Alex Salmond’s goodbye present from his Scottish Government Cabinet was personalised golf gear but he also bagged an extra few hours out of the office car.
His final engagement as First Minister was to attend last night’s Scotland v England encounter at Celtic Park, and although he was due to officially stand down at midnight, his period in charge was extended until 2pm today.
That means he can be transported back from Glasgow after an overnight stay.
A spokesman for Mr Salmond confirmed his final meeting in charge of the cabinet ended in applause for the outgoing head of government, while ministers held a whip round and bought him a golf bag, emblazoned with both his name and a saltire, and an 1880 putter.
He also received a standing ovation in Holyrood’s debating chamber, from the SNP benches, following his farewell speech, at which he told MSPs he was leaving office with “a sense of optimism and confidence”.
During a statement at the Scottish Parliament, Mr Salmond said it had been “the privilege of his life” to serve in the role for the past seven-and-a-half years. He is making way for his deputy Nicola Sturgeon to take over, and he said she will make an “outstanding” First Minister, before she embraced him at the end of his address.
* Kieran Andrews blog: A grudging farewell
Mr Salmond said: “Scotland now has the most energised, empowered and informed electorate of any country in Europe.
We have a new generation of citizens who understand that their opinion matters, who believe that their voice will be heard and who know that their vote can shape the society they live in.”
Ms Sturgeon will be formally appointed First Minister at Holyrood tomorrow, and will be sworn in at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Thursday.
Opposition leaders responded to the speech, with Labour’s Jackie Baillie, Conservative Ruth Davidson, Lib Dem Willie Rennie and Green Patrick Harvie providing mixed reviews before Stewart Stevenson replied on behalf of the SNP.
Ms Baillie said: “The Scottish Parliament and Scottish politics in general need people of talent from whatever political persuasion … and the First Minister’s considerable abilities will be missed.”