2006 in Scotland explained

Events from the year 2006 in Scotland.

Incumbents

• First Minister and Keeper of the Great Seal – Jack McConnell^[1]
• Secretary of State for Scotland – Alistair Darling until 5 May; then Douglas Alexander^[2]

Law officers

• Lord Advocate – Lord Boyd of Duncansby; then Elish Angiolini^[3]
• Solicitor General for Scotland – Elish Angiolini; then John Beckett^[4]
• Advocate General for Scotland – Lynda Clark;^[5] then Lord Davidson of Glen Clova^[6]

Judiciary

• Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General – Lord Hamilton^[7]
• Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Gill^[8]
• Chairman of the Scottish Land Court – Lord McGhie^[9]

Events

January

• 1 January – Transport Scotland begins operations as an agency of the Scottish Executive.^{[10] [11]}
• 7 January – Charles Kennedy, leader of the Liberal Democrats resigns after revelations that he has a drinking problem.^[12]

February

• 9 February – Dunfermline and West Fife by-election: Willie Rennie of the Liberal Democrats is the winner.^[13]

March

• 2 March
  • Sir Menzies Campbell is elected leader of the Liberal Democrats following an election caused by the resignation of Charles Kennedy.^[14]
  • Four people are injured in an explosion in a GlaxoSmithKline factory in Irvine, North Ayrshire.^[15]
• 15–26 March – Scotland at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.^[16]
• 26 March – Scottish public smoking ban comes into effect under the conditions of the Smoking, Health and Social Care Act (Scotland) 2005, banning people from smoking indoors in public places like restaurants, pubs and cafes; the first region of the UK to prohibit smoking inside public buildings.
• 28 March – Royal Regiment of Scotland created;^{[17] [18]} King's Own Scottish Borderers^[19] and The Royal Scots^[20] disbanded.

April

• 27 April – Moray by-election: Richard Lochhead holds the seat in the Scottish Parliament for the Scottish National Party.^[21]

May

• 30 May – Scottish TV and Grampian TV both relaunched under the new name of STV.^[22]

July

• 4 July – Sheridan v News Group Newspapers Ltd: Scottish Socialist Party MSP Tommy Sheridan begins an action for defamation against the News of the World at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.^[23] Sheridan's case is upheld but he is later prosecuted for perjury.

August

• 21 August – the first modern solely Gaelic-medium school to offer secondary education, Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu, is opened at Woodside in Glasgow.^[24]
• Scotland's first offshore wind turbine is installed in the Beatrice Wind Farm, 24 km (15 mi; 13 nmi) offshore in the Moray Firth.^[25]
• The Scottish crossbill is finally confirmed as a unique species.^[26]

September

• 3 September – establishment of Solidarity – Scotland's Socialist Movement, a breakaway from the Scottish Socialist Party.^[27]
• 18 September – the Clyde Arc, a pedestrian/cycle bridge over the River Clyde at Finnieston, is officially opened.^[28]

October

• 5 October – Rt. Hon. Elish Angiolini, QC, appointed as Lord Advocate. She is the first woman, first procurator fiscal, and the first solicitor to be appointed to the post.
• 11–13 October – multi-party political talks on Northern Ireland are held in St Andrews, resulting in the St Andrews Agreement.^[29]

November

• 8 November – three men of Pakistani origin sentenced to life imprisonment for the racist murder of Kriss Donald in Glasgow.^[30]
• 25–26 November – Aberdeen Cup tennis tournament.^[31]
• 30 November – residents of Benbecula take control of a large part of the island in a community buy-out.^[32]

Undated

• A fossil pterosaur found on the Isle of Skye is revealed in 2024 to be a species new to paleontology.^[33]

Deaths

• 5 January – Rachel Squire, Labour MP (born 1954)^[34]
• 31 January – Moira Shearer, ballet dancer and actress (born 1926)^[35]
• 9 February – Ena Lamont Stewart, playwright (born 1912)^[36]
• 10 February – John Prentice, football player and manager (born 1926)^[37]
• 28 February – Hugh McCartney, Labour MP (born 1920)^[38]
• 3 March – Ivor Cutler, poet, songwriter and humourist (born 1923)^[39]
• 12 March – Jimmy Johnstone, footballer; member of the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame (born 1944)^[40]
• 21 March – Margaret Ewing, Scottish National Party MSP and former MP (born 1945)^[41]
• 27 March – Ian Hamilton Finlay, writer, artist and gardener (born 1925)^[42]
• 9 April – Robin Orr, composer (born 1909)^[43]
• 13 April – Muriel Spark, novelist (born 1918)^[44]
• 15 April – Calum Kennedy, singer (born 1928)^[45]
• 8 May – Iain Macmillan, photographer and author (born 1938)^[46]
• 17 May – Eric Forth, Conservative MP (born 1944)^[47]
• 6 July – Tom Weir, climber, author and broadcaster (born 1914)^[48]
• 30 August – Hector Monro, Baron Monro of Langholm, Conservative and Unionist MP (born 1922)^[49]
• 15 September – Douglas Henderson, Scottish National Party MP (born 1935)^[50]
• 3 October – Lucilla Andrews, romantic novelist (born 1919 in Egypt)^[51]

Arts

• February – National Theatre of Scotland established as a peripatetic company.^[52]
• 1 August – Gregory Burke's play Black Watch is first performed, by the National Theatre of Scotland at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe'.
• Hamish MacDonald self-publishes The Willies and Idea in Stone.^[53]
• James Robertson publishes The Testament of Gideon Mack.

See also

• 2006 in England
• 2006 in Northern Ireland
• 2006 in Wales

Notes and References

1. Web site: Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale. UK Parliament. 23 February 2018. en.
2. Book: Committee. Great Britain Parliament House of Commons Scottish Affairs. Experience of the Scottish Elections: Fifth Report of Session 2007-08 : Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence. 2008. The Stationery Office. 9780215520463. 81. en.
3. Web site: Carrell. Severin. The Guardian profile: Scotland's first woman lord advocate Elish Angiolini. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 5 October 2006.
4. Web site: Former Solicitor General to be floating sheriff. www.journalonline.co.uk. 23 February 2018. en.
5. Web site: Baroness Clark of Calton. UK Parliament. 23 February 2018. en.
6. Web site: Scottish Advocate Lord Davidson peerage. Scotsman. 23 February 2018. en.
7. Web site: Lord Hamilton to Retire. www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk. 23 February 2018. 23 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180223232343/http://www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk/24/800/Lord-Hamilton-to-Retire. dead.
8. Web site: Scotland's senior judge to retire. BBC News. 23 February 2018. 7 May 2015.
9. Web site: Legal grounds: call the Scottish Land Court …. www.scotsman.com. 23 February 2018. en.
10. Web site: Transport Scotland. Scottish Government. 2018-02-23. 2005-11-29. 24 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180224053108/http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2005/11/24155349/53498. dead.
11. http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/about-us/corporate-reports/j7641-01.htm Transport Scotland Freedom of Information (FoI) Publication Scheme
12. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4590688.stm Embattled Kennedy quits as leader.
13. Web site: Branigan. Tania. Lib Dems stun Labour in byelection triumph. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 10 February 2006.
14. Web site: Support for new Lib Dems leader. BBC News. 23 February 2018. 2 March 2006.
15. Web site: Four in hospital after drug factory blast. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/four-in-hospital-after-drug-factory-blast-468336.html . 1 May 2022 . subscription . live. The Independent. 23 February 2018. 2 March 2006.
16. Web site: 2006 Commonwealth teams list. BBC Sport. 23 February 2018. 21 February 2006.
17. Web site: Regiment awarded freedom of city. BBC News. 23 February 2018. 10 March 2012.
18. Web site: Royal Regiment of Scotland. www.army.mod.uk. 23 February 2018.
19. Web site: The National Archives. discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. 23 February 2018.
20. Web site: History - The Royal Scots. www.theroyalscots.co.uk. 23 February 2018.
21. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/snp-sweeps-to-v-ictory-in-by-election-moray-majority-rises-as-tory-hopes-dashed-1.21919 SNP sweeps to v ictory in by-election Moray majority rises as Tory hopes dashed
22. Web site: Holmwood. Leigh. Grampian TV brand consigned to history. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 30 May 2006.
23. Web site: Thomas Sheridan Against News Group Newspapers Limited. www.scotcourts.gov.uk. 2018-02-23.
24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/5267212.stm Opening day for new Gaelic school
25. Web site: Wind turbine floated to deepwater. BBC News. 23 February 2018. 21 August 2006.
26. http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/action/endemiccrossbill.asp "Status of 'UK's only endemic bird species' confirmed"
27. Web site: New socialist party launched in Scotland. The Socialist. 23 February 2018.
28. Web site: 'Squinty' bridge open to vehicles. BBC News. 23 February 2018. 18 September 2006.
29. Web site: The St Andrews Agreement, October 2006 - GOV.UK. gov.uk. 23 February 2018. en.
30. Web site: Trio jailed for Kriss race murder. BBC News. 23 February 2018. 8 November 2006.
31. Web site: Aberdeen Cup 2006 . 2 September 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060829144515/http://www.aecc.co.uk/aberdeencup2006.aspx . 29 August 2006 . dead . dmy-all .
32. Web site: Land buyout reality for islanders. BBC News. 23 February 2018. 30 November 2006.
33. Web site: New pterosaur from Skye reveals the hidden diversity of the Middle Jurassic. James. Ashworth. 2024-02-06. Natural History Museum, London. 2024-02-06.
34. Web site: White. Michael. Obituary: Rachel Squire. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 9 January 2006.
35. Web site: Clarke. Mary. Obituary: Moira Shearer. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 2 February 2006.
36. Web site: Ena Lamont Stewart. Scotsman. 23 February 2018. en.
37. Web site: Ex-Scotland manager Prentice dies. BBC News. 23 February 2018. 10 February 2006.
38. Web site: Hugh McCartney. The Times. 23 February 2018. en. 3 March 2006.
39. Web site: Espiner. Mark. Obituary: Ivor Cutler. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 7 March 2006.
40. Web site: Glanville. Brian. Obituary: Jimmy Johnstone. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 14 March 2006.
41. Web site: Wilson. Brian. Obituary: Margaret Ewing. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 23 March 2006.
42. Web site: Ian Hamilton Finlay 1925-2006. Tate. 23 February 2018.
43. Web site: McDonald. Tim. Obituary: Robin Orr. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 14 April 2006.
44. Web site: Turner. Jenny. Obituary: Dame Muriel Spark. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 17 April 2006.
45. Web site: Wilson. Brian. Obituary: Calum Kennedy. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 21 April 2006.
46. Web site: Iain MacMillan. Scotsman. 23 February 2018. en.
47. Web site: White. Michael. Roth. Andrew. Obituary: Eric Forth. the Guardian. 24 February 2018. en. 18 May 2006.
48. Web site: Tom Weir: Biography on Undiscovered Scotland. www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk. 24 February 2018.
49. Web site: Lord Monro obituary. The Telegraph. 24 February 2018. 30 August 2006.
50. Web site: Wilson. Brian. Obituary: Douglas Henderson. the Guardian. 24 February 2018. en. 25 September 2006.
51. Web site: Lucilla Andrews. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/lucilla-andrews-421771.html . 1 May 2022 . subscription. The Independent. 24 February 2018. 27 October 2006.
52. Web site: National Theatre of Scotland. the Guardian. 23 February 2018. en. 27 February 2008.
53. Web site: Hamish MacDonald: Books, Biography, Blogs, Audiobooks, Kindle. www.amazon.co.uk. 23 February 2018.