Candidate emerges to replace Elish Angiolini

CURRENT Solicitor General Frank Mulholland QC is being tipped as the front-runner to replace Elish Angiolini as Lord Advocate when she steps down after next year's Holyrood elections.

Angiolini, who has held the job for four years, announced her departure on Friday at a sexual offences conference in Glasgow, saying it had been a privilege to serve as a prosecutor and law officer for 27 years.

As Solicitor General, Mulholland, who was appointed in May 2007 and was previously procurator-fiscal for Lothian and Borders, holds the position Angiolini held before being appointed Lord Advocate.

One QC told Scotland on Sunday: "I would have thought Frank Mulholland is the frontrunner for the job. The question then becomes: 'Who will replace Mulholland as Solicitor General?'"

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Other names in the frame for the job of Lord Advocate are believed to include Catherine Dyer, a senior figure in the Crown Office, and Dorothy Bain QC, the Principle Advocate Depute.

Angiolini, who was appointed by a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition and was asked by the incoming SNP administration to stay on in 2007, has been widely praised for her handling of two different administrations at Holyrood.

One MSP speculated that she would be involved in further reform after standing down: "I hope she will be involved in reforms of the court system and reforms in Sheriff court. . Whatever she does next will be of huge importance and benefit to Scotland."