One of the advantages of being an outgoing First Minister, it would appear, is that you have a lot more time on your hands.

Jack McConnell, clinging gamely to his post but to all intents and purposes just keeping the seat warm for Alex Salmond, was present for the whole of yesterday's MSP swearing-in ceremony.

He didn't have to be there, but there he was, giving every MSP a hearty round of applause as they signed the register.

Mr Salmond, on the other hand, hung around for the first half-hour and was never seen again.

While Labour accused him of showing a lack of respect, the suspicion was he had things to do, namely making the preparations for Scotland's new government.

There was a tantalising glimpse yesterday of what may be to come once the parliament properly gets down to business next week.

While Labour MSPs continued to occupy the government benches, an advanced guard of Nationalists - among them Fergus Ewing, Jim Mather and Stewart Maxwell - appeared to mark their territory by encroaching on enemy turf.

Mr Salmond had been the first MSP to be sworn in yesterday morning, eagerly bounding into the chamber as his name was read out.

He then pointed out that "the Scottish National Party's primary loyalty is with the people of Scotland" before pledging his allegiance to the Queen, her heirs and successors.

Senior SNP sources claimed their new intake had been well warned not to rock the boat. On yesterday's evidence, it would appear the message has got through.

While a few made clear their displeasure at having to swear allegiance to the Queen - Roseanna Cunningham, for example, said she was only doing it "under protest" while Maureen Watt crossed her fingers - the rest simply got on with it.

Mr Salmond's swearing-in was followed by Mr McConnell, the only MSP to wear a kilt at the event.

Among the new batch of MSPs was Bashir Ahmed, the parliament's first Asian MSP, who took his oath in Urdu and English. Other languages heard during the two-and-a-half hour ceremony were Gaelic, Doric and Scots.

Those fearing Holyrood will become a duller place can take some solace in the unexpected election of George Foulkes, representing the Lothians and set to be one of Holyrood's more colourful characters.

Emphasising the pronunciation of his surname to make it clear that George Reid, the departing Presiding Officer, had got it wrong, Lord Foulkes's swearing-in was the only one to raise a laugh.

12:01am Thursday 10th May 2007

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