Computer teacher to become Edinburgh’s Lord Provost

Donald Wilson will be put forward by the new Labour-SNP administration, which has a firm majority in the City Chambers, next week.

The veteran Labour councillor is a former chair of both Edinburgh & Lothians Tourist Board and the city’s international science festival.

Wilson, 52, who was elected in 1999, is the Labour group’s sole nomination for the post.

As well as performing a huge range of civic duties, including greeting members of the Royal Family in Edinburgh, the Lord Provost has to chair every full council meeting.

However the Sighthill and Gorgie, one of the city’s “bailies” for the last five years, said he would relish the challenge.

He told The Scotsman: “I’m obviously delighted and it’s a tremendous honour to be put forward by my colleagues.

“I think of myself as a very consensual politician and I’d like to think I already have the respect of all sides of the council.

“I have a lot of experience of chairing council meetings and my work over the years with the likes of the tourist board and the science festival.

“Being one of the bailies, which has involved standing in for the Lord Provost over the last five years, I’ve always enjoyed the civic occasion side of being a councillor, and I’ve also got a real interest in the history of the city.”

Mr Wilson hails from the Borders having been brought up in Edinburgh and studied sociology and politics at Stirling University before undergoing teacher training in Edinburgh.

Mr Wilson said he would reluctantly have to give up working at Newbattle Community High, in Midlothian, during his tenure as Lord Provost due to the demands of the numerous civic duties.

He paid tribute to his predecessor, George Grubb, who served five years before retirement earlier this month.

Mr Wilson said: “He brought great dignity to the role and will be remembered very fondly, but I’ll have my own style and will hopefully be bringing my own personality to the role.”

Meanwhile Edinburgh’s Greens have been accused of a “significant missed opportunity” after turning their backs on the chance to run the city with Labour and the SNP.

It has emerged that the six Green councillors, who became the fourth biggest group on the council last week, were offered the chance to join the Lab-SNP alliance after withdrawing from all-party talks - and also rebuffing the chance to be part of a Labour-Tory coalition.

Labour group leader Andrew Burns said: “We left the door open to the Greens and I am disappointed they did not take up the offer, even after the coalition agreement had been signed.”

However Green councillor Gavin Corbett said: “A coalition which keeps the Conservatives in opposition and which places the Greens as the leading alternative for bold and progressive ideas offers exciting prospects for the capital.”