Cameron Buchanan to be sworn in as Lothian MSP

Cameron Buchanan will be sworn in today. Picture: Phil Wilkinson

Cameron Buchanan will take the seat of the former Scottish Conservative leader, who died of cancer on August 12, for the party on the Lothian regional list.

MSPs paid tribute to Mr McLetchie on their return to Holyrood from the summer recess yesterday.

A motion of condolence by party leader Ruth Davidson was the first business of the new session. She described Mr McLetchie as “the best of parliamentarians and the best of men”.

First Minister Alex Salmond said Mr McLetchie was a politician of “ability, sincerity and conviction”.

Labour leader Johann Lamont said he was “a great parliamentarian”, and Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie called him “a towering figure who changed the future for the Scottish Conservatives and Scottish politics”.

Presiding officer Tricia Marwick said: ‘’David always shone brightly in this chamber in particular, which I know he loved. We will all miss his contributions and this place will be that bit dimmer without David McLetchie.’’

Announcing his replacement formally, she said: “Following the death of David McLetchie I have determined that the date of the subsequent vacancy is 12 August 2013.

“I have sent a notice to the returning officer for the Lothian region informing her of the vacancy. The returning officer has ascertained that the vacancy is to be filled by Cameron Buchanan.”