known as a power of well being) and establishing the Renewing Local Democracy (Kerley) Working Party on electoral systems. Building on the work of the Best Value Taskforce, she also announced plans for a statutory duty to secure Best Value in local government services.Helping councils lead their communities Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 8 June 2000
She also published the first Equality Statement to Parliament, established the Executive’s Equalities Unit,Equality Strategy: Working together for Equality Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
Pledge to put equality of opportunity at heart of policy makingScottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 28 September 1999 announced the first Scottish-wide fund to tackle violence against women - the Domestic Abuse Service Development FundOfficial Report, 27 October 1999Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
- and the first national loan fund,£10 million fund to boost community projects Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 3 November 1999 administered by a new organisation - Social Investment Scotland - to invest in emerging social enterprises and “make it easier for the voluntary sector to emerge as an effective third force, alongside the traditional public and private sectors”.£13 million to help communities help themselves Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 13 March 2000Wendy Alexander Announces Extra £1.2 Million For Voluntary Network Across Scotland Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 4 October 2000
As Enterprise Minister Alexander launched Smart, Successful Scotland, a widely-welcomed new economic strategy for ScotlandFirms told to go upmarket BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 24 February 2002 supporting high-skill, high-value investment such as that by Rolls-Royce.Rolls-Royce plans £85m factory BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 22 April 2002 She launched Scotland's first ever Science strategyExecutive makes science centre-stage BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 27 August 2001 and developed a better pipeline to get ideas out of labs and into businesses, including the Proof of Concept FundMore cash for innovators BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 10 September 2001 and the Scottish Co-Investment Fund to stimulate private venture capital investment in emerging businesses.Scottish Co-investment FundScottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 30 March 2003 She also championed the first broadband strategy for Scotland and took action to tackle the 'digital divide'.Minister's net push help plea BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 7 February 2001Poor lag behind IT revolution BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 4 February 2000Libraries book a place on the internet BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 7 February 2001
Alexander promoted a “learning, earning” nation including the doubling of the number of Modern Apprenticeships,Wendy Alexander announces action plan to get every Scot job ready Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, 30 November 2000
jointly leading the Clyde Shipyards Taskforce to help modernise shipbuilding on the Clyde through investment in skills,Tide turning for Clyde shipbuilding BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 4 February 2002 and in the face of the global downturn in electronics hitting companies such as Motorola launched what became the PACE (Partnership for Continuing Employment) initiative to help those made redundant find work quickly.
As Minister with responsibility for skills and lifelong learning she promoted higher education enterprise links and championed research, modernising managementPolishing the Scottish jewel Times Higher Education, 19 October 2001 and widening access to universities by those previously excluded.Minister targets university elitism BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 19 November 2000 She also extended Educational Maintenance Allowances to support pupils from low income families to complete their schooling.Cash for learning scheme widened BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 26 March 2001
Alexander launched a new international economic strategy for Scotland called Global Connections realigning Scotland’s international economic effort with the Smart Successful Scotland strategy,Plan to 'globalise' Scotland's economyBBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 4 October 2001 bringing together Scotland’s previously separate inward investment and export agencies into one organisation, Scotland Development InternationalWendy Alexander: Putting the enterprise into higher education Scotsman, 15 February 2002 and created the Globalscot network to develop and expand Scotland's standing in the global business community.
Alexander resigned from ministerial office on 4 May 2002. After her resignation from Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
's Cabinet she became a visiting professor at the Strathclyde Business School
Strathclyde Business School
The Strathclyde Business School is one of the five schools which constitute the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. It includes a number of departments which offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and the Department of Management which specialises in postgraduate business...
and became a member, and subsequently Chair of the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee. She inspired and led the Allander Series of seminars which had the aim of encouraging fresh thinking on Scotland’s economic future.threat to economy BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
2 October 2003Single city call for central belt BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
10 February 2004 The seminars brought William Baumol, Ed Glaeser and Nobel laureates James Heckman and Paul Krugman from across the spectrum of political economy to Scotland to reflect on issues such as the returns to early intervention, supporting innovation and cities as future growth engines.Seeds of Allander have fallen on fertile ground Herald, 29 June 2004Positive ideas for Scotland Scotsman, 29 June 2004 She also authored Chasing the Tartan Tiger: Lessons from a Celtic Cousin? (2003), co-edited (with Diane Coyle and Brian Ashcroft) New Wealth for Old Nations: Scotland’s Economic Prospects (2005),Strength in numbers Scotland on Sunday, 22 May 2005 edited an anthology of essays on the life of the late First Minister, Donald Dewar: Scotland’s first First Minister (2005) and wrote a non-political column for young mums in The Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
.
Election
Following the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2007, Alexander became Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable GrowthCabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, commonly referred to as the Finance Secretary, is a member of the Cabinet in the Scottish Government...
. Following Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
’s resignation in August 2007 she announced her candidacy for Leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament. Alexander laid out her vision to “Renew the party organisation, reform the policies, and reconnect Scottish Labour with its electorate”.Candidate Launch Speech wendyalexander.co.uk Other contenders ruled themselves out and she was elected unopposed by Labour MSPs on 14 September 2007.Alexander leads Scottish labour, BBC News Online
BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
, 14 September 2007
As Scottish Labour leader Alexander believed: "the people of Scotland told us loud and clear they wanted change. They didn't whisper - they shouted it. So change we must!" A look at former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander She argued Labour must offer radical change to regain the trust of voters, a vision spelt out in Scottish Labour New Directions: Change is what we do,http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/21_03_08_wendy.pdf a publication outlining her views on the future policy direction for Scottish Labour.Labour must show radical change BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 23 March 2008 Addressing Labour’s Scottish Conference as Leader she spoke of the need for Labour to be the progressive party of Scotland. Alexander argued: "'Scotland' is not a political philosophy. 'Scotland' can just as easily be Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
as it can be John Smith. The world over, politics comes down to a choice: right versus left, conservatives versus progressives, nationalists versus internationalists".Alexander says fightback begins BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 29 March 2008Speech to Scottish Conference by Wendy Alexander BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 29 March 2008 Organisationally she called for a new approach to candidate selection including primary systems to give all Labour supporters a chance to be involved in choosing their local member. Policy initiatives included establishing a Literacy Commission with Rhona Brankin
Rhona Brankin
Rhona Brankin is a former Labour Co-operative Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Midlothian constituency. She was first elected in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003 and 2007...
to investigate child literacy standards in Scottish schoolsRebus creator turns government inspector Guardian, 24 June 2008 (subsequently embraced by all parties in the Parliament),Fifth of Scots have poor literacy BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 4 December 2009 supporting investment in the early years, including nursery places for all vulnerable 2-year-olds, more one-on-one tuition in schools, personalised care plans for those with chronic conditions and legislation providing for a modern apprenticeship for every qualified school leaver who sought one.
Calman Commission
Alexander made a speech at the University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
on St Andrew's Day 2007 in which she set out the case for a wide-ranging review of the devolution settlement
Devolution in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, devolution refers to the statutory granting of powers from the Parliament of the United Kingdom to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly and to their associated executive bodies the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government...
, with a view to identifying possible areas for reform.Wendy Alexander presents A New Agenda for ScotlandInstitute of Governance The speech laid out her proposals for “a more balanced home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
package” including greater financial accountability
Accountability
Accountability is a concept in ethics and governance with several meanings. It is often used synonymously with such concepts as responsibility, answerability, blameworthiness, liability, and other terms associated with the expectation of account-giving...
and new tax powers for the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
(a cause that she had first championed when she led the Allander Series) in order that the “Union become a more comfortable home for all its members”.Alexander calls for tax powers to replace the Barnett formula Herald, 1 December 2007 She said "Scotland wants to see a future that allows her to walk taller within the UK without walking out" and called for a new “expert-led and independent” Scottish constitutional commission. As Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, she set this in motion by working with the Conservative and LibDem leaders to set up the Commission on Scottish Devolution
Commission on Scottish Devolution
The Commission on Scottish Devolution, also referred to as the Calman Commission, Scottish Parliament Commission or Review was established by an opposition Labour Party motion passed by the Scottish Parliament on 6 December 2007, with the support of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats...
(aka the Calman Commission) in a "bold cross-party, cross-border initiative".Parties join forces to bulldoze SNP Scotsman, 7 December 2007Its all part of the process Herald, 7 December 2007Devolution body to take evidence BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
The review was established by a vote of the Scottish Parliament. MSPs back devolution review body The Calman Commission became a unique Scottish Parliament-UK Government joint venture which reported back to the Parliament in June 2009 proposing wide ranging changes in the financing of the Scottish Parliament.Serving Scotland BetterCommission on Scottish Devolution
Commission on Scottish Devolution
The Commission on Scottish Devolution, also referred to as the Calman Commission, Scottish Parliament Commission or Review was established by an opposition Labour Party motion passed by the Scottish Parliament on 6 December 2007, with the support of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats...
, June 2009Serving Scotland Better Executive SummaryCommission on Scottish Devolution
Commission on Scottish Devolution
The Commission on Scottish Devolution, also referred to as the Calman Commission, Scottish Parliament Commission or Review was established by an opposition Labour Party motion passed by the Scottish Parliament on 6 December 2007, with the support of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats...
, June 2009Digesting the Calman report calls BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Alexander wrote then “history teaches that constitutional reform has never been gifted to Scotland. It has to be fought and argued for.. Calman will shape the next phase of Scotland’s journey…[with] a range of common sense measures to improve relationships”.Wendy Alexander: Blueprint for the future of Scotland Scotland on Sunday, 14 June 2009 On St. Andrew's Day 2010, three years to the day after Alexander's call for a Commission, the UK Government introduced a new Scotland Bill. The proposals in the bill closely followed the Commission's recommendations and proposed major new financial powers worth £12 billion,giving Holyrood control of a third of its budget. Under the legislation, Holyrood will set a Scottish income tax rate each year from 2015, applying equally to the basic, high and additional rates. The UK Government called it the "biggest transfer of fiscal powers to Scotland since the creation of the Union." Holyrood to get new budget powers under Scotland Bill In December 2010 Alexander was appointed convener of the Scottish Parliament's Committee to report on the bill.
Scottish independence referendum
During a TV interview on the 4th of May 2008, Wendy Alexander suggested that she would be willing to support a referendumReferendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on Scottish Independence
Scottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
saying "Bring it on!". It was a bold move, but led to suggestions of a rift between her and the prime minister, who did not overtly back her. A look a former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander . On the 7th of May, at Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime minister's questions is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom that takes place every Wednesday during which the prime minister spends half an hour answering questions from members of parliament...
, Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
stated that she was not, in fact, offering Labour's support for an immediate referendum.Labour implodes over independence voteThe Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
, 8 May 2008
During First Minister's Questions
First Minister's Questions
First Minister's Questions is the name given to the weekly questioning of the leaders of devolved administrations in the United Kingdom. First Minister's Questions works in a similar way to Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons....
in the Scottish Parliament, on the 8th of May, Alexander asked Alex Salmond to bring forward a referendum bill at the first opportunity. Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
declined the offer of Labour support for a referendum, preferring to delay by at least a further year, saying "We will stick to what was laid out in pages 8 and 15 of the SNP manifesto".Official Report, 8th May 2008Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
Resignation over foreign donation
In 2007, a controversy developed after it emerged that Alexander's campaign team had accepted a £950 impermissible donation from Paul Green, a property magnate,Q&A: Wendy Alexander donations row , BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 1 December 2007 a matter that was investigated by the Electoral Commission
Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)
The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. It regulates party and election finance and sets standards for well-run elections...
and Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police is the territorial police force responsible for the Scottish council areas of Argyll and Bute, City of Glasgow, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West...
.Alexander wrote to illegal donor, BBC News Online
BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
, 30 November 2007 When it emerged that the donation of £950 had come from a personal account, and not a business account, the money was immediately forfeited. Further newspaper reports on 30 November indicated Alexander was aware of the identity of the donor, after having sent a personal letter of gratitude to Mr Green (at his home in Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
) concerning the donation.Bombshell for Labour on illegal donations, The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
, 1 December 2007 As Mr Green was not registered as an elector in the United Kingdom this barred him from donating to a UK-based party. However, the Electoral Commission concluded in February 2008 that Alexander had taken 'significant steps' to comply with funding regulations and decided there was no basis for further action.Alexander in clear over donations, BBC News Online
BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
, 7 February 2008 As part of the Electoral Commission ruling, they also stated that Alexander "did not take all reasonable steps" and that "there is not sufficient evidence to establish that an offence has been committed".Statement by the Electoral Commission, Electoral Commission
Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)
The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. It regulates party and election finance and sets standards for well-run elections...
, 7 February 2008
These mixed messages have resulted in a number of people questioning the decision, including Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
the head of the Scottish Government who likened the result to a not proven
Not proven
Not proven is a verdict available to a court in Scotland.Under Scots law, a criminal trial may end in one of three verdicts: one of conviction and two of acquittal ....
verdict.Alexander in clear over donation, BBC News Online
BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
, 7 February 2008
In a separate development, a few days earlier in February 2008, the Scottish Parliament standards watchdog reported Alexander to the procurator fiscal
Procurator Fiscal
A procurator fiscal is a public prosecutor in Scotland. They investigate all sudden and suspicious deaths in Scotland , conduct Fatal Accident Inquiries and handle criminal complaints against the police A procurator fiscal (pl. procurators fiscal) is a public prosecutor in Scotland. They...
for failing to declare as gifts the donations that were made to the fund for her campaign for the Scottish Labour Party leadership.Alexander reported over donations, BBC News Online
BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
, 3 February 2008 Alexander had been told by the parliamentary authorities that there was no need to declare these donations as gifts. In previous leadership campaigns, campaign donations were not treated as gifts. Again the subsequent investigation led to a decision by the Crown Office
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service provides the independent public prosecution service for Scotland, and is a Ministerial Department of the Scottish Government. The department is headed by Her Majesty's Lord Advocate, who under the Scottish legal system is responsible for prosecution,...
to take no further action.Alexander will not be prosecuted
Despite this ruling, on 26 June 2008, on the eve of the Parliamentary summer recess, the SNP-led Standards Committee of the Parliament voted 4 to 3 to propose a one-day ban from the Scottish Parliament as a sanction for not declaring leadership campaign donations as gifts on the Parliament's register of interests. Alexander had followed the advice of parliamentary authorities which stated that there was no need to declare the donations as gifts , The proposed ban was overwhelmingly rejected by the Parliament in a subsequent vote in September 2008.Official Report, Decision Time, 4th Sep 2008 Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
MSPs vote against Alexander ban However, with Holyrood going into summer recess at the time, Ms Alexander would have had to wait until September for all MSPs to vote on the recommendation. So, rather than having the issue hanging over her - and her party - Ms Alexander announced her resignation as leader on 28 June 2008. A look at former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander She subsequently stated it had been a mistake for her to take on the leadership of Scottish Labour while her children were so young. Wendy Alexander to quit Scots parliament at election
Parliamentary Career
From 2008-2011 Alexander served as a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Tourism CommitteeCommittees of the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament has a number of committees, with small numbers of Members appointed to deal with particular topics or issues.Much of the work of the Scottish Parliament is done in committee...
. She was also convenor of the Scotland Bill
Scotland Bill
Scotland Bill can refer to:* the proposed legislation for Scottish home rule presented to the UK Parliament in 1977, which became the Scotland Act 1978...
Committee, which produced the report for the Scottish Parliament and UK Government in March 2011 proposing new powers
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
for the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
.MSPs call for more Holyrood power under Scotland Bill Many of these proposals recommend greater fiscal autonomy for Scotland
Fiscal autonomy for Scotland
Full fiscal autonomy, sometimes referred to as devolution max, devo-max or fiscal federalism, has come to be used to describe a situation where instead of receiving a block grant from the UK Exchequer as at present, the Scottish Parliament would receive all taxation levied in Scotland and would...
The Wendy Alexander plan aims to bridge gap in nation's finances , including improved borrowing powers, the ability to issue bonds and further tax devolution. Q&A: Scotland Bill Despite the Scottish Government's initial opposition to the bill they supported the Scotland Bill Committee's recommendations, with parliament voting 121:3 in favour. In her valedictory speech on the Scotland Bill, Alexander said: "This initiative has from beginning to end been cross-party, consensual and co-operative among the participating parties. [...] The bill will deliver the most far-reaching transfer of financial powers from London since the creation of the union. [...] In the future, all Scottish political parties will have to make decisions about raising money as well as about spending it. [...] The bill serves Scotland better [...] It is, quite simply, in the national interest." Official Report - Meeting of the Parliament 10 March 2011
She stood down from Parliament in May 2011 to seek a new life outside active politics. Wendy Alexander to quit Scots parliament at election A Look at former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander
Alexander also serves as a member of the Social Market Foundation
Social Market Foundation
The Social Market Foundation is a British public policy think-tank based in Westminster, London. It was set up by supporters of David Owen after the Social Democratic Party was disbanded in the late 1980s. It aims to promote and produce policies supporting the “social market”...
’s Advisory Board and Reform Scotland
Reform Scotland
Reform Scotland, established in 2008, is an Edinburgh-based think tank, a sister organisation to the London-based right-wing, free market think tank Reform. However both organisations have their own separate governance and funding structures as well as different emphasis on policy.Reform Scotland...
’s Political Advisory Board.
Personal Life and Family
Wendy Alexander is married to Professor Brian Ashcroft and has two children.Alexander's brother Douglas
Douglas Alexander
Douglas Garven Alexander is a British Labour Party politician, who is currently the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the shadow cabinet of Ed Miliband. He has held cabinet posts under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including Secretary of State for Scotland and...
, is the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Paisley and Renfrewshire South
Paisley and Renfrewshire South (UK Parliament constituency)
Paisley and Renfrewshire South is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in Renfrewshire, Scotland to the south-west of Glasgow. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting.The seat was formed in 2005, and is a...
, and was previously Secretary of State for International Development
Secretary of State for International Development
In the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State for International Development is a Cabinet minister responsible for the Department for International Development and for promoting development overseas, particularly in the third world...
and Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
. He now serves as Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
.
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