Canon Kenyon For Scottish Parliament

Wright: Speaker's Chair?

The name of the chairman of the Scottish Constitutional Convention, Canon Kenyon Wright, has been added to the growing list of those who plan to contest a seat in the new Scottish Parliament.

Wright is preparing to rejoin the Labour Party before seeking selection as a prospective candidate. A former Labour member, he allowed his membership to lapse in order to work on the cross-party Constitutional Convention. Although Canon Wright's sights are focused on becoming an MSP, there has been some conjecture, due no doubt to his neutral stance during the Convention, that Wright could become the Chancellor (Speaker) of the Scottish Parliament.

Wright expressed surprise at the rumour: "I have not sought such a post and I am not seeking it now, but if it came along I would be absolutely delighted to accept it," he told the Herald newspaper yesterday. For the time being he will still work with the Convention which is expected to keep going until the inaugural meeting of the new parliament.

Other personalities publicly linked to the Scottish Parliament so far have been the Scottish Labour's General Secretary, Jack McConnell and the actors Elaine C Smith and David Hayman.

Hayman and Smith declaring their intentions

McConnell is expected to step down from his present post in order to leave the way open for selection as a candidate for the Scottish Parliament. On Referendum night David Hayman and Elaine C Smith, better known for her role as Rab C Nesbitt's long suffering wife, stated that they intend to run. "I think that women are very poorly represented in this very macho land of ours, particularly in the world of politics," said Smith.

However, on the day that Dana secured her nomination as candidate for the Irish presidency, rumours that Sheena Easton intends to contest a seat in the Scottish Parliament can not be substantiated.