A long-standing Fife MSP is poised to make a bid to be the Scottish Parliament’s next presiding officer.
Tricia Marwick, who was elected to represent Mid Fife and Glenrothes in last week’s Holyrood election, revealed she is “actively considering” putting her name forward for the prestigious role.
On Monday, Ms Marwick’s SNP colleague Christine Grahame became the first candidate to explicitly state her intention to stand for the job.
MSPs have been arriving at Holyrood to complete the registration process, and the first meeting of the new parliament will take place on Wednesday.
That session will see MSPs take the oath and elect the new presiding officer and two deputy presiding officers.
Ms Marwick, who is widely respected across the political spectrum, told The Courier she would consult friends and colleagues before making a final decision on the issue tonight.
“I have been contacted by a number of parliamentary colleagues urging me to put myself forward as a candidate and I am certainly considering it,” she said. “I will have more discussions with party members about the issue in the afternoon and make a decision by the end of the day.”
Ms Marwick became a list MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife in 1999 and served in that role until 2007, when she was elected to the old Central Fife seat.
In a ringing endorsement of her record as an MSP, she extended her majority in the constituency which has been renamed Mid Fife and Glenrothes following a boundary change to 4188 in Thursday’s election.
She will be widely viewed as an experienced candidate for the role of presiding officer, having served on the parliament’s corporate body for four years and having previously been convener of the standards committee. She has also been vice-convener of the SNP parliamentary group and served as a member of the party’s national executive committee.
It appears her main rival for the job would be her SNP colleague Ms Grahame.
“I am known in parliament as an independent-minded backbencher and that is the same way I would approach the task of presiding officer,” said Ms Grahame. “I have always championed the cause of backbenchers being given a fair crack of the whip and that is even more important than ever now we have a majority in parliament for the first time.
“I have the experience to do the job, having been an MSP since 1999 and having chaired three committees in that time.”
Liberal Democrat MSP Tavish Scott, who resigned as party leader at the weekend, has also been touted as a possible candidate. Other contenders could include the former Labour ministers Hugh Henry and Richard Simpson or former SNP transport minister Stewart Stevenson.
Members will be able to submit nominations on Wednesday morning, with the election taking place later in the day.
Conservative MSP Alex Fergusson held the role of presiding officer during the last parliament. Labour is the only party that has not provided a presiding officer since devolution.