{{Short description|British politician (born 1966)}} {{distinguish|Travis Scott}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Use British English|date=December 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Tavish Scott | honorific_suffix = | image = [[File:TavishScottMSP20110510.JPG|220px]] | image_size = | caption = Official portrait, 2011 | office = [[Scottish Liberal Democrats|Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats]] | deputy = [[Michael Moore (Scottish politician)|Michael Moore]]<br />[[Jo Swinson]] | term_start = 26 August 2008 | term_end = 7 May 2011 | leader = [[Nick Clegg]] | predecessor = [[Nicol Stephen]]{{efn|name=fn1|Michael Moore served as acting leader from 28 July to 26 August 2008 following the resignation of [[Nicol Stephen]].}} | successor = [[Willie Rennie]] | office2 = [[Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change|Minister for Transport and Telecommunications]] | term_start2 = 23 June 2005 | term_end2 = 17 May 2007 | first_minister2 = [[Jack McConnell]] | predecessor2 = [[Nicol Stephen]] | successor2 = [[Stewart Stevenson]] | office3 = [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] <br /> for [[Shetland (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Shetland]] | parliament3 = | majority3 = | term_start3 = 6 May 1999 | term_end3 = 15 July 2019<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tavishscott.com/|title=Home|date=2013-10-10|website=Tavish Scott|language=en|access-date=2019-07-19|archive-date=10 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310170707/http://www.tavishscott.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref> | predecessor3 = [[Scotland Act 1998|''Constituency Created'']] | successor3 = [[Beatrice Wishart]] | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|5|6|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Inverness]], Scotland | death_date = | death_place = | birth_name = | party = [[Scottish Liberal Democrats]] | spouse = | relations = | children = | alma_mater = [[Napier University|Napier College, Edinburgh]] | occupation = | profession = | cabinet = | committees = | signature = | website = [http://www.tavishscott.com/ Tavish Scott] | footnotes = }}
'''Tavish Hamilton Scott''' (born 6 May 1966) is a former Scottish politician. He was the [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] (MSP) for [[Shetland (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Shetland]] from 1999 to 2019, and Leader of the [[Scottish Liberal Democrats]] from 2008 to 2011. He stepped down as Leader following the [[2011 Scottish Parliament election]], in which the Liberal Democrats were reduced to five seats, down from 16 in the previous parliament.<ref>{{cite news|last=Black |first=Andrew |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-13321726 |title=BBC News – Scots Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott quits post |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date= 7 May 2011|access-date=2011-05-07}}</ref>
==Background, education and early career== Scott was born on 6 May 1966 in [[Inverness]], Scotland. He attended [[Anderson High School (Shetland)|Anderson High School]] in [[Lerwick]], Shetland, and holds a BA (Hons) in Business Studies from [[Edinburgh Napier University|Napier College]] in Edinburgh. After graduating, he worked as a [[parliamentary assistant]] to [[Jim Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness|Jim Wallace]], then as Liberal Democrat [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for [[Orkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency)|Orkney and Shetland]], and later as a [[Press Officer]] for the [[Scottish Liberal Democrats]]. He then returned to Shetland and became a farmer and also a councillor on the [[Shetland#Shetland Islands Council|Shetland Islands Council]] and Chairman of the Lerwick Harbour Trust.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tavishscott.com/bio/ |title=Bio |publisher=Tavish Scott MSP |access-date=9 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809211117/http://tavishscott.com/bio/ |archive-date=9 August 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
==Member of the Scottish Parliament== {{BLP sources section|date=June 2023}} Scott was elected as the first [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] for [[Shetland (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Shetland]] in [[1999 Scottish Parliament election|May 1999]].<ref name="session1">{{cite web |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/32231.aspx |title=Previous MSPs: Session 1 (1999–2003): Tavish Scott MSP |publisher= [[Scottish Parliament]] |access-date=9 August 2014}}</ref> He was also the first politician to represent Shetland individually, as Orkney and Shetland have always been represented by a single MP at Westminster. He served as a Deputy Minister for Parliament in the [[Scottish Executive]] from 2000 to 2001 in succession to his colleague [[Iain Smith (Scottish politician)|Iain Smith]], but resigned after refusing to support the Executive in a vote on a tie-up scheme for fishing. [[File:Tavish Scott.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Tavish Scott as a government minister]] In 2003, he returned to the Scottish Executive as Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services. During his time there his department piloted the [[Local Governance (Scotland) Act]], which changed the elections for [[local authorities in Scotland]] to a [[proportional representation]] system. Following [[Nicol Stephen]]'s election as party leader and succession as [[Deputy First Minister of Scotland]] in 2005, Scott was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for Transport. He was re-elected with an increased majority in [[2007 Scottish Parliament election|May 2007]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/vote2007/scottish_parliment/html/661.stm |title=Election 2007 | Scottish Parliament | Election Result: Shetland |publisher=BBC News |date=2007-05-04 |access-date=2011-05-07}}</ref> and held the largest margin by percentage, 50.1%, of any MSP over their closest challenger.
Following the resignation of his friend and former ministerial colleague [[Nicol Stephen]], Scott declared his [[2008 Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election|candidacy]] for the leadership of the Scottish Liberal Democrats on 7 July 2008 at [[Lerwick]] harbour, surrounded by a group of men dressed as [[Vikings]].<ref>[http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/news_07_2008/Tavish%20stands%20to%20lead%20LibDems.htm Shetland News, 7 July 2008] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708161713/http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/news_07_2008/Tavish%20stands%20to%20lead%20LibDems.htm |date=8 July 2008 }}</ref> On 26 August 2008, he was announced the winner of the leadership contest with 59% (1,450) of the votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/tavish-scott-wins-liberal-democrat-leadership-race-1-1271275 |title=Tavish Scott wins Liberal Democrat leadership race |work=[[Edinburgh Evening News]] |date=26 August 2008 |access-date=9 August 2014}}</ref>
Following what he described as a "disastrous" set of results for the Scottish Liberal Democrats in the [[Scottish elections in May 2011]], Scott offered his resignation as leader (remaining a Member of the Scottish Parliament).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2011/05/07/disastrous-election-performance-provokes-scott-to-stand-down-as-party-leader |title=Disastrous election performance provokes Scott to stand down as party leader |publisher=[[Shetland Times]] |date=7 May 2011 |access-date=9 August 2014}}</ref> He claimed the poor showings were in part due to the coalition deal which saw the Liberal Democrats form a government with the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]] following the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]].
In the run-up to the [[2014 Scottish independence referendum|2014 Scottish Independence referendum]], Scott was a keen advocate of a "No" vote and also called for recognition of "the Northern Isles' right to determine their own future."<ref>{{Cite web|title = SNP admits Shetland and Orkney could opt out of independent Scotland|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9156220/SNP-admits-Shetland-and-Orkney-could-opt-out-of-independent-Scotland.html|website = Telegraph.co.uk|access-date = 2016-01-30}}</ref> At the Liberal Democrat party conference in 2013, he put forward a motion with fellow MSP [[Liam McArthur]] to recognise the islands had a "separate right to self-determination".<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|title = Scottish independence: Northern Isles devolution bid|url = http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-independence-northern-isles-devolution-bid-1-2841537|website = www.scotsman.com|access-date = 2016-01-30}}</ref> Scott said that his preferred outcome was for Shetland to become a [[crown dependency]] of the United Kingdom with its own parliament<ref name="auto"/> and was backed by the cross-party [[Wir Shetland]] movement, which campaigns for crown dependency status.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2016/04/06/councillor-quits-wir-shetland-after-tavish-endorsement/|title=Councillor quits Wir Shetland in wake of Tavish endorsement|date=6 April 2016}}</ref>
Scott announced in June 2019 that he would be resigning from the Scottish Parliament to take a position with the [[Scottish Rugby Union]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-48772908 |title=Former Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott to quit Holyrood |publisher=BBC News |date=26 June 2019 |access-date=26 June 2019}}</ref>
In September 2020, it was announced that Scott had been appointed Chief Executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO), the trade body representing Scotland's farmed salmon sector. He formally assumed the role in November 2020.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/business/former-msp-tavish-scott-quits-scottish-rugby-to-lead-scottish-salmon-producers-organisation-2979190 |title=Former MSP Tavish Scott quits Scottish Rugby to lead Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation |work=The Scotsman |date=16 September 2020 |access-date=16 May 2025}}</ref>
In 2025, he was accused of breaking the rules around lobbying and is facing a formal investigation by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ex-Holyrood minister under formal lobbying investigation |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/ex-holyrood-minister-formal-lobbying-35165953 |work=Daily Record |date=19 May 2025 |access-date=23 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ex-Scottish minister faces probe over lobbying and verbal attack on MSP |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/25137350.ex-scottish-minister-faces-probe-lobbying-verbal-attack/ |work=The National |date=20 May 2025 |access-date=23 May 2025}}</ref>
==Career timeline== *1986–1989: [[Edinburgh Napier University|Napier College]] *1989–1990: [[Parliamentary assistant|Parliamentary researcher]] to [[Jim Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness|Jim Wallace]] MP for Orkney and Shetland, House of Commons *1990–1992: [[Press Officer]], [[Scottish Liberal Democrats]], Edinburgh *1992–1999: Farmer, [[Shetland]] family farm *1994–1999: Chairman and Trustee, Lerwick Harbour Trust *1994–1999: Councillor for [[Lerwick]] Harbour and [[Bressay]] [[Wards of the United Kingdom|ward]] on [[Shetland Islands Council]] **Vice-chairman of the Roads and Transport Committee *1997–1999: Director, Shetland Islands Tourism *1999–2019: [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] for [[Shetland (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Shetland]] *2000–2001: [[Government of the 1st Scottish Parliament|Deputy Minister for Scottish Parliament]] *2003–2005: [[Government of the 2nd Scottish Parliament|Deputy Minister for Finance, Public Services and Parliamentary Business]] *2005–2007: [[Minister for Transport (Junior Minister)#Minister for Transport and Infrastructure|Minister for Transport]] *2007–2008: Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth **Convenor of the Scottish Parliament's ''Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee'' *2008–2011: [[2008 Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election|Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats]] *2011–2019: Scottish Liberal Democrat spokesman for business and the economy *2020–2026: Chief Executive of Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation, later renamed Salmon Scotland
==Notes== {{Notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{SP-MSP}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20081007221904/http://scotlibdems.org.uk/people/holyrood/tavish-scott Tavish Scott MSP] profile at the site of Scottish Liberal Democrats
{{s-start}} {{s-par|sct}} {{s-new|constituency}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Member of the Scottish Parliament]]<br />for [[Shetland (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Shetland]]|years=[[1999 Scottish Parliament election|1999]]–[[2019 Shetland by-election|2019]]}} {{s-aft|after=[[Beatrice Wishart]]}} {{s-off}} {{succession box | title=[[McLeish government|Deputy Minister for Parliamentary Business]] | before=[[Iain Smith (Scottish politician)|Iain Smith]] | after=[[Euan Robson]] | years=2000–2001}} {{succession box | title=[[Second McConnell government|Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform]] | before=[[Peter Peacock]] | after=[[George Lyon (Scottish politician)|George Lyon]] | years=2003–2005}} {{succession box | title=[[Minister for Transport (Junior Minister)|Minister for Transport and Telecommunications]] | before=[[Nicol Stephen]] | after=[[Stewart Stevenson]]<br /><small>as Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change</small> | years=2005–2007}} {{s-ppo}} {{succession box | title=[[Scottish Liberal Democrats|Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats]] | before=[[Nicol Stephen]] | after=[[Willie Rennie]] | years=[[2008 Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election|2008]]–[[2011 Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election|2011]]}} {{s-end}}
{{Scottish Liberal Democrats}} {{Former Liberal Democrat MSPs|state=collapsed}} {{2011 Scottish Parliament election|state=collapsed}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, Tavish}} [[Category:1966 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Politicians from Inverness]] [[Category:People educated at Anderson High School, Lerwick]] [[Category:People from Shetland]] [[Category:Alumni of Edinburgh Napier University]] [[Category:Liberal Democrat MSPs]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 1999–2003]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2003–2007]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2007–2011]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2011–2016]] [[Category:Leaders of the Scottish Liberal Democrats]] [[Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2016–2021]]