Just for the record...

Stuart got elected!!


First Asian leads the parade of new MSPs
Check the state of the parties

THE first Asian MSP in Scotland led a host of new faces yesterday who will change the make-up of the Scottish Parliament and the country's future over the next four years.

Most of the gains were by the SNP, though other main parties also acquired new representatives because of smaller parties being squeezed out.

Bashir Ahmad was one of four SNP MSPs voted in for the Glasgow region.

Of the other SNP members to win seats in the regions, some are well-known fundamentalists for the Nationalist cause, while others are gradualists on the issue of independence - suggesting there will certainly be debate within the parliamentary party.

Labour too brought in some interesting new faces including a lord and Donald Dewar's press spokesman for Labour.

The Liberal Democrats triumphed in Dunfermline West by bringing in a computing student, but most of their fresh faces were in the regions.

There are 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, 73 of which are first-past-the-post constituencies, while 56 are regional seats voted through proportional representation.

New SNP MSPs through the constituency system include Angela Constance in Livingston, Dr Alasdair Allan in Western Isles, Kenneth Gibson in Cunninghame North, Joe Fitzpatrick in Dundee West and Willie Coffey in Kilmarnock and Loudon.

However, most gains were made in the regions.

In Glasgow, Mr Ahmad, who is already a councillor in the region and has been on the party's national executive, was at the top of the list.

The new MSP, born in India but brought up in Pakistan, came to Scotland aged 20 and worked as a bus conductor and driver as he saved to buy his first shop. He then opened a restaurant and a hotel.

In the West of Scotland, Bill Wilson, from the fundamental wing of the party, was voted in alongside Gil Paterson and Stuart McMillan.

In contrast, Mike Russell, who is a gradualist, was voted in the South of Scotland.

A professor of British and Irish studies, Chris Harvie gained a seat in Mid Scotland and Fife.

Aileen Campbell won a seat in Scotland South and Jamie Hepburn, Christina McKelvie and John Wilson won seats in Scotland Central. Nigel Don was the only new name in the North East.

Labour saw the arrival of Lord George Foulkes, the former Hearts chairman, and the return of Iain Gray, the former MSP who has been working as a special adviser in the Scotland Office, in East Lothian. David Whitton, the former press officer for Donald Dewar, won in Strathkelvin and Bearsden.

Mr Foulkes, list MSP for Lothians, said: "I've always been an enthusiast for the Scottish Parliament [but] it needs some energy and inspiring debate."

In the regions, Claire Baker, John Park and Richard Simpson all won seats in Mid-Scotland and Fife.

The Tories brought in young blood in lawyer John Lamont in Roxburgh and Berwickshire. Another new face was Liz Smith in Mid-Scotland and Fife. And Jim Tolson, a computing student, won a constituency seat for the Lib Dems in Dunfermline West.