Naming Holyrood rooms after Scots heroes 'a waste of time'

Published on Tuesday 24 November 2009 08:40

COMMITTEE rooms in the Holyrood parliament are to be renamed after Scottish heroes, in a move slammed as a "waste of time".

Scottish Parliament bosses agreed to the move after a suggestion from SNP backbencher Kenny Gibson. Now all MSPs are being invited to put forward suggestions before the end of the year with the promise of "anonymity" over their proposals.

But one disgruntled Holyrood politician said the idea was pointless. "Have we not got better things to do?" he asked. "We've all had an e-mail asking for names, but I couldn't care less."

The MSP, who asked not to be named, added: "At least it's only the six committee rooms. Kenny Gibson's original idea seemed to be that almost every room should be named after someone. We would have been trying to find dozens of names."

The e-mail sent to MSPs said the cross-party Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, responsible for Holyrood's internal business, had agreed the "six committee rooms would be named and that members should be invited to put forward their (non-attributable) suggestions".

It continued: "Suggestions should focus on historical figures who have made a significant contribution to Scotland."

It is understood the move will not involve any expense beyond new signs.

Independent Lothians MSP Margo MacDonald said the decision should not be left to the corporate body.

She said: "We'll never get agreement on this. They should either put the names in a hat and draw them out or decide to go for Scottish place names instead."

Mr Gibson put forward his idea in a motion he tabled at the parliament nearly a year ago. Fourteen of his SNP colleagues gave the idea their backing.

The corporate body was initially said to be "lukewarm" on the plan, but gave it unanimous backing at its last meeting.

Mr Gibson has already produced his own list – Edinburgh-born physicist and mathematician James Clerk Maxwell; Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin; Adam Smith, author of the Wealth of Nations; James Watt, inventor of the steam engine; John Logie Baird, inventor of the television; and Scottish patriot William Wallace.

Mr Gibson said: "Whether it is great scientists, economists, thinkers, campaigners, medics or Scottish patriots, this is a great opportunity to bring the recognition parliament gives to Scotland's writers on the wall outside parliament into the building.

"Perhaps MSPs will find it more inspiring to work for the future of our nation in the Adam Smith or Alexander Fleming room than in Committee Room 1 or 2."