By Steve Bargeton, political editor

IN A secret ballot MSPs yesterday elected old Etonian farmer Alex Fergusson as the new Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.

The Tory Galloway and Upper Nithsdale MSP beat off a late challenge from independent MSP Margo MacDonald by 108 votes to 20.

Ms MacDonald confirmed her intention to stand less than half an hour before MSPs gathered to choose a successor to George Reid.

Before leaving the floor of the chamber for the last time Mr Reid told MSPs that his successor faced the “difficult trick” of sitting “impartially on the fence “while keeping his ears pressed firmly to the ground.”

“You have just elected a decent and honourable man to lead this house,” he said.

“As a former committee convener, he knows what it is to seek consensus. He brings real qualities to that task, a farmer rooted in his native soil, experienced in shepherding his flock in all weathers.”

Mr Fergusson had earlier ruled himself out of the politically neutral position of Presiding Officer, but later said he could do the job while still serving his constituents.

Addressing MSPs for the first time as Presiding Officer he admitted to having many sleepless nights agonising over his decision to stand.

And he confirmed that he would be “suspending” his allegiance to the Scottish Conservative Party during his four-year tenure.

Scottish Labour leader Jack McConnell paid tribute to Mr Fergusson, but referring to the closeness of the election which saw his party beaten by the SNP by a single seat, said, “This is going to be a challenging four years.”

SNP leader Alex Salmond, who is odds-on favourite to become First Minster when MSPs vote on the top job tomorrow, also praised the new Presiding Officer adding, “We have a major task in hand.”

Mr Fergusson’s first task was to supervise the election of two Deputy Presiding Officers to assist him. After a drawn-out process SNP MSP Alasdair Morgan and Labour MSP Trish Godman were elected. Ms Godman was a Deputy Presiding Officer in the last parliament.