In full: Letters between Bruce Crawford and Alex Salmond

IT WAS announced as part of First Minister Alex Salmond’s reshuffle that Bruce Crawford, formerly Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy, is retiring from government. He wrote to Mr Salmond to explain his decision.

Dear Alex

As you know both of my parents died within a period of 20 months and my mother as recently as the middle of July. I informed you a couple of weeks ago, following a period of reflection that I thought it was time I pursued a less arduous working life and I wanted to step down from my role as Cabinet Secretary.

I was very grateful for the very understanding way you dealt with my request and for your sound advice to take some time to consider my decision. However, having considered further I now write to inform you that I wish to formally tender my resignation with effect from Saturday 8 September 2012, as a Minister appointed under section 47 of the Scotland Act 1998.

I can tell you it has been a huge privilege to have served Scotland in the first SNP Government in history. I am very proud of the SNP’s track record in Government where we have shown leadership, competence and a clear vision for the future.

I have had great satisfaction and enjoyment over the past five years carrying out my role, in particular over the first four years dealing with the challenge of being a minority government. Also more recently in relation to ensuring that the Scotland Act did not harm Scotland’s finances while also bringing some useful new powers and preparing the ground for a successful Independence Referendum in autumn 2014. I was very pleased with the shape and content of the Programme for Government that you announced this week. I hope that my part in its preparation goes some way to help take Scotland forward and to deliver a more prosperous and fairer future for the people of our country.

I am indebted to you for giving me the opportunity to serve and I wish yourself and all of my colleagues in the Scottish Government every success for the future. I now look forward to playing my part as we discussed, as part of the independence campaign, to secure an independent Scotland as well as having even more time to serve the people and communities of my Stirling constituency.

Yours for Scotland

BRUCE CRAWFORD

Dear Bruce

Following our recent conversations I am writing to express my sincere thanks for the huge contribution you have made to the government of Scotland since our historic victory in 2007.

Whilst I regret your decision to stand down, I totally appreciate your reasons for doing so, and you leave government with a track record which you can be extremely proud of.

As Minister for Parliamentary Business, and then Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy, you have been the linchpin at the heart of both the Parliamentary group and the Scottish Government.

We both know from experience the difficulties of minority government, and your talents were absolutely essential to maintaining the Government in office and ensuring we progressed our legislative programme during the last parliament. That you managed that fine balancing act with good grace and good humour, and retained respect across the chamber, is a testament to both your personality and your political abilities. That work obviously played a key part in maintaining the foundation for our historic overall majority last year.

Whilst the period since the 2011 election has hopefully been less stressful due to the lack of knife-edge votes, your work on the Scotland Act and in preparing the Government for the forthcoming independence referendum has been exemplary. You will be a hard act to follow!

I know you have enjoyed your historic role in preparing for the referendum, and the Government and I owe you a debt of gratitude for all that you have done.

I know that these views will be shared across Government and across the party.

Alex Salmond