First Minister of Scotland

First Minister of Scotland is the chief executive of the government of Scotland. The current First Minister of Scotland is Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party, since 20 November 2014 after Alex Salmond resigned following the defeat of the pro-independence campaign in the Scottish independence referendum. The first was Donald Dewar, who died in office in 2000. Alex Salmond was the longest-serving First Minister with over seven-and-a-half years in office. The official residence of First Minister is Bute House in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon is the current, and first female, First Minister of Scotland.

List of First Ministers of Scotland

• Donald Dewar (Scottish Labour Party) - 13 May 1999 - 11 October 2000 (died in office)
• Henry McLeish (Labour Party) - 26 October 2000 - 8 November 2001 (resigned)
• Jack McConnell (Labour Party) - 22 November 2001 - 16 May 2007
• Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party) - 16 May 2007 - 19 November 2014
• Nicola Sturgeon (Scottish National Party) - 20 November 2014 - present (longest-serving First Minister)

Caretaker First Ministers of Scotland

• Jim Wallace (Scottish Liberal Democrats) - 11 October 2000 - 26 October 2000
• Jim Wallace (Liberal Democrats) - 8 November 2001 - 22 November 2001

Deputy First Ministers of Scotland

• Jim Wallace (Scottish Liberal Democrats) - 19 May 1999 - 23 June 2005
• Nicol Stephen (Scottish Liberal Democrats) - 27 June 2005 - 17 May 2007
• Nicola Sturgeon (Scottish National Party) - 17 May 2007 - 19 November 2014
• John Swinney (Scottish National Party) - 21 November 2014 - present