Douglas Alexander

Douglas Garven Alexander (born 26 October 1967) is a Scottish politician who has served as Secretary of State for Scotland since 2025, having previously held the position from 2006 to 2007. A member of the Labour Party, he has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Lothian East since 2024. He was previously MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, formerly Paisley South, from 1997 to 2015 and served in the cabinets of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, lastly as International Development Secretary from 2007 to 2010. Born in Glasgow, Alexander attended Park Mains High School and then won a scholarship for Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific in Canada. He studied at the University of Edinburgh and spent a year at the University of Pennsylvania where he worked for Michael Dukakis on his 1988 presidential campaign. He returned to the University of Edinburgh to study for an LLB, before working shadow trade secretary Gordon Brown in 1990. Alexander then qualified and worked as a solicitor. He was first elected to Parliament at the 1997 Paisley South by-election. In 2001, he was appointed by Tony Blair as Minister of State for e-Commerce and Competitiveness in the Department of Trade and Industry. He was Minister of State for the Cabinet Office from 2002 to 2003. In 2003, he was promoted to Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. In 2004, he was appointed Minister of State for Trade. Following the 2005 general election, he was appointed Minister of State for Europe and made a member of the Privy Council. During this period, he started attending cabinet. In 2006, he was appointed to serve jointly as both Secretary of State for Scotland and Secretary of State for Transport. In 2007, when Gordon Brown became Prime Minister,...