2003 in Scotland explained

Events from the year 2003 in Scotland.

Incumbents

• • First Minister and Keeper of the Great Seal – Jack McConnell Secretary of State for Scotland – Helen Liddell until 13 June; then Alistair Darling

Law officers

• Lord Advocate – Lord Boyd of Duncansby
• Solicitor General for Scotland – Elish Angiolini
• Advocate General for Scotland – Lynda Clark

Judiciary

• Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General – Lord Cullen of Whitekirk
• Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Gill
• Chairman of the Scottish Land Court – Lord McGhie

Events

• 29 January – Nat Fraser is found guilty of murdering his wife, Arlene, who went missing almost five years earlier, and is sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation to serve a minimum of 25 years behind bars.^[1]
• 15 February – Up to 100,000 people march in Glasgow to protest against the looming Iraq War.
• 25 February – The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 receives royal assent.
• 3 May – 2003 Scottish Parliament election: the Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition led by First Minister Jack McConnell win a majority of seats and are re-elected. The Scottish Green Party and the Scottish Socialist Party significantly increase their representation and the Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party gains one seat.
• 9 August – Temperatures at Greycrook in the Scottish Borders reach 32.9 °C, the highest recorded in Scotland until 2022.
• 25 August – Glasgow Zoo closes.^[2]
• 1 September – Cairngorms National Park created, Scotland's second national park.
• 21 October – Keith O'Brien is proclaimed a Cardinal by Pope John Paul II.^[3]
• 24 November – The high court in Glasgow imposes a minimum sentence of 27 years for Al Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, the Libyan national convicted of bombing Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988.
• Ownership of the Barra Estate is passed by the owner, Ian MacNeil, to the Scottish Government.

Deaths

• 26 January – George Younger, Conservative politician, former Secretary of State for Scotland (born 1931)
• 14 February – Dolly, cloned sheep (born 1996)
• 30 July – Steve Hislop, motorcycle racer, killed in helicopter accident (born 1962)
• 25 September – Alastair Borthwick, broadcaster and mountaineer (born 1913)

The arts

• 7 April – James Robertson's historical novel Joseph Knight is published.
• 27 August – Leonardo da Vinci's Madonna of the Yarnwinder is stolen from the Duke of Buccleuch collection at Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire.^[4] It is recovered in 2007.
• 22 November – Two Lochs Radio begins broadcasting.
• Lin Anderson's first "Tartan Noir" novel Driftnet is published.
• Anne Donovan's first full-length novel Buddha Da is published.
• The folk band Harem Scarem is formed.
• Scottish hip hop duo Silibil N' Brains begin performing in the guise of California rappers (in London).^[5]

See also

• 2003 in England
• 2003 in Northern Ireland
• 2003 in Wales

Notes and References

1. Web site: Husband guilty of Arlene murder. BBC News. 2003-01-29. 2014-05-14.
2. News: Cash crisis closes zoo. 2003-08-25. 2014-05-14. BBC News.
3. Web site: Cardinal O'Brien. www.catholic-pages.com. 2011-11-05.
4. News: Gerard. Seenan. Thieves steal priceless art 'for status, not profit'. The Guardian. London. 2003-12-29. 2023-08-27.
5. Meet The Two Scottish Rappers Who Conned The World. Tom. Seymour. Vice. 2013-08-19. 2022-10-07.