The Herald Election Site

Alex Salmond yesterday struck a deal with the two Green MSPs which will almost certainly result in him becoming the new First Minister.

It dealt a fatal blow to Labour leader Jack McConnell's hopes of remaining First Minister, as it makes it impossible for him to secure enough votes to beat the SNP chief next Wednesday, assuming that the Tories and LibDems abstain.

And last night Alex Fergusson, the Tory MSP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, emerged as the front runner to become Presiding Officer, replacing George Reid, after his party relented and allowed him to stand.

The only other candidate so far is Margo MacDonald, veteran nationalist turned Independent, who offered to serve for a year to break the current impasse.

As part of the co-operation agreement'' the remaining Green MSPs, Robin Harper from Lothian and Patrick Harvie representing Glasgow, will have the convenership of one of the major committees and a promise of early legislation to set targets limiting carbon emissions. They also agreed to oppose new nuclear power stations and to work towards independence.

Greens have won a promise to be consulted on the SNP's legislative programme and its budgets over the next four years but are not bound to support the SNP in any other vote.

The agreement still leaves the SNP 19 votes short of a working majority, so it is of limited benefit to either side.

No agreement was reached on any stronger alliance beyond next week due to differences over transport projects. The Greens wanted to block the Aberdeen ring road and M74 extension, while retaining Edinburgh's trams, but the SNP insists it wants to keep the road projects and scrap the tram scheme.

Labour claimed the deal fell short of SNP hopes and refused to concede Mr Salmond would be elected First Minister.

Presiding Officer Election
What a fix - and illegal too. The law - The Scotland Act - required the election to be at the Parliament "first meeting", last wednesday. But that way Margo would have won - so they iegally dekayed and fixed yet anoher election.

Who are "they"? - The establishement - corrupt public servants (watching their Holyrood building backs) and the "big four" party cabal.

SNP hang you heads in shame. You prefer a tory unionist - the guy that just turned you over in Galloway - to Margo.

An how iroinic to see Alastair Morgan ( list MSP , now SNP business manager) , the guy Alex Fergusson thumped in Galloway, moving the illegal motion of suspension at Holyrood last wednesday that enables Alex Fergusson to win on Monday. But legally? Watch this space.

Jounos - waken up. Read the Scotland Act and the Parly's Standing orders ( google search - its all onlne now - that's computers) The Act has been broken, clear and simple. And just because George Reid says it aint and all four big parties agree with him dont make it right. Just like that combined ballot paper - they all agred to it too.

But this time you can stop the fix in advance of the vote, if you got up off your lazy backsides. Or is it only illegal wars in far away places that you can harmlesly report on via a Reuters wire that interests you? Our are our elected members, your drinking chumbs, (sometimes your wives and husbands), allowed to break the law? We're Scotland - aye, everything that wrong with it.

And on a related matter, why aint you all parked outside Douglas Alexanders door demanding his resignation. Or does he have to do something really serious to deserve such attention - like try and snog a couple of 18 year olds when he's half cut?

But Douglas Alexander - Gordon Brown is planning to promote him. All part of his "bold and immaginative" plans to enhance parliamentary democracy. It's real democracy we want - a democracy that allows us to remove the likes of Dougie, a democracy that allows us all the right to vote, a democracy who parliamentarians uphold their own laws.

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