Smith tops Lib Dems' list for Holyrood

EDINBURGH West Liberal Democrat MSP Margaret Smith has won the number one slot on the party's Lothians list for next year's Holyrood elections.

She enjoyed a comfortable victory in the internal ballot of party members to rank the candidates for the top-up list.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, the Lib Dems' candidate in Edinburgh Central, will take second slot.

The Lib Dems currently have two constituency MSPs in the Lothians - Ms Smith, who had a majority of 5886 at the last election, and Mike Pringle, elected in Edinburgh South with a majority of 1929 - but no list MSPs.

The party is aiming to hold its current two seats and win Central, where an analysis of boundary changes suggest the Lib Dems should come out on top.

Ms Smith has been an MSP since 1999.