2017 in Scotland

Events from the year 2017 in Scotland.

Incumbents

Law officers

Judiciary

Events

19 January – The Scottish Government sets a target of a 66% reduction in harmful emissions within a fifteen-year timescale
16 March – U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May formally rejects Nicola Sturgeon's second Scottish Independence Referendum timetable for Autumn 2018, or at least before Brexit negotiations are concluded.
27 April – The population of Scotland reaches a record high, standing at 5,404,700
4 May – United Kingdom local elections: Labour is pushed into third place by the Conservatives in Scotland, where the Scottish National Party is comfortably the largest; despite failing to take control of target councils.
12 May – WannaCry ransomware attack hits computers in many Scottish National Health Service institutions
8 June – The United Kingdom general election results in Scotland see the Scottish National Party re-emerge as the largest single party with 35 seats, but the Conservatives overtake Labour into second place, with Labour being pushed into third place for the first time since the 1918 general election 99 years previously. This is the most successful result for the Conservatives in Scotland since 1983, who gained twelve seats from the SNP. Notable losses included: Former First Minister, Alex Salmond and SNP Depute Leader, Angus Robertson
27 June – Nicola Sturgeon announces that she will delay plans for a proposed second Scottish independence referendum
19 August – The UK's last postbus runs on the Tongue-Lairg route
29 August – Kezia Dugdale resigns as Leader of the Scottish Labour Party after two years in the role
30 August – The Queensferry Crossing opens to traffic
31 August – STV, Scotland's national broadcaster, celebrates sixty years since its first broadcast
2 September – The first of 50,000 people begin their walk on the newly opened Queensferry Crossing; the walk is a "once in a lifetime" chance as the new bridge does not have pedestrian walkways
4 September
* The Queen officially opens the new Queensferry Crossing
* Rough Guides names Scotland as the world's most beautiful country
5 September – First Minister Nicola Sturgeon makes a statement to the Scottish Parliament, outlining the SNP Government's priorities for the coming year, including scrapping the 1% public sector pay cap, implementing of a new Education Bill as well as actions to support the Scottish economy
8 September – Phillip Gormley, the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Scotland's national police force, resigns from the position following allegations of misconduct
12 September – Parts of Scotland is hit by torrential rain and gale-force winds, reaching 75mph in some parts of the country
21 September – It is discovered several households in the Glasgow City Council area have similar cladding to that on Grenfell Tower which lead to a serious fire in June 2017; Glasgow City Council has not previously told residents nor the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service
October – Hywind Scotland, the world's first commercial wind farm using floating wind turbines, is commissioned offshore of Peterhead
26 October – Women in Scotland are to be allowed to take abortion pills at home, bringing the country into line with others such as Sweden and France.
2 November – First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution Derek Mackay set out the Scottish Government's income tax options regarding a rise in the rate of Scottish income tax
December – Abellio ScotRail introduces new electric trains as part of Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Programme
Undated – Shieldhall Strategic Tunnel constructed to carry wastewater under Glasgow

The Arts

Jackie Kay publishes Bantam, her first poetry book as Makar (National Poet for Scotland)

Deaths

1 January – George Miller, cricketer
11 January – Canon Kenyon Wright, Episcopal priest and political campaigner, chair of the Scottish Constitutional Convention
18 January – Johnny Little, footballer
26 January – Tam Dalyell, politician
3 February – Gordon Aikman, Scottish ALS campaigner
27 February – Alex Young, footballer
2 March – Tommy Gemmell, footballer and manager
1 April – Stuart Markland, footballer
7 April – Mary Mumford, 15th Lady Herries of Terregles, peeress
10 April – Sir Arnold Clark, businessman
20 May – James Weatherhead, Church of Scotland minister, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
25 June – Gordon Wilson, leader of the Scottish National Party
29 June – James Davidson, politician, Liberal MP for West Aberdeenshire
5 July – John McKenzie, footballer
19 July – Joe Walters, footballer
20 July – John McCluskey, Baron McCluskey, lawyer, judge and life peer, Solicitor General for Scotland
2 August – Dave Caldwell, footballer
4 August – Chuck Hay, curler
15 August – Joe McGurn, footballer
20 August – Gordon Williams, screenwriter and novelist
31 August – Tormod MacGill-Eain, Scottish Gaelic comedian, novelist, poet, musician and broadcaster
10 September – Stephen Begley rugby union player
1 October - John Swinburne, former MSP 2003–2007.
26 October – Sir Gavin Laird, trade unionist.
29 December – Jim Baikie, comics artist