Dear All
Alex Fergusson is the current Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.
He has held that post since 2007, prior to him taking the post, it was held by Lord Steel and George Reid who done one term in post before giving it up.
Fergusson wants to stand for re-election 2011, not as an independent but as a Tory Candidate.
To that end the Scottish Parliament's presiding officer has said he will give up the post if he is re-elected.
Currently Fergusson represents the Galloway and Upper Nithsdale constituency at Holyrood and wants to return to being an MSP.
He said of his stint in the big chair that he had "immensely enjoyed the privilege" of being presiding officer for the last three years.
Citing the post left little time for family life, he has come to the decision not put his name forward for the post if returned in 2011.
He said:
"I remain fully committed to the role for the duration of this parliament and will continue to carry out my presiding officer duties, as I have always tried to do, in an impartial and fair manner. However, balancing the roles of constituency member and presiding officer can leave little time for family life. After handing over to my successor, I look forward to being able to spend more time with my wife and family while focussing solely on constituency issues if I am fortunate enough to be re-elected to parliament."
It seems the curse of one term presiding officer strikes again!
Fergusson will now seek the Conservative Party nomination for the redrawn seat of Galloway and West Dumfriesshire.
If selected to stand again, he stands a good chance of being returned but in politics anything can happen.
However his majority last time was 3,333, not bad and he hasn’t like some other MSP’s put his foot his mouth.
Since the Holyrood Parliament was formed in 1999, there hasn’t been a Presiding Officer from the Labour Party take the chair, this could well change.
Might you, no one comes to instantly to mind as being fair and impartial or worthy.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Alex Fergusson is the current Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.
He has held that post since 2007, prior to him taking the post, it was held by Lord Steel and George Reid who done one term in post before giving it up.
Fergusson wants to stand for re-election 2011, not as an independent but as a Tory Candidate.
To that end the Scottish Parliament's presiding officer has said he will give up the post if he is re-elected.
Currently Fergusson represents the Galloway and Upper Nithsdale constituency at Holyrood and wants to return to being an MSP.
He said of his stint in the big chair that he had "immensely enjoyed the privilege" of being presiding officer for the last three years.
Citing the post left little time for family life, he has come to the decision not put his name forward for the post if returned in 2011.
He said:
"I remain fully committed to the role for the duration of this parliament and will continue to carry out my presiding officer duties, as I have always tried to do, in an impartial and fair manner. However, balancing the roles of constituency member and presiding officer can leave little time for family life. After handing over to my successor, I look forward to being able to spend more time with my wife and family while focussing solely on constituency issues if I am fortunate enough to be re-elected to parliament."
It seems the curse of one term presiding officer strikes again!
Fergusson will now seek the Conservative Party nomination for the redrawn seat of Galloway and West Dumfriesshire.
If selected to stand again, he stands a good chance of being returned but in politics anything can happen.
However his majority last time was 3,333, not bad and he hasn’t like some other MSP’s put his foot his mouth.
Since the Holyrood Parliament was formed in 1999, there hasn’t been a Presiding Officer from the Labour Party take the chair, this could well change.
Might you, no one comes to instantly to mind as being fair and impartial or worthy.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
2 comments:
Ah George, surely Baroni Foulkes can be persuaded to stand once again if he lowers himself to the Office of Chief Presider.
Curley Bill
Dear Curley Bill
It has been a long time since I watched the Kurt Russell movie Tombstone.
Baron Foulkes as Presiding Officer.
No, I can't see it somehow.
That would mean he would have to give up his FOI requests hobby.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
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