All 129 new MSPs were sworn in at Holyrood yesterday with SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson being elected as the new Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.
SNP’s Clare Adamson and Labour’s Katy Clark were elected as deputy presiding officers in a three-hour ceremony where MSPs took their oath of allegiance, or made a solemn affirmation.
Mr Gibson’s election as the presiding officer means that he will give up his party membership for the duration of his time in office, however, deputy presiding officers, Clare Adamson and Katy Clark are not required to give up their party memberships.
The election of the deputy presiding officers involved three rounds of voting from five nominees: Clare Adamson (SNP), Claire Baker (Scottish Labour), Miles Briggs (Scottish Conservatives), Katy Clark (Scottish Labour), Stuart McMillian (SNP).
Four MSPs put themselves for forward for the presiding officer position. They were Claire Haughey (SNP), Stuart McMillan (SNP) and Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat).
First Minister John Swinney and outgoing presiding officer Alison Johnstone congratulated Mr Gibson on his election as Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.
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