Michael Russell (Scottish politician)

Michael Russell
Official portrait, 2016
Chairman of the Scottish Land Commission
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 February 2024
Land Secretary	Mairi Gougeon
Preceded by	Andrew Thin
SNP party positions President of the Scottish National Party In office 30 November 2020 – 1 December 2023 Leader Nicola Sturgeon Humza Yousaf Preceded by Ian Hudghton Succeeded by Vacant Chief Executive Officer of the Scottish National Party Acting 18 March 2023 – 12 April 2023 Leader Nicola Sturgeon Humza Yousaf Preceded by Peter Murrell Succeeded by Murray Foote In office 1994–1999 Leader Alex Salmond Preceded by Office established Succeeded by Peter Murrell
Ministerial offices Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs In office 17 February 2020 – 20 May 2021 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon Preceded by Himself (Constitutional Relations) Fiona Hyslop (External Relations) Succeeded by Angus Robertson Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations In office 26 June 2018 – 17 February 2020 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon Preceded by Derek Mackay (Constitution) Bruce Crawford (Government Strategy; 2012) Succeeded by Himself Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning In office 1 December 2009 – 21 November 2014 First Minister Alex Salmond Preceded by Fiona Hyslop Succeeded by Angela Constance Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe In office 25 August 2016 – 26 June 2018 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon Preceded by Office established Succeeded by Office abolished Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution & Minister for Gaelic In office 12 February 2009 – 1 December 2009 First Minister Alex Salmond Preceded by Linda Fabiani Succeeded by Fiona Hyslop Minister for Environment In office 17 May 2007 – 12 February 2009 First Minister Alex Salmond Preceded by Sarah Boyack Succeeded by Roseanna Cunningham
Parliamentary offices Member of the Scottish Parliament for Argyll and Bute In office 6 May 2011 – 5 May 2021 Preceded by Jim Mather Succeeded by Jenni Minto Member of the Scottish Parliament for South of Scotland (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) In office 4 May 2007 – 6 May 2011 In office 1 May 1999 – 6 May 2003
Personal details
Born	(1953-08-09) 9 August 1953 (age 70) Bromley, Kent, England
Nationality	Scottish
Political party	Scottish National Party
Spouse	Cathleen McAskill ​ (m. 1980)​
Children	One son, Cailean
Residence	Glendaruel
Alma mater	Edinburgh University

Michael William Russell^[1] (born 9 August 1953) is a Scottish politician serving as Chairman of the Scottish Land Commission since 2024, having previously served in the Scottish Cabinet under Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), he was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Argyll and Bute from 2011 to 2021, and a list MSP for South of Scotland from 1999 to 2003 and 2007 to 2011.

Russell previously worked as a television producer and director and the author of seven books. He was Chief Executive of the SNP from 1994 to 1999 and was elected to the Scottish Parliament as a regional MSP for the South of Scotland at the first Scottish Parliament election in 1999. However, he lost his seat in the 2003 Scottish Parliament election. He was elected again in May 2007 and was appointed Minister for Environment in Scotland's first-ever SNP administration by First Minister Alex Salmond.^[2]

He was then reshuffled on 10 February 2009 to become Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, and was later promoted to the Scottish Cabinet on 1 December 2009 replacing Fiona Hyslop as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning until November 2014, when he was sacked by new First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.^[3] He became a backbencher and was a professor of culture and governance at the University of Glasgow from 2015 to 2016. Russell later served in the second Sturgeon government as Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe from August 2016 to June 2018. He returned to the Cabinet in 2018 as Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations, later Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs, before standing down at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. Russell was elected President of the SNP in November 2020 and resigned from this position in December 2023 ahead of his appointment as Chairman of the Scottish Land Commission.^[4] He stepped in as acting Chief Executive of the SNP from March to April 2023 following Peter Murrell’s resignation.