2013 in Scotland

2013 in Scotland

Years

2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015

Centuries

18th century | 19th century | 20th century | 21st century

See also

2012-13 in Scottish football

2013–14 in Scottish football

2013 in Scottish television

Portal:Current events

2013

Events from 2013 in Scotland

Incumbents

• Monarch - Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
• First Minister and Keeper of the Great Seal - Alex Salmond (since 16 May 2007)

Events

January

• 3 January - The Met Office reports that 2012 was the 17th wettest year on record for Scotland.^[1]
• 15 January - Gordon Strachan is confirmed as the new manager of Scotland^[2]
• 19 January - Four die in Glencoe avalanche^[3]

February

• 7 February - Plans announced for second Gaelic school in Glasgow to meet growing demand.^[4]
• 22 February - Cardinal Keith O'Brien, leader of Scotland's Catholics says he believes priests should be able to marry if they wish to do so.^[5]
• 25 February - Cardinal Keith O'Brien, steps down as leader of Scotland's Catholics after being accused of inappropriate behaviour towards priests dating back to the 1980s.^[6]
• 27 February - Dumfries and Galloway Councillors approve plans for the Star of Caledonia public artwork that will mark the Scotland-England border at Gretna^[7]

March

• 15 March;
  • McCluskey Report recommends legal press regulation in Scotland^[8]
  • Cockenzie coal-fired power plant closes^[9]
• 20 March - Peterhead is one of two preferred bidders in the £1bn competition to encourage the development of carbon capture and storage technology.^[10]
• 21 March - The date for the Scottish independence referendum is announced as 18 September 2014^[11]
• 22 March - Snow and gales blast the west coast, plunging about 20,000 properties into darkness^[12]

April

• 1 April - Police Scotland, a single national police force created by the merger of the country's eight police forces into one, comes into being.^[13] Likewise united are the eight fire and rescue services into the new Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
• 15 April - The Scottish Premier League fails to achieve the 11-1 majority required to agree a new 12-12-18 model for Scottish football after Ross County and St Mirren vote against the proposal.^[14]
• 29 April - Tobacco display ban in large shops comes into force^[15]

May

• 14 May - Launch of Business for Scotland, a pro-independence network of business people campaigning for a Yes vote in the 2014 referendum^[16][17]
• 20 May - The Church of Scotland's ruling General Assembly votes to allow actively gay men and women to become ministers.^[18]
• 24 May - Yes Scotland announces that a total of 372,103 had signed the Yes Declaration with 16 months to go until the referendum on Scottish independence.^[19]

June

• 19 June - Hearts placed into administration and will start next season in the top flight with a 15-point deduction^[20]
• 20 June - Aberdeen Donside by-election held to elect replacement for Brian Adam who died in April.
• 21 June - SNP's Mark McDonald wins Aberdeen Donside by-election^[21]
• 26 June - The new road bridge across the River Forth is named as the Queensferry Crossing
• 27 June - The bill to give 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in the Scottish independence referendum is passed by MSPs^[22]
• 28 June - The Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Football League agree to merge to form the Scottish Professional Football League^[23]

August

• 22 August - Yes Scotland forced to close its computer systems after being hacked by "forces unknown". Police Scotland’s Digital Forensic Unit is investigating.^[24]
• 23 August – A Super Puma L2 helicopter crashes near Sumburgh Airport in the Shetland Islands, resulting in four fatalities. Operation of the helicopter model is globally suspended.^[25]

September

• 27 September - Prime Minister David Cameron rejects an invitation for a head-to-head TV debate on Scottish independence with First Minister Alex Salmond ^[26]

October

• 8 October - The Scottish Government announces that the loss making Prestwick Airport in Glasgow is to be taken into public ownership.^[27]
• 23 October - Ineos announces that the petrochemical plant at Grangemouth is to close with the loss of about 800 jobs.^[28]

November

• 26 November - First Minister Alex Salmond launches the Scottish Government's White Paper setting out its vision for an independent Scotland.^[29]
• 29 November - A Glasgow police helicopter crashes into a busy nightclub, causing eight confirmed deaths and thirty-two injured.^[30]

December

• 15 December - Andy Murray wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2013^[31]

Deaths

• 3 January – Jimmy Halliday, 85, leader of the Scottish National Party from 1956 to 1960,^[32] (born 1927)
• 26 January – Lesley Fitz-Simons, actress (born 1961)
• 8 February – Ian Lister, footballer (born 1948)
• 23 February – Bruce Millan, 85, former Scottish Secretary and European Commissioner^[33] (born 1927)
• 31 May – Frederic Lindsay, writer of crime fiction (born 1933)
• 9 June – Iain Banks, author (born 1954)^[34]
• 23 June – Peter Fraser, Baron Fraser of Carmyllie, Conservative MP (1979–87) for Angus (South then East) and advocate (born 1945)^[35]
• 12 August – David McLetchie Leader of Scottish Conservatives 1998-2005 and MSP 1999-2012 (born 1952)^[36]

See also

• Timeline of Scottish history
• 2013 in the United Kingdom

References