Annals of the Parish: The Year at Holyrood, 2005-2006

Abstract

The twelve months since the last instalment of the 'Annals' have seen astonishing changes in the political landscape in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK. First and foremost on the chronicler's mind are the changes in Scotland: the elections in May which led to the end of Labour's rule in Scotland and the creation of an SNP minority government. But there were also the elections in Wales which resulted, after prolonged negotiations, in an unprecedented coalition between Labour and Plaid Cymru; we have witnessed the emergence of a partnership government in Northern Ireland involving both the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein, with Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness sharing the posts of First and Deputy First Ministers, the eventual transition from Tony Blair to Gordon Brown in the post of UK Prime Minister, and, most recently, the 'coronation' of Wendy Alexander as new Scottish Labour and Holyrood opposition leader. Truly, a remarkable year of change. One of the few things that did not change, it seems, was the Scottish football team's ability to beat the French they did it last October at Hampden, and managed to repeat the feat this September in Paris.