SCOTTISH Labour has confirmed its list of regional candidates for the Holyrood elections, with leadership candidate Anas Sarwar giving up his top spot to make it gender-balanced.
The party’s members were able to vote for their preferred candidates for the regional list system hoping to be elected to the Scottish Parliament after the election on May 6.
Despite winning the contest, Sarwar volunteered to be the party’s second choice in the Glasgow region to allow fellow MSP Pauline McNeill to top the list. Former Glasgow North East MP Paul Sweeney came third, followed by NHS worker Pam Duncan-Glancy.
Sarwar’s decision means that Scottish Labour will have four men and four women as their first-placed choices for the regional list.
Under Scotland’s electoral system, voters pick both a constituency and a regional candidate, with each of the eight regions represented by seven MSPs.
Regional MSPs are elected through a form of proportional representation while the 73 constituency MSPs are chosen through the first-past-the-post system also used for Westminster’s MPs.
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The only current MSPs to be ranked below someone not already at Holyrood were James Kelly, who came fifth in the Glasgow region selection, and Claudia Beamish, who is placed fourth in South Scotland.
Scottish Labour currently has four list MSPs – including Kelly – for the Glasgow region, compared to the Scottish Conservatives’ two and one Scottish Green representative.
Kelly quit as the party’s justice spokesman last September and in his resignation letter called for Richard Leonard to stand down as leader.
Leonard, who ultimately did resign in January, sits atop the Scottish Labour list of candidates for Central Scotland, followed by leadership candidate Monica Lennon MSP, Mark Griffin MSP, councillor Monique McAdams and Chris Costello.
Acting leader Jackie Baillie will be the party’s first choice in West Scotland, followed by Neil Bibby MSP, Katy Clark, Paul O’Kane and Johanna Baxter.
South Scotland’s contest was won by Colin Smyth MSP, who is followed by Carol Mochan, Martin Whitfield, Claudia Beamish and Kevin McGregor. In North East Scotland, where the two current Scottish Labour MSPs Jenny Marra and Lewis Macdonald are stepping down, members chose Michael Marra for the first spot, Mercedes Villalba in second, Barry Black in third and Lynn Thomson in fourth.
For Mid Scotland and Fife, Claire Baker MSP is followed by Alex Rowley MSP, Julie MacDougall, Craig Miller and Chris Kane.
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Rhoda Grant MSP secured top spot in the Highlands and Islands’ regional contest, followed by John Erskine, Marion Donaldson, Lewis Whyte and Jo Kirby.
Sarwar said: “Our SEC encouraged candidates to follow the STUC’s ‘Step Aside, Brother’ campaign to ensure that at least 50% of our top candidates are women and I want to lead by example, so will be stepping aside from the top spot, meaning we can fulfil that ambition.
“In truth, our party must do more in future to empower and encourage a greater diversity of candidates – in parliaments and council chambers.
“I want to work with our diverse membership to increase representation of women, BAME, disabled, LGBT+ and other minority groups in society.”
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