Diary

Thursday, 20th November 2008

Alex Salmond opens his Parliamentarian diary

The past year has certainly been interesting. Here are some of my highlights as well as some of the challenges that lie ahead:

Almost a year ago Scotland celebrated as Glasgow was chosen to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, beating the rival bid from Abuja in Nigeria by 47 votes to 24.

I was there in Sri Lanka for the announcement that the Games were coming to Scotland for the first time since 1986. The event gives us an opportunity to show the whole world the very best of Scotland. Our athletes will be competing for Scotland on home soil, hopefully inspiring others to take up a sport or embrace a healthier lifestyle.

The first budget of the new Scottish government received the support of the Scottish Parliament in February — quite an achievement for a minority administration.

The budget included eye-catching policies, some of which have recently been borrowed by David Cameron’s Conservatives. There was record investment in Scottish local government, including £70 million to freeze the council tax, a commitment which we have just announced the Scottish government will fully fund for another two years.

We also provided the funds to recruit an additional 1,000 police officers, abolished the graduate endowment fee and introduced the beginning of the phased transition from student loans to grants. Something which is really making an impact is our decision to reduce or completely abolish business rates for 150,000 small businesses in Scotland, which is expected to save companies in the sector up to £165 million.

One notable fact about my time so far as First Minister is that there have been two Prime Ministers and I am now on my third Scottish Labour leader! Labour in Holyrood simply have not managed to find their feet since the SNP won the election 18 months ago, and have moved from blunder to blunder.

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