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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Salmond elected as first minister | Salmond elected as first minister |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Alex Salmond has made political history after becoming the first Nationalist to be elected first minister of Scotland. | Alex Salmond has made political history after becoming the first Nationalist to be elected first minister of Scotland. |
| The SNP leader, whose party became the biggest following the election, will also head the first minority government in Scotland since devolution. | The SNP leader, whose party became the biggest following the election, will also head the first minority government in Scotland since devolution. |
| Mr Salmond was voted in by MSPs, seeing off a final challenge from Scottish Labour leader Jack McConnell. | Mr Salmond was voted in by MSPs, seeing off a final challenge from Scottish Labour leader Jack McConnell. |
| Without an overall majority in parliament, the new first minister will now need to strive for consensus. | Without an overall majority in parliament, the new first minister will now need to strive for consensus. |
| Mr Salmond became the first Nationalist to win power in the party's 73-year history. | |
| We're a small nation but we've got a big future Alex Salmond Send us your views | |
| His election, which was supported by the two Scottish Green MSPs, was greeted with applause and cheering in the Scottish Parliament chamber. | |
| Describing Holyrood as a "parliament of minorities", he told MSPs: "I believe Scotland is ready for change, ready for reform. | |
| "We're a small nation but we've got a big future." | |
| Mr McConnell, the former first minister, congratulated Mr Salmond on his victory and said he would be proud to lead the largest opposition party the Scottish Parliament has ever had. | |
| But he promised that Labour would not oppose for its own sake. |