Brian Wilson: Critical of the role of list MSPs

Brian Wilson, a former government minister, was scathing of the system as plans to change the way MSPs are elected to the Scottish Parliament were said to be "gathering pace".

Under the proposals, the present two-tier arrangement of constituency and regional list MSPs would be scrapped.

It would be replaced with a system by which all MSPs would be elected by the single transferable vote (STV) method of elections - a system currently planned for local authorities.

There are currently 56 list MSPs in Scotland, four of whom are members of the Labour Party.

They have no constituency, they have no role and they are not elected by anyone Brian Wilson MP

They are Peter Peacock, Scotland's education minister, and Maureen Macmillan, who represent the Highlands & Islands, and Marlyn Glen and Richard Baker in North East Scotland.

Mr Wilson said: "In the Highlands & Islands, every one of these people finished third in constituency elections, yet as a consolation prize, they are made MSPs anyway.

"I don't see anything democratic about that at all.

"Personally I would not weep any tears if the list system was done away with. I regard list MSPs as a breed, as an under-employed waste of space.

"They have no constituency, they have no role and they are not elected by anyone."

Order of preference

When asked to respond to Mr Wilson's comments by BBC Scotland, Mr Peacock said: "I am neither under-employed or a waste of space and am on my way to give evidence to a parliamentary committee so have to go."

The Scottish Green Party hit back at Mr Wilson's call by accusing him of being scared of "real democracy as it breaks out in Scotland."

If an STV system is adopted, it would involve the creation of bigger constituencies - with three or four members. Voters would rank candidates in order of preference.

Peter Peacock's post as an MSP is said to be a "consolation prize"

Experts have said it is unlikely the new measures will be in place for the next general election in 2005 but it may be in operation for the next Scottish Parliament elections in 2007 if there is cross-party consensus.

Voting reform will not feature in this autumn's Queen's Speech, and the immediate focus will be upon maintaining the number of MSPs at 129.

Final plans for that are expected to emerge from the Boundaries Commission early in 2004.

Former presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, Sir David Steel, has already criticised the current list voting system - by which 56 MSPs are elected regionally through a form of proportional representation - claiming it has not been a success.

In August, he said parliament would be better served if MSPs were elected via the single transferable vote.