WEST Fife MSP Alex Rowley’s decision to take an automatic slot at the top of his party’s regional list at next year’s Holyrood elections has come under fire from his opponents.

Mr Rowley, who represents Cowdenbeath, was elected Scottish Labour’s deputy leader in August – and under new party rules is entitled to top spot on a regional list.

Despite repeatedly saying during his campaign that he would refuse the automatic placement, he has now U-turned, saying the party “needs stability”.

Under the Scottish Parliament’s electoral system, the ‘first vote’ is used to elect a constituency MSP and the ‘second vote’ for a party rather than a candidate, with parties allocating a number of additional members. Regional MSPs are selected from lists compiled by the parties.

The former Fife Council leader said: “I have advised the Scottish general secretary of the Labour Party that I will take up the place on the regional list that is available for the deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

“I have done so after considering the changing circumstances within the Scottish Labour Party since I stood for deputy leader, when I said I would only stand in the constituency section.

“The key focus of my campaign for deputy leader was that I would bring about change through a more autonomous Scottish Labour Party that was more open and engaging with its membership, which most party members backed. 

“In order to achieve this, the party needs stability within its leadership. 

“Whilst I will continue to work hard in my constituency seat every day and fight to win the seat in May, I have concluded that in the interest of the stability of leadership that is needed to deliver the major changes promised and required within Scottish Labour, it is best that I also stand on the list.”

Mr Rowley’s decision has drawn flak from political opponents.

An SNP spokesperson said: “That just months before the Holyrood elections Scottish Labour’s deputy leader is running scared of voters in Cowdenbeath is just another sign of the dire straits that his party find themselves in.

“For as long as Labour remains bitterly divided amongst itself on key issues, incapable of providing credible opposition to the Tories at Westminster and unable to set out any positive vision for Scotland, more and more voters in Fife and across Scotland will place their trust in the SNP.”

Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay councillor Dave Dempsey, the Scottish Conservatives’ Holyrood candidate for Cowdenbeath, said: “This shows just how lacking in confidence Labour are if their deputy leader, standing in what is meant to be a stronghold, isn’t optimistic about winning his seat.”