MSPs are elected by different voting systems

But the suggestion has come under fire from the Scottish Socialists and the Scottish Greens.

For Holyrood elections, there is a mixture of first-past-the-post and proportional representation.

The SSP has six MSPs and the Greens have seven, all elected by the second vote list system.

The debate was sparked when Labour made a formal submission to the Arbuthnott Commission, the independent body set up by the government to study if any change is needed in the way MSPs are elected.

The party says it does not want any changes to system until after the 2007 election.

'Creates confusion'

However, it claims there is "significant confusion" surrounding the list vote in the Holyrood elections.

The submission says: "Many voters are not aware that they have two votes for the Scottish Parliament and many believe it to be a second preference, which it is not intended to be. This creates confusion."

The list system had also led to a "perception" that there were two classes of MSP, with list MSPs having a lighter workload than constituency MSPs and, in many cases, "cherrypicking" issues to raise their own political profile.

The submission proposed removing the need for a second vote by allocating list seats on the basis of the constituency vote.

Labour is running scared of new politics and of the growing momentum for ensuring parliament truly reflects the people's will Mark Ballard Green MSP

It said: "We feel that the direct link between politician and the electorate has to be sacrosanct in order to ensure accountability."

But the SSP accused Labour of wanting to get rid of the proportionate element of voting in Holyrood elections.

A spokesman said: "They don't like it, they don't like the result, they don't like the rise of the smaller parties, who represent a significant section of the Scottish electorate.

"They are determined to destroy the proportional part of the Holyrood representation system."

The SSP and the Greens are both big gainers under the present Holyrood voting system.

The Greens joined the SSP in attacking Labour.

An independent body is looking at what change is needed to the way MSPs are elected

MSP Mark Ballard said: "This call from Labour reflects their growing concern that given a fair voting system people will vote for what they believe, as is increasingly the case in Scottish elections, and the dominance of the main parties will dwindle.

"Labour is running scared of new politics and of the growing momentum for ensuring parliament truly reflects the people's will."

The SSP wants the present Holyrood voting system to be kept while the Greens want the present system to be kept and the number of list seats increased from 56 to 70.

Other political parties have also submitted evidence to the commission.

'Parliament should decide'

The SNP wants Single Transferable Voting (STV) to be used for the next Holyrood elections.

The Nationalists favour several constituencies being grouped together to each form a single super-constituency returning several MSPs elected by STV.

The Liberal Democrats favour a similar system of STV voting and grouped constituencies.

The Scottish Conservatives, who have long argued for a reduction in the number of MSPs, want the decision on any changes to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

A Tory spokesman said: "The decision should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, enabling it to decide on its numbers and on how MSPs are elected."