First Minister of Scotland elect its members, it is difficult for a single party to gain an overall majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament. The SNP gained an overall majority of seats in the 2011 election, and thus had enough numbers to vote in its leader, Alex Salmond, as First Minister for a second term. After the election of the Scottish Parliament, a First Minister must be nominated within a period of 28 days. Under the terms of the Scotland Act, if the Parliament fails to nominate a First Minister, within this time frame, it will be dissolved and a fresh election held.
Robert Gordon (minister) Robert Gordon (minister) Rev Dr Robert Gordon DD FRSE (5 May 1786 – 21 October 1853) was a Scottish minister and author. Originally prominent in the Church of Scotland, and serving as Moderator of the General Assembly in 1841, following the Disruption of 1843 he joined the Free Church of Scotland and became a prominent figure in that church. He was the inventor of a self-registering hygrometer. He was born 5 May 1786 at Old Crawfordton, Glencairn, Dumfriesshire, where his father was the parish schoolmaster. Aged 15, he was appointed parish teacher, in place of his father, who had died