They were many and various, but none of the excuses given by MSPs for failing to attend the Queen's speech on the tenth anniversary of the Scottish Parliament yesterday, quite explained why they had collectively turned their backs on what should have been a great celebration.

They ranged from attending a creamery, to moving office, as well as accompanying pupils on a cricket tour overseas.

The SNP had the greatest number absent, with 21 of its 47 MSPs failing to show up, including five ministers.

Adam Ingram, the Children's Minister, was on holiday, as was Jim Mather, the Enterprise Secretary. The other three pleaded ministerial engagements. Richard Lochhead, the Rural Affairs Secretary, was opening a new creamery near Campbeltown, which the government believes will safeguard 40 local dairy farms and 100 jobs. Roseanna Cunningham, the Environment Secretary, was multi-tasking. She had functions with British Waterways at Croy, North Lanarkshire and attended a Forestry Commission event in Fife. Bruce Crawford, Parliamentary Business Minister, was at a memorial for war dead at the Somme.

A spokesman for the Scottish government said that the appointments had been in the diary “for some time”. Two SNP MSPs claimed to be on constituency business; three were on holiday - including the two ministers, and Brian Adam, the MSP for Aberdeen North, who was in Argyll - while seven Nationalist MSPs had “no reason” for not turning up.

Christine Grahame, SNP MSP for the South of Scotland, said that she had boycotted the event because of her republican sympathies. “I had no intention of being there and I made my position clear before the event. I do not want to be seen as a hypocrite. I do not believe in the aristocracy running our country,” she said.

The SNP spokesman said that the “majority” of the party's MSPs took part in the anniversary celebrations, either yesterday or at an earlier event held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse last Friday. The spokesman added that some MSPs had been on constituency business, including Willie Coffey, who represents Kilmarnock, where the drinks firm Diageo announced it was cutting 700 jobs, or had important family business.

The wife of Stuart Macmillan, SNP MSP for the West of Scotland, is expecting a baby, and Gil Paterson, also West of Scotland, was dealing with a family bereavement.

The number of SNP absences was closely followed by those of Labour, with 17 of its 46 MSPs missing.

Margaret Curran, who represents Glasgow Bailleston, said that she was dealing with urgent constituency business. “It is an emergency because it involves a death,” she added. Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, and Labour's education spokesman, was one of eight Labour members said to be on holiday.

Hugh Henry, Labour MSP for Paisley South, said that he had a “long-standing personal engagement” made before he was told of yesterday's arrangements. A spokesman for Cathy Jamieson, the Labour MSP for Cumnock, and the party's spokesman on health, said she had a long-standing family arrangement.

Five Lib Dems out of the group's 16 MSPs were absent. Three gave no reason, while Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire, was thought to be on holiday, and Alison McInnes, MSP for the North-East, had a “personal commitment”.

A Lib Dem spokesman said that the decision to attend had been a personal choice for its MSPs.

The Tories had the best attendance record, with three of their 16 MSPs absent. They included Liz Smith, the party's education spokesman, who was with children on a cricket tour in Belgium and Jamie McGrigor, who had a meeting to discuss inshore rescue.

Absentees

SNP (21)

Gil Paterson Family bereavement

Brian Adam Holiday in Argyll

Richard Lochhead Ministerial engagement in Campbeltown

Roseanna Cunningham Ministerial engagement on canal in Kilsyth

Bruce Crawford Ministerial engagement commemorating the war dead at the Somme

Willie Coffey Meeting with Diageo in Kilmarnock over job losses

Stuart McMillan Party said wife expecting a baby, but office said he was on constituency business

Joe Fitzpatrick No reason

Kenny Gibson No reason

Christine Grahame Boycotted event because she is a republican

Jamie Hepburn No Reason

Adam Ingram Holiday

Stewart Stevenson Opening new cruise liner terminal in Greenock

Ian McKee No reason

Shirley-Anne Somerville Family engagement

Dave Thompson No reason

Bill Wilson Constituency business

Bob Doris Constituency business meeting asylum seekers

Professor Christopher Harvie No reason

Jim Mather Holiday

Sandra White No reason

Labour (17)

Lord George Foulkes Engagement at the House of Lords

Sarah Boyack Women's award ceremony

Duncan McNeil Constituency business

David Stewart Constituency business

Charlie Gordon Constituency business

Margaret Curran Constituency business

Richard Baker Holiday in Dordogne

Claire Baker Holiday in Dordogne

Helen Eadie Holiday

Hugh Henry Holiday

Wendy Alexander Holiday

Cathy Jamieson Holiday

Mary Mulligan Holiday

Des McNulty Holiday

Three other MSPs for health reasons. Party refused to name

Liberal Democrats (5)

Alison McInnes Personal commitment

Jim Hume No reason

Mike Pringle No reason

Mike Rumbles Believed to be on holiday in Italy

Jim Tolson No reason

Conservatives (3)

Liz Smith Cricket tour in Belgium

Gavin Brown Wife had a baby

Jamie McGrigor Meeting to discuss inshore rescue

Greens (1)

Patrick Harvie Moving office

Independent (1)

Margo McDonald Ill health

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