1988 in Scotland

Events from the year 1988 in Scotland.

Incumbents

 * Secretary of State for Scotland and Keeper of the Great Seal – Malcolm Rifkind

Law officers

 * Lord Advocate – Lord Cameron of Lochbroom
 * Solicitor General for Scotland – Peter Fraser

Judiciary

 * Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General – Lord Emslie
 * Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Ross
 * Chairman of the Scottish Land Court – Lord Elliott

Events

 * March – Seafield Colliery at Kirkcaldy closes.
 * 26 April–26 September – Glasgow Garden Festival. Bell's Bridge is built in connection with it.
 * 21 May – "Sermon on the Mound": Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, addresses the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
 * 6 July – Piper Alpha oil rig in the North Sea explodes and results in the death of 167 workers.
 * 7 August – Scotland on Sunday newspaper launched.
 * 2 November – Housing (Scotland) Act 1988, receives Royal Assent.
 * 10 November – The Scottish National Party win the Glasgow Govan by-election from Labour with a swing of 33%.
 * 6–10 December – The 1988 European Curling Championships take place in Perth.
 * 21 December – Pan Am Flight 103 explodes over the town of Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, and kills a total of 270 people – including all 259 on board. It is believed that the cause of the explosion was a terrorist bomb.

Births

 * 7 January – Alan Lowing, footballer
 * 2 June – Grado (Graeme Stevely), professional wrestler and screen actor
 * 21 July – Chris Mitchell, footballer (died 2016)
 * 22 October – Sharon Rooney, actress
 * 5 December – Omar Raza, actor
 * 30 December – Leon Jackson, pop singer

Deaths

 * 11 February – Marion Crawford, Scottish educator and governess to Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth II (born 1909)
 * 12 April – Harry McShane, socialist (born 1891)
 * 26 August – Oscar Marzaroli, photographer (born 1933 in Italy)

The Arts

 * August – The Proclaimers release their album Sunshine on Leith with lead single "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)".