[7] She has a younger brother, Labour Party politician Douglas Alexander, who has served as a Member of Parliament and in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom.

Alexander attended Park Mains High School in Erskine and won a scholarship to Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific in British Columbia before studying at the University of Glasgow, where she graduated with a First Class MA (Hons) in Economic and Modern History.

After her MBA, Alexander worked for Booz & Co., an international management consultancy, undertaking assignments in Europe, Asia, North America and Australasia.

Following Labour's landslide victory at the 1997 general election, Alexander was appointed Special Adviser to Donald Dewar when he became Secretary of State for Scotland.

We know that teachers are confused about the meaning of section 2A, we know that bullying exists in our schools and elsewhere, and we know that children's organisations overwhelmingly back repeal.

[40][41][42] Alexander promoted a "learning, earning" nation including the doubling of the number of Modern Apprenticeships,[43] jointly leading the Clyde Shipyards Taskforce[44] to help modernise shipbuilding on the Clyde through investment in skills,[45] and in the face of the global downturn in electronics hitting companies such as Motorola launched what became the PACE (Partnership for Continuing Employment[46]) initiative to help those made redundant find work quickly.

As Minister with responsibility for skills and lifelong learning she promoted higher education enterprise links and championed research, modernising management[47] and widening access to universities by those previously excluded.

Following her resignation from Jack McConnell's Cabinet she became a visiting professor at the Strathclyde Business School and became a member, and subsequently Chair of the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee.

[55][56] The seminars brought William Baumol, Ed Glaeser and Nobel laureates James Heckman and Paul Krugman from across the spectrum of political economy to Scotland to reflect on issues such as the returns to early intervention, supporting innovation and cities as future growth engines.

[68][69] Organisationally, she called for a new approach to candidate selection, including primary systems to give all Labour supporters a chance to be involved in choosing their local member.

Alexander made a speech at the University of Edinburgh on Saint Andrew's Day 2007 in which she set out the case for a wide-ranging review of the devolution settlement, with a view to identifying possible areas for reform.

It has to be fought and argued for... Calman will shape the next phase of Scotland's journey…[with] a range of common sense measures to improve relationships".

[84] During First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament, on 8 May, Alexander asked Alex Salmond to bring forward a referendum bill at the first opportunity.

Alex Salmond declined the offer of Labour support for a referendum, preferring to delay by at least a further year, saying "We will stick to what was laid out in pages 8 and 15 of the SNP manifesto".

[85] In 2007, a controversy developed after it emerged that Alexander's campaign team had accepted a £950 impermissible donation from Paul Green, a property magnate,[86] a matter that was investigated by the Electoral Commission and Strathclyde Police.

Further newspaper reports on 30 November indicated Alexander was aware of the identity of the donor, after having sent a personal letter of gratitude to Mr Green (at his home in Jersey) concerning the donation.

However, the Electoral Commission concluded in February 2008 that Alexander had taken 'significant steps' to comply with funding regulations and decided there was no basis for further action.

[89] As part of the Electoral Commission ruling, they also stated that Alexander "did not take all reasonable steps" and that "there is not sufficient evidence to establish that an offence has been committed".

[91] In a separate development, a few days earlier in February 2008, the Scottish Parliament standards watchdog reported Alexander to the procurator fiscal for failing to declare as gifts the donations that were made to the fund for her campaign for the leadership of the Labour Party in Scotland.

[99] Many of these proposals recommend greater fiscal autonomy for Scotland,[100] including improved borrowing powers, the ability to issue bonds and further tax devolution.

In her valedictory speech on the Scotland Bill, Alexander said: "This initiative has from beginning to end been cross-party, consensual and co-operative among the participating parties.