# Tavish Scott > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tavish_Scott > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tavish_Scott.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tavish_Scott > Source revision: 1347273844 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British politician (born 1966) Not to be confused with [Travis Scott](/source/Travis_Scott). Tavish Scott Official portrait, 2011 Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats In office 26 August 2008 – 7 May 2011 Deputy Michael Moore Jo Swinson Leader Nick Clegg Preceded by Nicol Stephen[a] Succeeded by Willie Rennie Minister for Transport and Telecommunications In office 23 June 2005 – 17 May 2007 First Minister Jack McConnell Preceded by Nicol Stephen Succeeded by Stewart Stevenson Member of the Scottish Parliament for Shetland In office 6 May 1999 – 15 July 2019[1] Preceded by Constituency Created Succeeded by Beatrice Wishart Personal details Born (1966-05-06) 6 May 1966 (age 60) Inverness, Scotland Party Scottish Liberal Democrats Alma mater Napier College, Edinburgh Website Tavish Scott **Tavish Hamilton Scott** (born 6 May 1966) is a former Scottish politician. He was the [Member of the Scottish Parliament](/source/Member_of_the_Scottish_Parliament) (MSP) for [Shetland](/source/Shetland_(Scottish_Parliament_constituency)) from 1999 to 2019, and Leader of the [Scottish Liberal Democrats](/source/Scottish_Liberal_Democrats) from 2008 to 2011. He stepped down as Leader following the [2011 Scottish Parliament election](/source/2011_Scottish_Parliament_election), in which the Liberal Democrats were reduced to five seats, down from 16 in the previous parliament.[2] ## Background, education and early career Scott was born on 6 May 1966 in [Inverness](/source/Inverness), Scotland. He attended [Anderson High School](/source/Anderson_High_School_(Shetland)) in [Lerwick](/source/Lerwick), Shetland, and holds a BA (Hons) in Business Studies from [Napier College](/source/Edinburgh_Napier_University) in Edinburgh. After graduating, he worked as a [parliamentary assistant](/source/Parliamentary_assistant) to [Jim Wallace](/source/Jim_Wallace%2C_Baron_Wallace_of_Tankerness), then as Liberal Democrat [MP](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)) for [Orkney and Shetland](/source/Orkney_and_Shetland_(UK_Parliament_constituency)), and later as a [Press Officer](/source/Press_Officer) for the [Scottish Liberal Democrats](/source/Scottish_Liberal_Democrats). He then returned to Shetland and became a farmer and also a councillor on the [Shetland Islands Council](/source/Shetland#Shetland_Islands_Council) and Chairman of the Lerwick Harbour Trust.[3] ## Member of the Scottish Parliament This section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. Find sources: "Tavish Scott" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Scott was elected as the first [Member of the Scottish Parliament](/source/Member_of_the_Scottish_Parliament) for [Shetland](/source/Shetland_(Scottish_Parliament_constituency)) in [May 1999](/source/1999_Scottish_Parliament_election).[4] 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](/source/Scottish_Executive) from 2000 to 2001 in succession to his colleague [Iain Smith](/source/Iain_Smith_(Scottish_politician)), but resigned after refusing to support the Executive in a vote on a tie-up scheme for fishing. 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](/source/Local_Governance_(Scotland)_Act), which changed the elections for [local authorities in Scotland](/source/Local_authorities_in_Scotland) to a [proportional representation](/source/Proportional_representation) system. Following [Nicol Stephen](/source/Nicol_Stephen)'s election as party leader and succession as [Deputy First Minister of Scotland](/source/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 [May 2007](/source/2007_Scottish_Parliament_election),[5] 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](/source/Nicol_Stephen), Scott declared his [candidacy](/source/2008_Scottish_Liberal_Democrats_leadership_election) for the leadership of the Scottish Liberal Democrats on 7 July 2008 at [Lerwick](/source/Lerwick) harbour, surrounded by a group of men dressed as [Vikings](/source/Vikings).[6] On 26 August 2008, he was announced the winner of the leadership contest with 59% (1,450) of the votes.[7] Following what he described as a "disastrous" set of results for the Scottish Liberal Democrats in the [Scottish elections in May 2011](/source/Scottish_elections_in_May_2011), Scott offered his resignation as leader (remaining a Member of the Scottish Parliament).[8] He claimed the poor showings were in part due to the coalition deal which saw the Liberal Democrats form a government with the [Conservatives](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK)) following the [2010 general election](/source/2010_United_Kingdom_general_election). In the run-up to the [2014 Scottish Independence referendum](/source/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."[9] At the Liberal Democrat party conference in 2013, he put forward a motion with fellow MSP [Liam McArthur](/source/Liam_McArthur) to recognise the islands had a "separate right to self-determination".[10] Scott said that his preferred outcome was for Shetland to become a [crown dependency](/source/Crown_dependency) of the United Kingdom with its own parliament[10] and was backed by the cross-party [Wir Shetland](/source/Wir_Shetland) movement, which campaigns for crown dependency status.[11] Scott announced in June 2019 that he would be resigning from the Scottish Parliament to take a position with the [Scottish Rugby Union](/source/Scottish_Rugby_Union).[12] 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.[13] In 2025, he was accused of breaking the rules around lobbying and is facing a formal investigation by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.[14][15] ## Career timeline - 1986–1989: [Napier College](/source/Edinburgh_Napier_University) - 1989–1990: [Parliamentary researcher](/source/Parliamentary_assistant) to [Jim Wallace](/source/Jim_Wallace%2C_Baron_Wallace_of_Tankerness) MP for Orkney and Shetland, House of Commons - 1990–1992: [Press Officer](/source/Press_Officer), [Scottish Liberal Democrats](/source/Scottish_Liberal_Democrats), Edinburgh - 1992–1999: Farmer, [Shetland](/source/Shetland) family farm - 1994–1999: Chairman and Trustee, Lerwick Harbour Trust - 1994–1999: Councillor for [Lerwick](/source/Lerwick) Harbour and [Bressay](/source/Bressay) [ward](/source/Wards_of_the_United_Kingdom) on [Shetland Islands Council](/source/Shetland_Islands_Council) - Vice-chairman of the Roads and Transport Committee - 1997–1999: Director, Shetland Islands Tourism - 1999–2019: [Member of the Scottish Parliament](/source/Member_of_the_Scottish_Parliament) for [Shetland](/source/Shetland_(Scottish_Parliament_constituency)) - 2000–2001: [Deputy Minister for Scottish Parliament](/source/Government_of_the_1st_Scottish_Parliament) - 2003–2005: [Deputy Minister for Finance, Public Services and Parliamentary Business](/source/Government_of_the_2nd_Scottish_Parliament) - 2005–2007: [Minister for Transport](/source/Minister_for_Transport_(Junior_Minister)#Minister_for_Transport_and_Infrastructure) - 2007–2008: Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth - Convenor of the Scottish Parliament's *Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee* - 2008–2011: [Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats](/source/2008_Scottish_Liberal_Democrats_leadership_election) - 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 1. **[^](#cite_ref-fn1_1-0)** Michael Moore served as acting leader from 28 July to 26 August 2008 following the resignation of [Nicol Stephen](/source/Nicol_Stephen). ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Home"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160310170707/http://www.tavishscott.com/). *Tavish Scott*. 10 October 2013. Archived from [the original](http://www.tavishscott.com/) on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Black, Andrew (7 May 2011). ["BBC News – Scots Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott quits post"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-13321726). Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Bio"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140809211117/http://tavishscott.com/bio/). Tavish Scott MSP. Archived from [the original](http://tavishscott.com/bio/) on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-session1_5-0)** ["Previous MSPs: Session 1 (1999–2003): Tavish Scott MSP"](http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/32231.aspx). [Scottish Parliament](/source/Scottish_Parliament). Retrieved 9 August 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Election 2007 | Scottish Parliament | Election Result: Shetland"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/vote2007/scottish_parliment/html/661.stm). BBC News. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Shetland News, 7 July 2008](http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/news_07_2008/Tavish%20stands%20to%20lead%20LibDems.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080708161713/http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/news_07_2008/Tavish%20stands%20to%20lead%20LibDems.htm) 8 July 2008 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Tavish Scott wins Liberal Democrat leadership race"](http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/tavish-scott-wins-liberal-democrat-leadership-race-1-1271275). *[Edinburgh Evening News](/source/Edinburgh_Evening_News)*. 26 August 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Disastrous election performance provokes Scott to stand down as party leader"](http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2011/05/07/disastrous-election-performance-provokes-scott-to-stand-down-as-party-leader). [Shetland Times](/source/Shetland_Times). 7 May 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["SNP admits Shetland and Orkney could opt out of independent Scotland"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9156220/SNP-admits-Shetland-and-Orkney-could-opt-out-of-independent-Scotland.html). *Telegraph.co.uk*. Retrieved 30 January 2016. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto_11-1) ["Scottish independence: Northern Isles devolution bid"](http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-independence-northern-isles-devolution-bid-1-2841537). *www.scotsman.com*. Retrieved 30 January 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Councillor quits Wir Shetland in wake of Tavish endorsement"](https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2016/04/06/councillor-quits-wir-shetland-after-tavish-endorsement/). 6 April 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Former Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott to quit Holyrood"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-48772908). BBC News. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Former MSP Tavish Scott quits Scottish Rugby to lead Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation"](https://www.scotsman.com/business/former-msp-tavish-scott-quits-scottish-rugby-to-lead-scottish-salmon-producers-organisation-2979190). *The Scotsman*. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Ex-Holyrood minister under formal lobbying investigation"](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/ex-holyrood-minister-formal-lobbying-35165953). *Daily Record*. 19 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Ex-Scottish minister faces probe over lobbying and verbal attack on MSP"](https://www.thenational.scot/news/25137350.ex-scottish-minister-faces-probe-lobbying-verbal-attack/). *The National*. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025. ## External links - Scottish Parliament profiles of MSPs: [Tavish Scott](https://www.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps/tavish-scott) - [Tavish Scott MSP](https://web.archive.org/web/20081007221904/http://scotlibdems.org.uk/people/holyrood/tavish-scott) profile at the site of Scottish Liberal Democrats Scottish Parliament New constituency Member of the Scottish Parliament for Shetland 1999–2019 Succeeded by Beatrice Wishart Political offices Preceded by Iain Smith Deputy Minister for Parliamentary Business 2000–2001 Succeeded by Euan Robson Preceded by Peter Peacock Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform 2003–2005 Succeeded by George Lyon Preceded by Nicol Stephen Minister for Transport and Telecommunications 2005–2007 Succeeded by Stewart Stevenson as Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Party political offices Preceded by Nicol Stephen Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats 2008–2011 Succeeded by Willie Rennie v t e Scottish Liberal Democrats Leaders Malcolm Bruce (1988–1992) Jim Wallace (1992–2005) Nicol Stephen (2005–2008) Tavish Scott (2008–2011) Willie Rennie (2011–2021) Alex Cole-Hamilton (2021–) Deputy Leaders Michael Moore (2002–2010) Jo Swinson (2010–2012) Alistair Carmichael (2012–2021) Wendy Chamberlain (2021–) Presidents Russell Johnston (1988–1994) Malcolm Bruce (2000–2015) Eileen McCartin (2016–2018) Willie Wilson (2018–2026) Caron Lindsay (2026–) MSPs Andrew Baxter Yi-pei Chou Turvey Alex Cole-Hamilton Sanne Dijkstra-Downie Duncan Dunlop David Green Adam Harley Morven-May MacCallum Liam McArthur Willie Rennie MPs Alistair Carmichael Wendy Chamberlain Christine Jardine Angus MacDonald Susan Murray Jamie Stone Organisation Association of Scottish Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners Scottish Young Liberals In Government First Second Leadership elections 1992 2005 2008 2011 2021 v t e Former Liberal Democrat MSPs By date first representing the Liberal Democrats in the Scottish Parliament 1999 Robert Brown Ross Finnie Donald Gorrie Ian Jenkins George Lyon John Farquhar Munro Nora Radcliffe Keith Raffan Euan Robson Mike Rumbles Tavish Scott Iain Smith Margaret Smith David Steel Nicol Stephen Jamie Stone Jim Wallace 2003 Mike Pringle Jeremy Purvis 2005 Andrew Arbuckle 2007 Jim Hume Alison McInnes Hugh O'Donnell Jim Tolson 2019 Beatrice Wishart 2025 Jamie Greene v t e 2011 Scottish Parliament election Incumbent First Minister: Alex Salmond (SNP) Subsequent First Minister: Alex Salmond (SNP) Alex Salmond (SNP) Iain Gray (Labour) Annabel Goldie (Conservative) Tavish Scott (Liberal Democrats) Patrick Harvie/Eleanor Scott (Green) Opinion polling Members elected --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tavish Scott](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tavish_Scott) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tavish_Scott?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.