Ken Macintosh voted in as Holyrood's new presiding officer
Scottish Labour veteran Ken Macintosh has been elected as Holyrood's new Presiding Officer.
Scottish Labour veteran Ken Macintosh has been elected as Holyrood's new Presiding Officer.
He defeated party colleagues Johann Lamont and Elaine Smith, and Scottish Conservative MSPs Murdo Fraser and John Scott, winning the position in the third round of voting.
The role - which Mr Macintosh takes over from Tricia Marwick - is politically neutral with responsibilities including chairing sessions of parliament in Holyrood's debating chamber and representing the parliament at home and abroad.
Taking to the Presiding Officer's chair, Mr Macintosh said: "I am very grateful indeed for the honour and privilege that you have granted me to be your next Presiding Officer.''
He thanked his fellow candidates and paid tribute to Mrs Marwick, adding that she should be proud of her achievements in Parliament.
"It gives me great pleasure to welcome and thank all of you, the class of 2016,'' he said, addressing the chamber.
"I can see around me many familiar faces and friends and I welcome you back, but I see too a huge number of new members, freshly elected.
"The energy, the infectious enthusiasm and the optimism with which you have filled this building already in the few days which you have been here has invigorated me.
"It has refreshed this place and reminded us all of the opportunity the Scottish Parliament offers all of us to make a better Scotland.''
Mr Macintosh continued: "The revitalising of this Parliament reminds me of the promise offered by devolution, which is to work together across the party divide for the common good.
"I am very conscious that each one of you has a tremendous responsibility and a duty to the people of Scotland.
"I see it as my responsibility and my duty to help you in that task.''
Mr Macintosh, who has served as an MSP since the Scottish Parliament reconvened in 1999, has become the first Presiding Officer from the Scottish Labour Party, winning with 71 votes.
Mr Fraser finished second with 31 votes and Ms Lamont was in third place with 26.
Former deputy presiding officers Elaine Smith and John Scott were eliminated in the first and second rounds of voting respectively.
Mr Macintosh failed to hold on to his Eastwood constituency seat in the election last week, but was returned to Holyrood on the West of Scotland regional list.
He stood for the leadership of his party twice - losing to Ms Lamont and then Kezia Dugdale.
Labour leader Ms Dugdale said: "I am delighted that Ken Macintosh has been elected Presiding Officer.
"As someone who was elected in 1999, Ken has the experience and skill to guide us through a parliamentary session that will be dominated by cross-party co-operation. I know Ken will perform his role in an even-handed, impartial way.
"He will be a strong advocate for reform and for ensuring the Scottish Parliament is effective in holding the Government to account.''
Mr Macintosh's election came after all Holyrood's 129 new MSPs were sworn in.
Members took the oath or made a solemn affirmation in the parliament's chamber, with SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon going first.
She underlined her party's ''loyalty to the people of Scotland'' and the ''sovereignty of the people'' before taking the affirmation.
She was followed by Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson and Ms Dugdale.
Ms Davidson's party took up the benches previously used by Labour, having become the second largest party with 31 seats.
Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie prefaced his affirmation - which includes swearing allegiance to the Queen - by highlighting his party's support for an ''elected head of state''.
Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie was sworn in wearing a large yellow rose on his lapel, while the Tories opted for thistles, Labour for red roses and the SNP the ''white rose of Scotland''.
The rose was the subject of Hugh MacDiarmid poem The Little White Rose, and has been worn by SNP members as they are sworn in at Holyrood since 1999.
Party leaders were followed by MSPs in alphabetical order.
Several MSPs made their oaths in other languages as well as English, including Gaelic, Doric and Scots.