By Steve Bargeton, political editor

A CONSERVATIVE MSP was last night the favourite to become the next Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.

Alex Fergusson, the MSP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, confirmed he has submitted himself as a candidate for when MSPs elect a successor to George Reid on Monday.

Newly-elected MSPs were supposed to choose a Presiding Officer as their first act after being sworn in earlier this week.

But, due to the closeness of the election result, none of the main parties were prepared to allow one of their MSPs to go forward.

The Presiding Officer is required to be politically neutral.

The only member who said she was willing to do the job was independent MSP Margo MacDonald.

The election resulted in 47 SNP MSPs, 46 Labour, 17 Tories, 16 Lib Dems and two Greens, plus Ms MacDonald.

Mathematically the Tories could afford to “lose” one of their number and still command a majority in the 129-member Parliament with the SNP and the Greens on any given issue.

Yesterday farmer Mr Fergusson, who earlier this week ruled himself out from standing as Presiding Officer after pressure from his party, said the decision was taken “after lengthy and careful consideration, and having satisfied myself that I will be able to continue to look after the needs of my constituents.”

He said, “I have been both flattered and humbled by the number of colleagues of all parties who have urged me to take this step, but my first duty was to ensure that my service to my constituents would not suffer as a consequence of being elected to the post.

“I am fully aware of the many challenges that will face the Scottish Parliament over the coming weeks and months, and it would be an extraordinary privilege to be elected to the Presiding Officer’s role.”

His move was with the “full and active approval” of the party and Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie.

She called him “a man of integrity, intelligence and political maturity, respected by all sides of the chamber.”