Holyrood is ‘dull’ - can a new presiding officer inject some passion?

On Thursday MSPs will be asked to elect a new presiding officer, and all the candidates up for the job agree that changes need to be made.

But will change be bold and ambitious, or just tinkering around the edges?

There are four hoping to have the job of controlling the rabble in parliament - the SNP’s Kenny Gibson MSP, Stuart McMillan MSP and Clare Haughey MSP, and Liam McArthur MSP from the Lib Dems.

In the past grievances have been aired about the election (or lack of election) of the presiding officer, with some previously telling The Scotsman: “It is not a genuine contest. It is, more often than not, settled in advance.

“Everyone in the building knows it. We just don’t say it.”

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It was no surprise then when Stephen Kerr MSP organised a rogue hustings on Wednesday afternoon, where Mr McMillan, Mr Gibson and Mr McArthur made their pitch to MSPs.

The presiding officer must give up their party affiliation to chair debates from a neutral position. They also select which questions get asked and are key to arranging parliamentary business.

But all the candidates agreed that whoever becomes the next presiding officer needs to shake things up a bit. The fact there was a hustings at all however unofficial, shows there is already a willingness to change how things are done.

Mr Gibson said: “The chamber has become dull. It is not exciting. We need to do more to liven it up.”

He said if he was presiding officer, he would like a “noisy, boisterous chamber”.

Mr Gibson promised to make bold changes to the way parliament is run, including allowing those who have their speeches interrupted to automatically be given more time to finish, and allowing backbenchers more time to speak at the expense of party leaders.

Read more: The election of Scottish Parliament's Presiding Officer is a sham that must end

He also suggested MSPs have their microphones turned off if they make spurious points of order (something the outgoing Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone probably wanted to do to Douglas Ross many times).

However if he wants the job he will have to see off Mr McArthur. As the obvious frontrunner here, this is his election to lose.

In the last session Mr McArthur served as deputy presiding officer and showed he can put aside party politics and work with others when he led the assisted dying debate earlier this year.

He offers a steady hand, someone with experience and a level head. He would provide continuity while offering practical solutions to try and keep people happy.

Unlike Mr Gibson, Mr McArthur said there needs to be predictability in parliamentary scheduling, and warned Holyrood cannot be “cavalier” in letting debates run on and on - but would ban monologues in debates.

He also suggested MSPs be given time in the week to let off steam to stop debates being interrupted by grievances - something Mr Gibson then dubbed a “greetin’ meeting”.

Mr McMillan on the other hand emphasised the need for better behaviour, respect and tolerance in the debating chamber, vowing to sanction the worst offenders.

He also suggested that statements that are leaked to the press in advance cannot then be read in the chamber, and shortening the amount of time MSPs have to ask and answer questions.

The new presiding officer will be elected on Thursday afternoon, marking the first order of business for the newly-elected MSPs.