Labour's Macintosh elected Holyrood Presiding Officer

Labour MSP Ken Macintosh is to be the Scottish Parliament's Presiding Officer for the coming session, following a voting process by MSPs yesterday.

Mr Macintosh, the first Labour member to hold the office, won an overall majority on the third ballot against Murdo Fraser (Conservative) and Johann Lamont (Labour), after other candidates John Scott and Elaine Smith had been eliminated.

His deputies will be Linda Fabiani and former Justice Committee convener Christine Grahame, both of the SNP. Conservative Margaret Mitchell lost out as runner-up in each of the ballots for the deputy posts.

Speaking after his election, Mr Macintosh said the Parliament had adapted to every set of circumstances presented after each election so far. New challenges were coming with the Parliament's additional powers and it was part of his job to "re-establish the identity of the Parliament" – not as an alternative Government but in holding the Government to account. That meant a stronger role for backbenchers and committee members, but not a confrontational or oppositional one – rather one of working together for the benefit of the people of Scotland, across party divides.