# Sam Galbraith

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British politician (1945–2014)

For the Liberal MP from Durham, see [Samuel Galbraith](/source/Samuel_Galbraith).

Sam Galbraith Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture In office 2 November 2000 – 20 March 2001 First Minister Henry McLeish Preceded by Office established Succeeded by Office abolished Minister for Children and Education In office 19 May 1999 – 2 November 2000 First Minister Donald Dewar Jim Wallace (acting) Preceded by Office established Succeeded by Jack McConnell Member of the Scottish Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden In office 6 May 1999 – 20 March 2001 Preceded by Office established Succeeded by Brian Fitzpatrick Member of Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden In office 11 June 1987 – 14 May 2001 Preceded by Michael Hirst Succeeded by John Lyons Personal details Born Samuel Laird Galbraith 18 October 1945 Clitheroe, England Died 18 August 2014 (aged 68) Glasgow, Scotland Citizenship United Kingdom Party Labour

**Samuel Laird Galbraith** (18 October 1945 – 18 August 2014) was a Scottish politician and [neurosurgeon](/source/Neurosurgeon) who served as [Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture](/source/Minister_for_Environment%2C_Sport_and_Culture) from 2000 to 2001 and [Minister for Children and Education](/source/Minister_for_Children_and_Education) from 1999 to 2000. Galbraith was a [Member of the Scottish Parliament](/source/Member_of_the_Scottish_Parliament) (MSP) for [Strathkelvin and Bearsden](/source/Strathkelvin_and_Bearsden_(Scottish_Parliament_constituency)) from [1999](/source/1999_Scottish_Parliament_election) to 2001, and a [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)) (MP) in the [House of Commons](/source/House_of_Commons_of_the_United_Kingdom) for the [equivalent seat](/source/Strathkelvin_and_Bearsden_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) from [1987](/source/1987_United_Kingdom_general_election) to 2001.

The [Labour](/source/Labour_Party_(UK))/[Liberal Democrat](/source/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)) coalition faced demands from [Scottish National Party](/source/Scottish_National_Party) (SNP) politicians, including future First Minister [Nicola Sturgeon](/source/Nicola_Sturgeon), for Galbraith to resign after the [SQA examinations controversy](/source/SQA_examinations_controversy) in 2000. As a result of this, he was the first Minister to face a [motion of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament](/source/Confidence_motions_in_the_Scottish_Parliament).

## Early life

Galbraith was born in [Clitheroe](/source/Clitheroe), [Lancashire](/source/Lancashire), to Samuel Galbraith and Catherine Navin.[\[1\]](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/19/sam-galbraith) He was educated at [Greenock](/source/Greenock) [High School](/source/High_school). He studied at [Glasgow University](/source/Glasgow_University), where he received honours in [medicine](/source/Medicine). Galbraith was a respected [neurosurgeon](/source/Neurosurgeon), who worked at Glasgow's [Southern General Hospital](/source/Southern_General_Hospital).[1]

## Political career

At the [1987 general election](/source/1987_United_Kingdom_general_election), he was returned as [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)) for the [Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency](/source/Strathkelvin_and_Bearsden_(UK_Parliament_constituency)),[2] and held the seat until standing down at the [2001 general election](/source/2001_United_Kingdom_general_election). He was a [Scottish Office](/source/Scottish_Office) Minister between 1997 and 1999.[3]

Galbraith served as [Minister for Children and Education](/source/Minister_for_Children_and_Education) in the [Scottish Executive](/source/Scottish_Executive) under [Donald Dewar](/source/Donald_Dewar) from 1999 to 2000 and then as Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture. Galbraith was criticised for alleged inaction during the [2000 SQA examinations controversy](/source/2000_SQA_examinations_controversy), where many pupils received inaccurate or incomplete grades.[4] Following this criticism, although no longer Education Minister, the SNP lodged a motion of no confidence in Galbraith. This was the first [no confidence motion voted on in the Scottish Parliament](/source/Confidence_motions_in_the_Scottish_Parliament), and Galbraith survived by 52 votes in favour to 66 against with 1 abstention.[5] On 20 March 2001 he announced his resignation from ministerial office and his parliamentary seats for health reasons.[6]

## Personal life

He was married in 1987 to Nicola Tennant, and they had three daughters, Mhairi, Heather and Fiona.[\[2\]](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/19/sam-galbraith) In prior years he was an avid [mountaineer](/source/Mountaineering) who had climbed all the [Munros](/source/Munro) and also climbed in the [Alps](/source/Alps) and [Himalayas](/source/Himalayas).

Galbraith received a [lung transplant](/source/Lung_transplantation) in 1990, at Freeman's Hospital Newcastle (where he continued to receive treatment), due to [fibrosing alveolitis](/source/Fibrosing_alveolitis), a condition that his elder sister died from.[7]

From 2006 he was chairman of the [Scottish Maritime Museum](/source/Scottish_Maritime_Museum) with facilities at [Irvine, North Ayrshire](/source/Irvine%2C_North_Ayrshire) and [Dumbarton](/source/Dumbarton).[8]

He died on 18 August 2014.[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bbc_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bbc_1-1) Black, Andrew (18 August 2014). ["Tributes paid to former Scottish minister Sam Galbraith who has died"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-28843095). *[BBC News](/source/BBC_News)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150824045038/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-28843095) from the original on 24 August 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Resignation calls fall on deaf ears"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/879814.stm). *[BBC News](/source/BBC_News)*. 14 August 2000. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20031010034023/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/879814.stm) from the original on 10 October 2003. Retrieved 18 August 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Sam Galbraith: Electoral history and profile"](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/person/1853/sam-galbraith). *The Guardian*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140819175922/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/person/1853/sam-galbraith) from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Scott, Kirsty (6 October 2000). ["Scottish exam authority 'riddled with ineptitude'"](https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/oct/07/kirstyscott1). *The Guardian*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0261-3077](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved 18 January 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Galbraith survives confidence vote"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1067979.stm). 13 December 2000. Retrieved 18 January 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** MacLeod, Catherine (20 March 2001). ["Galbraith resigns today"](http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/galbraith-resigns-today-1.194425). *[The Herald (Glasgow)](/source/The_Herald_(Glasgow))*. Retrieved 18 August 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Martin, Lorna (17 March 2007). ["I was meant to die. I didn't"](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/mar/18/scotland.devolution). *The Guardian*. London. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160308200415/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/mar/18/scotland.devolution) from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [North Ayrshire Council](/source/North_Ayrshire_Council) [Committee reports and agenda](https://archive.today/20130722185833/http://www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/chiefexec/comra.nsf/e9ee67f48fbb9003802569d700533758/9949f84ce29930910025727900371d07?OpenDocument) retrieved 22 July 2013.

## External links

- Scottish Parliament profiles of MSPs: [Sam Galbraith](https://www.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps/sam-galbraith)

Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded by Michael Hirst Member of Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden 1987–2001 Succeeded by John Lyons Scottish Parliament New parliament Scotland Act 1998 Member of the Scottish Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden 1999–2001 Succeeded by Brian Fitzpatrick New office Minister for the Environment, Sport and Culture 2000–2001 Office abolished New office Minister for Children and Education 1999–2000 Succeeded by Jack McConnell

v t e Former Labour Party MSPs By date first representing Scottish Labour in the Scottish Parliament 1999 Wendy Alexander Scott Barrie Sarah Boyack Rhona Brankin Bill Butler Malcolm Chisholm Cathie Craigie Margaret Curran Susan Deacon Donald Dewar Helen Eadie Patricia Ferguson Sam Galbraith Karen Gillon Trish Godman Rhoda Grant Iain Gray Hugh Henry John Home Robertson Janis Hughes Gordon Jackson Sylvia Jackson Cathy Jamieson Margaret Jamieson Andy Kerr Johann Lamont Marilyn Livingstone Jack McConnell Lewis Macdonald Angus MacKay Kate Maclean Ken Macintosh Maureen Macmillan Paul Martin John McAllion Frank McAveety Tom McCabe Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale Henry McLeish Michael McMahon Duncan McNeil Des McNulty Alasdair Morrison Bristow Muldoon Mary Mulligan Elaine Murray Irene Oldfather Peter Peacock Cathy Peattie Richard Simpson Elaine Smith Elaine Thomson Mike Watson Ian Welsh Karen Whitefield Allan Wilson 2001 Brian Fitzpatrick 2003 Richard Baker Marlyn Glen Christine May 2005 Charlie Gordon 2007 Baron Foulkes of Cumnock James Kelly John Park David Stewart David Whitton 2011 Claudia Beamish Kezia Dugdale Mary Fee Neil Findlay Hanzala Malik Jenny Marra Margaret McCulloch Margaret McDougall Siobhan McMahon Anne McTaggart Graeme Pearson John Pentland Drew Smith 2012 Jayne Baxter 2013 Cara Hilton 2014 Alex Rowley 2016 Lesley Brennan Monica Lennon Richard Leonard Colin Smyth 2021 Foysol Choudhury Pam Duncan-Glancy Paul O'Kane Mercedes Villalba Martin Whitfield 2025 Davy Russell

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sam Galbraith](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Galbraith) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Galbraith?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.