Scottish politics in 2023: Resignation, arrests and dropped Government policies

A look back at a turbulent year for politics in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon’s shock resignation was one of the biggest stories in Scotland in 2023 (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Archive)

Nicola Sturgeon exited Bute House, making way for her successor Humza Yousaf after a bitter leadership race in a year beset by issues for the SNP and Scottish Government.

Here we look at some of the key events of 2023 in Scottish politics.

– January

Gender reforms: The controversial Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill was blocked from reaching Royal Assent by Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, who cited its impact on UK-wide equalities legislation.

This was first time that Section 35 of the Scotland Act had been used since devolution, with Ms Sturgeon pledging to fight it in court.

Isla Bryson: The transgender double rapist, formerly known as Adam Graham, was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow before being sent to Cornton Vale, the country’s only all-female prison.

Following backlash, Ms Sturgeon announced in Holyrood that Bryson would be moved to HMP Edinburgh.

Nicola Sturgeon: The then first minister tells the BBC she has “plenty in the tank” to lead Scotland.

– February

Nicola Sturgeon resigns: The first minister made the shock announcement she would stand down.

At a hastily-arranged press conference at her official residence Bute House, Ms Sturgeon brought to an end the longest tenure of a first minister since devolution.

SNP leadership contest: Health secretary Humza Yousaf, finance secretary Kate Forbes and former minister Ash Regan announced they would stand, sparking one of the first outward showings of SNP infighting since they took office in 2007.

– March

Yousaf wins: Humza Yousaf won the top job, taking 52% of the vote in the second round to Ms Forbes’ 48%.

Peter Murrell: SNP chief executive Peter Murrell – the husband of Nicola Sturgeon – stood down after he provided the party’s head of communications, Murray Foote, with false SNP membership figures, resulting in the media being misled and the former Daily Record editor quitting.

Ferguson Marine: Bosses at the Scottish Government-owned Ferguson Marine shipyard, which is building two over-budget and late ferries, were paid bonuses of £87,000 according to Audit Scotland

– April

Peter Murrell: Within a week of Humza Yousaf taking office, Mr Murrell was arrested by police in connection with a probe into the SNP’s finances, sparking a search of the home he shares with Nicola Sturgeon.

Party treasurer Colin Beattie was also later arrested, with both released without charge after questioning, pending further investigation.

Yousaf’s first major speech: The First Minister used a speech at Holyrood to lay out the vision he has for his Government, on the same day as Mr Beattie’s arrest, including a delay to the deposit return scheme (DRS) and a re-think on alcohol advertising restrictions.

– May

Ferguson Marine: Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray told MSPs that work would continue on the second of the two beleaguered ferries despite it not being value for money, citing the time it would take for another vessel to be delivered and the impact on island communities.

Budget: Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary Shona Robison said the country faced a £1 billion black hole in the public finances in 2024-25.

Police: Outgoing chief constable Sir Iain Livingstone said Police Scotland was “institutionally racist and discriminatory”.

– June

Sturgeon arrest: Nicola Sturgeon was arrested by police in connection with the SNP finance probe, before later being released without charge, pending further investigation.

She told reporters outside her home: “I am certain I have done nothing wrong.”

Margaret Ferrier: The former SNP MP was suspended from the Commons for 30 days after she was convicted of breaching coronavirus restrictions, sparking Scotland’s first ever recall petition.

DRS: The scheme was delayed to at least October 2025 after the UK Government refused to grant an exemption to the Internal Market Act which would allow glass containers to be part of the initiative, with Green minister Lorna Slater later surviving a confidence vote.

Independence: Humza Yousaf said a majority of seats at the next general election would be considered a mandate to hold an independence referendum at a special SNP convention in Dundee.

Winnie Ewing: The SNP stalwart who was the party’s first, female parliamentarian and the woman who convened the first meeting of the Scottish Parliament, died aged 93.

Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs): The controversial plans were scrapped following substantial dissent, including from the SNP’s backbenches.

– July

DRS: The company tasked with implementing the scheme folded with £86 million in debts.

– August

Margaret Ferrier: A by-election is sparked after a successful recall petition.

Angus MacNeil: The veteran MP was expelled from the SNP following a suspension from the party’s Westminster group sparked by a row with the party’s chief whip.

– September

Programme for Government: The First Minister pledged to fight the “scourge of poverty” as he laid out his policy prospectus for the next year.

Drugs: The UK’s first drug consumption facility was given the green light in Glasgow after the Lord Advocate said it would not be in the public interest to prosecute people in possession of drugs seeking to use the facility.

Trams: The long-awaited inquiry into the Edinburgh trams debacle was published, finding a “litany of avoidable failures”, with the probe itself having taken too long and cost too much, according to a minister.

Fergus Ewing: The former minister was suspended from the SNP’s Holyrood group for a week after voting against Lorna Slater in a confidence vote, a sanction which he appealed.

– October

Rutherglen and Hamilton West: Labour’s Michael Shanks won the by-election by more than double the number of votes for the SNP’s Katy Loudon.

Gaza: Humza Yousaf’s mother and father in-law were trapped in Gaza following the Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent reprisals.

Defections: The former SNP MP Lisa Cameron quit the party she described as “toxic” to defect to the Tories. Later in the month, former minister Ash Regan would leave to become the Alba Party’s first MSP and Holyrood leader.

SNP conference: Humza Yousaf addressed his first conference as leader. He announced a council tax freeze and amended his earlier position on independence, with the party now saying winning the majority of seats would be a mandate for negotiating leaving the UK.

Covid-19 inquiry: The Scottish Government pledged to hand more than 14,000 WhatsApp messages to the UK investigation, after a lawyer for the inquiry said the “majority” of informal messages had “not been retained” by Government.

– November

Gaza: The First Minister’s family was able to leave Gaza and return home.

Michael Matheson: The Health Secretary came under pressure after it emerged he racked up a near-£11,000 data roaming bill on his parliamentary iPad during a holiday last Christmas.

He agreed to pay the full amount, later admitting his teenage sons had used the device as a hotspot to watch football.

Alex Salmond: The former first minister announced plans to sue the Scottish Government for its botched investigation into the handling of harassment complaints against him.

Alistair Darling: The former chancellor died, aged 70.

– December

Budget: Deputy First Minister Shona Robison announced Scotland would increase the top rate of tax by 1p in the pound and create a new band for those earning more than £75,000 in a bid to shore up public finances.

Gender reforms: The Court of Session upheld the UK Government’s decision to block the gender recognition Bill. The Scottish Government announced it would not launch any further legal challenge.