Scottish Parliament general election, 2003

Scottish Parliament election, 2003

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All 129 seats to the Scottish Parliament 65 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout	49.4% 9.7%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Jack McConnell John Swinney David McLetchie Party Labour SNP Conservative Leader's seat Motherwell and Wishaw North Tayside Edinburgh Pentlands Last election 56 seats 35 seats 18 seats Seats won 50 27 18 Seat change 6 8 0 Constituency vote 659,879 449,476 312,598  % and swing 34.5% 4.3% 23.7% 5.0% 16.6% 0.9% Regional vote 561,379 399,659 296,929  % and swing 29.4% 4.2% 20.9% 6.4% 15.6% 0.2%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Jim Wallace Robin Harper Tommy Sheridan Party Liberal Democrats Scottish Green Scottish Socialist Leader's seat Orkney Lothians (List) Glasgow (List) Last election 17 seats 1 seat 1 seat Seats won 17 7 6 Seat change 0 6 5 Constituency vote 286,150 Did not contest 117,709  % and swing 15.3% 1.1% Did not contest 6.0% 5.0% Regional vote 225,774 132,138 128,026  % and swing 11.8% 0.6% 6.9% 3.3% 6.7% 4.7%
The left side shows constituency winners of the election by their party colours. The right side shows regional winners of the election for the additional members by their party colours.
First Minister before election Jack McConnell Labour First Minister-designate Jack McConnell Labour

Jack McConnell
Labour

Jack McConnell
Labour

The Scottish Parliament election, 2003, was the second election of members to the Scottish Parliament. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive. Jack McConnell, the Labour Party Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), remained in office as First Minister and the Executive continued as a Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition.

The results also showed rises in support for "minor parties" including the Scottish Green Party and the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) and declines in support for the Labour Party and the Scottish National Party (SNP). The Conservative and Unionist Party and the Scottish Liberal Democrats each polled almost exactly the same percentage of the vote as they had in the 1999 election, with each holding the same number of seats as before.

Three independent MSPs were elected: Dennis Canavan, Margo MacDonald and Jean Turner. John Swinburne, leader of the Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party, was also elected. This led to talk of a "rainbow" Parliament, but the arithmetic meant that the coalition of Labour and Scottish Liberal Democrats could continue in office, which they did until the 2007 election.