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Scottish Parliament election

Election 07 graphic

Presiding officer elected

  • Brian Taylor
  • 14 May 07, 03:31 PM

And so Scotland has a new presiding officer.

Alex Fergusson has been elected by 108 votes to the 20 obtained by Margo MacDonald, the Independent MSP.

Alex Fergusson is a Conservative MSP - and widely respected for his work within parliament.

He faces a tough job, given the new parliamentary arithmetic.

Mr Fergusson is a former president of the Blackface Sheepbreeders Association. His herding experience may come in handy.

All the best to the new man - and to his predecessor George Reid who was excellent in the role.


Comments   Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 04:01 PM on 14 May 2007,
  • sandymac wrote:

The great advantage for Mr Ferguson is that he was fairly elected, every vote counted every person acknowledged. Not one person in that parliament can say that today.

  • 2.
  • At 04:48 PM on 14 May 2007,
  • Aiken Drum wrote:

He's a bloody good bloke.

  • 3.
  • At 04:53 PM on 14 May 2007,
  • Gordon wrote:

WHO really cares - snouts in trough, and a complete waste of taxpayers money.

  • 4.
  • At 05:53 PM on 14 May 2007,
  • Clamjamfrie wrote:

Interesting, but not as interesting as the votes for Deputy Presiding Officer. Why do you think Trish Godman polled so poorly Brian? I expected her to be elected comfortably. Does this say anything about the view of Labour's post election behaviour, or was it just one of those things we shouldn't read too much into?

  • 5.
  • At 08:24 PM on 14 May 2007,
  • Bedd Gelert wrote:

Ah, Mr Taylor, herding sheep is one thing - herding cats quite another..

Please keep blogging after the election period is over - we are relying on you for our 'fix' of political news from Holyrood and beyond..

  • 6.
  • At 08:43 PM on 14 May 2007,
  • SGuest wrote:

Herding MSPs is more like herding cats than herding sheep

  • 7.
  • At 09:35 PM on 14 May 2007,
  • geva blackett wrote:

Great man - and great loss as an MSP to those of us campaigning for a fair deal for rural Scotland!

Good luck Alex!

Geva (7),

He's still OUR MSP!
No party is no bad thing
http://home.btconnect.com/tipiglen/loose.html

May he do well in both roles!
ed

  • 9.
  • At 04:17 PM on 16 May 2007,
  • Paul Marshall wrote:

Why are they law officers not sitting in the cabinet? They don't have voting rights, and are an asset to work out the compatibility of Scots law and also the remit of the Scotland Act.

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